Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) dynamics in stomach cancer patients receiving cryotherapy

Radioimmunologic assays of blood serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level were conducted at major stages of treatment of gastric cancer by subtotal stomach resection and gastrectomy with preliminary cryotreatment and thawing of tumor. A short-term rise in CEA level occurred in 53.9 % of cases 3-4 days after combined therapy. A decrease in CEA concentration at discharge from hospital as compared with preoperative level and that registered 3-4 days after operation was observed in 50 and 75 % of cases of combined therapy, respectively, and 47.5 and 37.5 % of controls (surgery without cryotreatment). There was nocorrelation between cryotreatment and changes in CEA level in gastric ulcer patients