Meta-Analysis
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Surg. Dec 27, 2023; 15(12): 2907-2918
Published online Dec 27, 2023. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v15.i12.2907
Significance of carcinoembryonic antigen detection in the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Rui Wang, Qin Wang, Pan Li
Rui Wang, Pan Li, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610072, Sichuan Province, China
Qin Wang, Delivery Room, Chengdu Women’s and Children’s Central Hospital, Chengdu 610000, Sichuan Province, China
Author contributions: Wang R, Wang Q and Li P jointly designed this study; Wang R, Wang Q, wrote the paper; Wang R and Li P were responsible for collating the data and reviewing the articles.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Dr. Li has nothing to disclose.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Pan Li, MBBS, Doctor, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39 Shi-er-qiao Road, Chengdu 610072, Sichuan Province, China. lp1759lp@163.com
Received: September 7, 2023
Peer-review started: September 7, 2023
First decision: September 20, 2023
Revised: September 30, 2023
Accepted: November 14, 2023
Article in press: November 14, 2023
Published online: December 27, 2023
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a prevalent malignant tumor involving adenomas that develop into malignant lesions. CRC can be detected through early screening and treated with surgery or colonoscopy, increasing the survival rate by 90%. Therefore, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) testing has been suggested for CRC diagnosis, particularly for detecting disease recurrence and monitoring the response to therapy. However, the use of CEA in the screening of CRC in asymptomatic individuals remains controversial and, therefore, is not recommended in routine practice. Controversy surrounds CEA use in practice owing to variability in the measurement of CEA levels.

Research motivation

Controversy surrounds CEA use in practice owing to variability in the measurement of CEA levels. Foremost, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, which are often used to test for the presence of CEA, can vary depending on the testing procedures, yielding inconsistent CEA levels.

Research objectives

However, considering the inconsistencies in using CEA for CRC detection, this study aimed to evaluate current evidence regarding the diagnostic power of CEA levels in the early detection of CRC recurrence in adults.

Research methods

Our research methods were a systematic review and meta-analysis significance of CEA detection in the early diagnosis of CRC.

Research results

CEA testing is often used with other diagnostic tests, such as colonoscopy or biopsy, for early CRC diagnosis. This is important as early diagnosis can optimize treatment and, thus, patient outcomes and survival. Therefore, the monitoring of CEA levels should be considered as one component of a comprehensive postoperative follow-up for early diagnosis of CRC recurrence.

Research conclusions

We concluded that the CEA detection was significant in the early diagnosis of CRC.

Research perspectives

Our research perspectives involved investigating the sensitivity and specificity of CEA as a diagnostic marker for CRC. Also, we sought to examine the possibility of early detection of CRC and how it improves the possibility of early treatment.