What carcinoembryonic antigen level should trigger further investigation during colorectal cancer follow-up? A systematic review and secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial

Shinkins B, Nicholson B D, James T, Pathiraja I, Pugh S, Perera R, Primrose J & Mant D
Record ID 32013000907
English
Authors' objectives: To determine how the CEA test result should be interpreted to inform the decision to undertake further investigation to detect treatable recurrences.
Authors' recommendations: The results suggest that (1) CEA testing should not be used alone as a triage test; (2) in year 1, testing frequency should be increased (to monthly for 3 months and then every 2 months); (3) the threshold for investigating a single test result should be raised to 10 µg/l; (4) after the second CEA test, decisions to investigate further should be made on the basis of the trend in CEA levels; (5) the optimal threshold for investigating the CEA trend falls over time; and (6) continuing smokers should not be monitored with CEA testing. Further research is needed to explore the operational feasibility of monitoring the trend in CEA levels and to externally validate the proposed thresholds for further investigation.
Details
Project Status: Completed
Year Published: 2017
URL for published report: https://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/hta/hta21220/#/abstract
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: England, United Kingdom
MeSH Terms
  • Colorectal Neoplasms
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
  • Population Surveillance
  • Risk Assessment
Contact
Organisation Name: NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme
Contact Address: NIHR Journals Library, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre, Alpha House, University of Southampton Science Park, Southampton SO16 7NS, UK
Contact Name: journals.library@nihr.ac.uk
Contact Email: journals.library@nihr.ac.uk
Copyright: Queen's Printer and Controller of HMSO
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