Clinical Status v/s Tumor Markers Levels in Esophagus Cancer Patients Following Therapy

Tumor markers are used for follow up of treatment, either for patient based or experimental conditions. There has been much optimism that sequential estimation of tumor markers concentration during the follow up of cancer patients who have undergone curative resection or therapy might detect occult recurrent disease early enough for further successful treatment. Tumor markers levels were studied in esophagus cancer patients before and after therapy to evaluate their prognostic significance. Results were compared with clinical response and imaging studies. Blood samples were collected from 50 patients of esophagus cancer before and six months after therapy and analysed for CEA, AFP, [beta]-HCG by Chemiluminiscence immunoassay (CLIA). CA19-9 was analysed by Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Statistical differences were estimated by 't' test. Mean serum level of tumor markers (except AFP) were significantly higher in progressive disease CEA (t=2.004, P