Carcinoembryonic antigen level in serum and pleural lavage fluid in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: This study evaluates the tumor marker index (TMI) based on carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in serum and pleural lavage fluid as a potential prognostic determinant for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Three hundred and eighty-three consecutive NSCLC patients were reviewed retrospectively.

Results: The 5-year survival of patients with normal and high serum CEA levels was 71.78% and 51.38%, respectively (P < 0.0001). The 5-year survival of patients with high CEA levels in pleural lavage fluid was 25.0%, which was significantly poorer compared with that of patients with normal lavage CEA levels (78.23%, P < 0.0001). There was a 5-year survival rate of 73.75% in patients with a TMI less than or equal to 1.0 compared to a rate of only 55.12% in patients with a TMI greater than 1.0 (P < 0.001). Both univariate and multivariate analyses indicated the independent prognostic impact of the TMI.

Conclusions: The TMI based on serum and lavage CEA levels might be useful for predicting the prognosis of NSCLC patients.