Elevated preoperative tumor markers affect survival in cancer patients

Elevated preoperative levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and cancer antigen 125 (CA125) in colorectal cancer patients with peritoneal metastases significantly influence overall survival. In a study of 204 patients, the presence of high CA19-9 and CA125 was linked to poorer outcomes, with hazard ratios of 2.7 and 2.2, respectively. Histopathological features also indicated negative survival impact, underscoring the necessity of these markers for better patient selection for cytoreductive surgery.