The Impact of Colorectal Carcinoma Chemotherapy on Serum Levels of Carcinoembryonic Antigen and Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 among Sudanese Patients

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancer related causes of morbidity and mortality in developed countries. Tumor markers are substances synthesized and excreted by tumor tissues that can be detected in abnormal concentrations in serum, urine, and other body fluids. This study attempted to investigate whether CEA and CA 19-9 levels can be used to monitor the response of chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). This study included 100 patients with CRC admitted to National Cancer Institute (NCI-Sudan) to receive chemotherapy, the concentration of CEA and CA 19-9 levels were measured pre and post chemotherapy in which all patients with CRC received chemotherapy with a 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Patients with CRC showed a highly significant increase (p < 0.01) of CEA levels between pre and post chemotherapy in early stage (Stage I; p=0.009 and stage II; p=0.001). And also there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) between pre and post chemotherapy of CA 19-9 levels in early stages (Stage I; p=0.045 and stage II; p=0.017), but there was no significant difference found between pre and post chemotherapy in the levels of CEA and CA 19-9 in more advanced tumor stage. These data suggest that early stages of CRC patients are of more response to chemotherapy than late stage and also CEA is better than CA 19-9 in flow of patients with CRC especially in advanced stage.