Significance ofcarcinoembryonic antigen inretinoblastoma

SUMMARY Therole ofestimating theserumcarcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)inthediagnosis and prognosis ofretinoblastoma caseshasbeenevaluated. Although themean serum CEA titre in children withretinoblastoma was higher thanthatincontrol children (p=O0O1), theserumCEA level itself was found nottobeauseful markerinthediagnosis ofretinoblastoma. A significant correlation ofserum CEA titre withprogression or regression ofthedisease observedduring therapy inmostcasesindicated that serial assaysofserumCEA maybeimportant inthefollow-up ofcaseswithretinoblastoma. Thelower CEA values inaqueoushumourandsubretinal fluid from eyeswithretinoblastoma thanintheserumsuggests that thetumourdoesnotsecrete theCEA. Thedetection oftumour-associated antigens inserum orbodyfluids hasbeenthesubject ofrecent interest inthediagnosis andfollow-up ofmalignant tumours.' Elevated serumlevels ofoneofthese antigens, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), havebeendescribed inmanymalignant conditions,' 2especially colorectal andpancreatic carcinomas, andalso recently inmany nonmalignant conditions. 'Sofaronlyafewstudies haveemphasised therole ofCEAinretinoblastoma.34 Inthepresent study weaimed tofind outtheusefulness ofmeasuring theserumCEA level inthe diagnosis andprognosis ofretinoblastoma cases. Materials andmethods Twelve cases ofhistologically proved retinoblastoma (age range 1year5months to5years 2months) seen at theRegional Institute of Ophthalmology, Calcutta, wereincluded inthis study. Thediagnosis ofretinoblastoma wasmadeonthebasis ofclinical history, ocular andsystemic examination, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, ophthalmoscopy, andradiography of theskull andorbits, together withestimation of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)andtheelectrophoretic protein pattern oftheaqueous incases where aqueous collection waspossible fromtheintact anterior chamber. Allthese cases underwent enucleation or