Cholestasis and Hepatic Metastases: A Factor Contributing to Extreme Elevations of Carcinoembryonic Antigen23

Records of 19 autopsied patients with metastatic carcinoma were studied to elucidate the contribution to the elevation of antemortem plasma carclnoembryonlc antigen (CEA) levels (range, 5.9–136,000 ng/ml) of 1) liver pathology and dysfunction, 2) tumor morphology and CEA content, and 3) tumor spread and location. Liver function tests and plasma CEA recorded within 8 weeks of death, autopsy records of tumor spread, liver weight (as an index of liver tumor mass), and histologic sections were reviewed. Tissue CEA was demonstrated in 15 patients by an immunoperoxidase method. Cholestasis was seen in histologic sections of tissue from 8 of 10 patients, and elevated bilirubin was seen in 7 of 10 patients with hepatic metastases and CEA levels greater than 1,000 ng/ml. In contrast, histologically observed cholestasls and elevated bilirubin were seen in only 1 of 8 patients with CEA less than 500 ng/ml. A significant correlation was found between the plasma CEA level and histologically observed cholestasls (P<0.01). Serum bilirubin also correlated significantly (P<0.01), but alkaline phosphatase did not. Liver weight (tumor mass) showed a positive correlation with cholestasls (P<0.01) but not with circulating CEA. Markedly elevated plasma CEA levels (<1,000 ng/ml) seen preterminally may partially reflect impaired excretion of CEA by the hepatobiliary system rather than, or in addition to, preterminal increase in CEA-producing tumor.