Serum carcinoembryonic antigen level in pN1 non-small cell lung cancer patients

Although the prognostic significance of the serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level in non-small cell lung cancer has been reported in several studies, it is unknown whether the serum CEA level is a prognostic determinant for pN1 disease or not.Seventy patients with pN1 non-small cell lung cancer who received complete resection were reviewed. The preoperative serum CEA level was measured in all patients.The pN1 patients with pT2-4 disease, hilar node involvement, multiple N1 station and elevated serum CEA level (5 ng/mL) had a significantly unfavorable prognosis. Although a serum CEA level higher than 5 ng/mL was not an independent prognostic determinant, more than 10 ng/mL was an independent factor by multivariate analysis. In patients with pT1-2N1 disease, a serum CEA level more than 10 ng/mL was also a prognostic determinant.An elevated serum CEA level, especially higher than 10 ng/mL, is a significant prognostic determinant for pN1 lung cancer patients.