@article {44050,
	title = {Circulating anti-CEA antibodies in the sera of patients with breast cancer.},
	journal = {Eur J Surg Oncol},
	volume = {26},
	year = {2000},
	month = {2000 Dec},
	pages = {742-6},
	abstract = {AIM: The aim of this study was to detect circulating anti-carcinoembryonic antigen antibodies (anti-CEA) in breast cancer patients and to evaluate their clinical and prognostic significance.

METHODS: Fifty-two breast cancer patients and 28 controls were included in this study. Detection of anti-CEA antibodies was performed using a modified enzyme linked immunoassay (ELISA). Sensitivity, specificity and usefulness index of anti-CEA antibodies were compared to those of CEA. The correlation of anti-CEA antibodies with survival and recurrence-free survival was tested with univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS: Anti-CEA was present in 57\% of breast cancer patients and in 11\% of controls. The sensitivity and usefulness index of anti-CEA were significantly better than those of CEA. The specificity of anti-CEA antibodies was less than that of CEA, the difference not being statistically significant. Anti-CEA antibodies were an independent statistically significant, favourable factor in recurrence-free survival.

CONCLUSION: Anti-CEA antibodies circulate in breast cancer patients. They could be used as a more sensitive tumour marker than CEA. Their presence is associated with improved recurrence-free survival. These results should be confirmed in a larger series.},
	keywords = {Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Breast Neoplasms, Carcinoembryonic antigen, Disease-Free Survival, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Female, Humans, Immunoglobulin G, Immunoglobulin M, Middle Aged, Multivariate Analysis, Prognosis, Recurrence, Sensitivity and Specificity},
	issn = {0748-7983},
	doi = {10.1053/ejso.2000.0996},
	author = {Haidopoulos, D. and M Konstadoulakis, M and Antonakis, P T and Alexiou, D G and Manouras, A M and Katsaragakis, S M and Androulakis, G F}
}
