Carcinoembryonic Antigen in Cancer of the Female Reproductive System: Its Detection in Serum by a Microradioimmunoassay*

Summary : Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is demonstrable in whole serum of patients with cancers of the female reproductive system. Positive results, taken arbitrarily as levels of CEA exceeding 5 ng./ml., were obtained in 60% of such patients; the highest incidence of positive results was present in patients with ovarian and breast cancer (73% and 70%). By comparison, none of 73 patients with benign gynaecological conditions such as cervicitis and dysfunctional uterine bleeding, and only 4% of unselected blood donors, had a positive result. The incidence of high levels of CEA (values of 10 ng./ml. or more) was lower in patients with cancer of the reproductive system (56 of 171) than in those with cancer of the digestive system (96 of 138). There was no difference in incidence of positive results for patients with adenocarcinoma and with squamous cell carcinoma of the female genital organs. In general, a higher incidence of positive results and higher levels of CEA were present in patients with extensive or meta‐static disease, but positive results were found even in those with pre‐invasive lesions (carcinoma in situ and severe dysplasia).