Clinical significance of discordance between carcinoembryonic antigen levels and RECIST in metastatic colorectal cancer

In Ho Kim, Ji Eun Lee, Ji Hyun Yang, Joon Won Jeong, Sangmi Ro, Seong Taek Oh, Jun Gi Kim, Moon Hyung Choi, Myung Ah Lee

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic implications of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels that are inconsistent with Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumor (RECIST) responses in metastatic colorectal cancer patients. Materials and Methods We retrospectively evaluated 360 patients with at least one measurable lesion who received first-line palliative chemotherapy. CEA-response was defined as CEA-complete response (CR; CEA normalization), CEA-partial response (PR; ≥ 50% decrease in CEA levels), CEA-progressive disease (PD; ≥ 50% increase in CEA levels), and CEA-stable disease (SD; non-CR/PR/PD). Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated according to CEAresponse. Results In RECIST-PR patients, poorer CEA-response was associated with disease progression at the subsequent evaluation. In RECIST-SD patients, CEA-CR and -PR were associated with lower disease progression rates than CEA-PD at the subsequent evaluation. Correlations between survival outcome and CEA-response in same-category RECIST patients were assessed. In RECIST-PR patients, discordant CEA-response (CEA-PD/SD) was associated with poorer survival than CEA-CR/PR (median OS and PFS, 44.0 and 15.4 [CEA-CR], 28.9 and 12.5 [CEA-PR], 21.0 and 9.8 [CEA-SD], and 13.0 and 7.0 [CEA-PD] months, respectively; all p < 0.001). In RECIST-SD patients, favorable CEA-response produced better survival (median OS and PFS, 26.8 and 21.0 [CEA-CR], 21.0 and 11.0 [CEA-PR], 16.1 and 8.2 [CEASD], and 12.2 and 6.0 [CEA-PD] months, respectively; all p < 0.001). RECIST-PD patients with CEA-CR showed longer OS than those with CEA-PD. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that discordant CEA-response is a powerful prognostic factor for RECIST-PR and RECIST-SD patients. Conclusion Among patients of the same RECIST-response categories, CEA-response patterns are significantly prognostic and strongly predictive of subsequent evaluation outcomes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)283-292
Number of pages10
JournalCancer Research and Treatment
Volume50
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2018

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 by the Korean Cancer Association.

Keywords

  • Carcinoembryonic antigen
  • Chemotherapy
  • Colorectal neoplasms
  • Prognosis
  • Survival

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Clinical significance of discordance between carcinoembryonic antigen levels and RECIST in metastatic colorectal cancer'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this