ASSESSMENT OF TUMOR MARKERS AND ACUTE PHASE REACTANT PROTEINS IN COLON CANCER PATIENTS WITH DIFFERENT CLINICAL STATUS BEFORE AND AFTER THERAPY

Background: This study evaluated the prognostic significance of Tumor markers and Acute Phase Reactant Proteins(APRP) in colon cancer patients before and after therapy with different clinical status i.e. stable, progressive disease andimproved disease conditions. Materials and Methods: Fifty clinically diagnosed patients with colon cancers participated inthe study. Prognostic significance of tumor markers i.e. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), Carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9)beta Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (β-HCG) and Acute phase reactant proteins including C-Reactive Protein (CRP) andAlpha-1-Antitrypsin (A1AT) were analyzed by comparing pretreatment levels with post treatment levels according toclinically evaluated disease status. Results: Mean serum level of tumor markers and acute phase reactant proteins weresignificantly higher in progressive disease when compared with levels before therapy CEA (t=2.108, p<0.05) CA19-9(t=1.995, p<0.05) β-HCG (t=0.961, p<0.05) CRP (t=2.010, p<0.05) A1AT (t=2.132, p<0.05). A nonsignificant change inmean serum level of tumor markers and acute phase reactant proteins were seen in stable condition when compared withlevels before therapy CEA (t=1.967, p>0.05) CA19-9 (t=1.490, p>0.05) β-HCG (t=0.945, p>0.05) CRP (t=1.942, p>0.05)A1AT (t=1.831, p>0.05). Mean serum level of tumor markers and acute phase reactant proteins were significantly lower inimproved condition when compared with levels before therapy CEA (t=4.856, p<0.001) CA19-9 (t=0.982, p<0.05) β-HCG(t=0.973, p<0.05) CRP (t=4.856, p<0.001) A1AT (t=2.515, p<0.05). Conclusion: Tumor markers CEA, CA19-9, Beta-HCGand Acute phase reactant proteins CRP, A1AT can be used as prognostic markers in the management of colon cancerpatients following therapy.