Lead time of carcinoembryonic antigen elevation in the postoperative follow-up of colorectal cancer did not affect the survival rate after recurrence.

Background And Aims: The role of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in the early detection of recurrence during the postoperative follow-up of colorectal cancer remains unclear. We hypothesize that the tumor with longer lead time of CEA elevation to the definite recurrence may have a better prognosis because of its slower growth rate and closer observation.

Materials And Methods: From 1995 to 2003, 4,841 consecutive patients who received curative resection of localized colorectal adenocarcinoma were enrolled from a prospective database.