Elevated Serum CEA Predicts Worse Survival in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Patients with Normal CA19-9

A retrospective cohort study investigated the use of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as an alternative prognostic marker for overall survival in patients with localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma and non-elevated levels of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9). The study found that elevated CEA at baseline was independently associated with worse overall survival, and CEA normalization following preoperative therapy was associated with longer median overall survival. These findings suggest that serum CEA may be a valuable tool for decision-making in patients with non-elevated CA19-9 levels.