Brief Article
Copyright ©2012 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 7, 2012; 18(29): 3910-3916
Published online Aug 7, 2012. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i29.3910
Normal carcinoembryonic antigen indicates benefit from perioperative chemotherapy to gastric carcinoma patients
Shi Chen, Ying-Bo Chen, Yuan-Fang Li, Xing-Yu Feng, Zhi-Wei Zhou, Xiu-Hong Yuan, Chao-Nan Qian
Shi Chen, Ying-Bo Chen, Yuan-Fang Li, Xing-Yu Feng, Zhi-Wei Zhou, Xiu-Hong Yuan, Chao-Nan Qian, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, Guangdong Province, China
Shi Chen, Ying-Bo Chen, Zhi-Wei Zhou, Department of Abdominal Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Chen S, Chen YB and Qian CN designed the research; Li YF and Feng XY contributed analytic tools; Chen S, Zhou ZW and Yuan XH analyzed the data; and Chen S, Chen YB and Qian CN wrote the paper.
Supported by Grant from the State Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81030043
Correspondence to: Dr. Chao-Nan Qian, MD, PhD, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, Guangdong Province, China. qianchn@sysucc.org.cn
Telephone: +86-20-87343457 Fax: +86-20-87343624
Received: December 30, 2011
Revised: April 17, 2012
Accepted: April 20, 2012
Published online: August 7, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To evaluate pretreatment serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a predictor of survival for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer receiving perioperative chemotherapy.

METHODS: We retrospectively studied a cohort of 228 gastric cancer patients who underwent D2 gastrectomy combined with chemotherapy at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 2005 and December 2009. Among them, 168 patients received 6-12 cycles of oxaliplatin-based adjuvant (post-operative) chemotherapy, while 60 received perioperative chemotherapy (2 cycles of FOLFOX6 or XELOX before surgery and 4-10 cycles after surgery). Serum CEA was measured using an enzyme immunoassay. The follow-up lasted until December 2010.

RESULTS: In the group that had elevated serum CEA, the difference in survival time between patients receiving perioperative chemotherapy and those receiving adjuvant chemotherapy had no statistical significance (P > 0.05). However, in the group that had normal serum CEA, patients receiving perioperative chemotherapy had a longer survival time. In multivariate analysis, T staging and lymph node metastatic rate were independent prognostic factors for the patients. Perioperative chemotherapy improved the overall survival of patients who had a normal pretreatment CEA level (P = 0.070).

CONCLUSION: Normal pretreatment serum CEA is a predictor of survival for patients receiving perioperative chemotherapy.

Keywords: Carcinoembryonic antigen; Perioperative chemotherapy; Prognosis; Gastric adenocarcinoma; Survival