Short-term determination of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in preoperatively irradiated colon carcinoma patients

As proved in colon carcinoma patients by weekly CEA determinations during radiotherapy, a radiation response is correlated with CEA decrease after weeks. As a hypothesis a tumor responding to a therapeutical trial should loose transiently tumor markers into the circulation. The authors looked whether the radiation response can be judged early by short-term CEA determinations. The estamation of serum LDH in parallel served as a control of the sensitivity of the clinical arrangement. (Auth.)