[Changes in tumor markers CEA, Ca 19-9 and Ca 125 in monitoring of response to chemotherapy in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer].

Purpose: We have evaluated whether tumor markers can be used to assess response to systemic chemotherapy. We analyzed the relationship between the response to chemotherapy based on serial imaging and on change in serum tumor marker level of CEA Ca 19-9 and Ca 125.

Patients And Methods: The levels of serum CEA, Ca 19.9 and Ca 125 were measured before and after 6 and 12 week systemic chemotherapy in twenty-five elderly patients age 68-80 (median age 71) with advanced gastric cancer. We evaluated the relationship between the change in serum tumor markers level and response assessment by imaging studies throughout the treatment course.

Results: There was a significant correlation between the assessment of response by tumor markers and by imaging studies. The survival time of responders assessed by tumor markers was significantly longer than that of non-responders.

Conclusions: The serum levels tumor markers may be used as a mean of monitoring treatment in elderly patients, when in a imaging study it is difficult, to assess response to chemotherapy and in predicting the prognosis of patients with advanced gastric cancer.