Study of correlation of carcinoembryonic antigen and acute phase reactant proteins in Esophagus cancer patients

Objective: To evaluate the correlation of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and acute-phase reactant proteins C-reactive protein (CRP) and alpha-1 antitrypsin (A1AT) in esophagus cancer patients before therapy. Materials and Methods: Fifty patients suffering from esophagus cancer were included in the study. CEA was estimated by solid phase, two-site sequential chemiluminescent immunometric assay. CRP was estimated by latex turbidimetry method and A1AT by turbidimetry method. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS Software version 10.0 (SPSS, Inc., USA) and MedCalc. Results: A significant positive correlation was found in CEA and CRP and between CEA and A1AT in esophagus cancer patients. Conclusion: The measurement of CRP and A1AT in early stages of malignancies along with CEA would establish a definite relationship between inflammatory diseases and cancers. Most malignancies exhibit increased production of inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, estimation of these markers is suitable where the correlation with the advanced stages of tumors was found.