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. 2017 Sep;58(5):918-924.
doi: 10.3349/ymj.2017.58.5.918.

Serum CEA and CA 19-9 Levels are Associated with the Presence and Severity of Colorectal Neoplasia

Nam Hee Kim  1 , Mi Yeon Lee  2 , Jung Ho Park  3 , Dong Il Park  3 , Chong Il Sohn  3 , Kyuyong Choi  3 , Yoon Suk Jung  4
Affiliations

Serum CEA and CA 19-9 Levels are Associated with the Presence and Severity of Colorectal Neoplasia

Nam Hee Kim et al. Yonsei Med J. 2017 Sep.

Abstract

Purpose: Limited data are available regarding the association between circulating serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) or carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) concentrations and colorectal adenoma. We aimed to investigate whether elevated serum CEA and CA 19-9 levels are correlated with the presence of colorectal neoplasia (CRN) and whether the levels of these antigens vary according to CRN severity.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on asymptomatic subjects who underwent colonoscopy between 2010 and 2014 as part of a comprehensive health screening program in Korea.

Results: A total of 124509 participants with measured serum CEA levels and 115833 participants with measured serum CA 19-9 levels were analyzed. Elevated CEA concentrations were associated with a higher rate of any adenoma, advanced adenoma, high-risk adenoma, advanced CRN (ACRN), overall CRN, and colorectal cancer (CRC). Elevated CA 19-9 concentrations were also associated with a higher rate of advanced adenoma, high-risk adenoma, ACRN, and CRC. Both elevated levels of CEA and CA 19-9 were identified as independent predictors of ACRN. Among patients with CRN, the proportions of elevated CEA/CA 19-9 levels were significantly higher in patients with ACRN than in those with non-ACRN, and these levels were correlated with larger lesion size and multiplicity of adenomas.

Conclusion: Both elevated serum CEA and CA 19-9 levels were associated with the presence of ACRN, as well as CRC. Elevated CEA levels were also associated with the presence of overall CRN. Moreover, both CEA and CA 19-9 levels were correlated with the severity of CRN.

Keywords: CA 19-9; CEA; colorectal neoplasia.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no financial conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Flow diagram illustrating the selection of study subjects. CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen; CA 19-9, carbohydrate antigen 19-9.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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