Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0027627 (metastases)
 103,950 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

CEA is a beta1-glycoprotein (mol. w. approx. 200 000) which in embryonic life is usually found as a cell membrane associated antigen in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and pancreas. Furthermore, it is secreted into body fluids. In healthy adults a very low serum concentration may be found. The clinical significance of CEA lies in its increased formation in primary and secondary adenocarcinomas of colon and rectum and pancreatic carcinoma, where values of 20 ng/ml and more are observed. However, other gastrointestinal (e.g. oesophagus, stomach, gall-bladder) and extragastrointestinal tumors (e.g. lung, breast, urogenital, prostatic, ovarial carcinomas) as well as non-malignant diseases mainly of the GI tract (e.g. hepatitis, cirrhosis, pancreatitis, colitis, diverticulitis) may provoke less frequent and lower increases in the CEA level. Healthy smokers also tend to show a slight increase in CEA concentration. A certain relationship exists between the CEA level and the size and extent of the tumor so that a decrease following operation may account for complete tumor removal, whereas a persistent or recurring increase in the CEA level is highly suspicious of metastases and/or recurrent tumor. Difficulties in proving and purifying CEA are mainly caused by multiple cross-reactions of CEA with other substances, e.g. blood group substances (A, B, Lea, Leb) and normal or other antigens (NGP, NCA, CEX, CCEA 2, NCA 2, CCA-III, FSA, BCGP). The radioimmunoassay is the most suitable method to determine CEA levels in body fluids. The 3 procedures used differ in the precipitation of the specific immune complex by ammonium sulphate (AS), Z-gel (ZG) or a second antibody (SA). Depending on the method, the upper normal limit in serum or plasma corresponds to approximately 2.5 (AS, ZG) or 12.5 (SA) nanogramme/milliliter. CEA determination in the urine is of interest in patients suffering from bladder carcinoma.
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PMID:[Carcinofetal antigens. II. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). (author's transl)]. 108 Feb 18

The bisphosphonates are able to relieve pain from metastatic bone disease and, when given intravenously, may promote bone healing of lytic metastases. In this study, the aim was to assess the acute effects of a single 'high-dose' intravenous treatment with pamidronate on pain, mobility, analgesic consumption and quality of life (QOL). Thirty-four normocalcaemic patients with painful progressing bone metastases (22 from breast, five prostate and seven others) received a single intravenous infusion of 120 mg of pamidronate as palliative therapy. No other systemic therapy or drugs known to influence bone metabolism were administered during the study. Patients' subjective response to treatment was assessed weekly with a pain questionnaire recording a composite of pain intensity, mobility, performance status and analgesic consumption. In addition, patients completed the Rotterdam Symptom Check List (RSCL) for measurement of QOL and a mobility questionnaire. The mean reduction in the pain questionnaire score (recorded on at least two occasions) was 25% [standard error (s.e.) 3%, range 0-75%]. Twenty patients (59%) showed a > or = 20% improvement and were classified as responders. The median duration of symptomatic response was 12 (range 4-24 +) weeks. The responding patients showed a reduction in RSCL score (improvement in QOL) from 35% before treatment to 27% at 6 weeks, but no significant improvement was noted in non-responders. Twenty-one patients were retreated with pamidronate when their symptoms deteriorated again. Eight out of 15 responders showed a second reduction in pain score of > or = 20%, but this was not seen in any of the six non-responders. Five patients have remained well with no additional treatment for their disease other than repeat infusions of pamidronate every 3-6 months. Treatment was well tolerated. Eight (24%) experienced fever after the first treatment only, and four had asymptomatic, biochemical evidence of hypocalcaemia. The acute inhibition of osteoclastic bone resorption induced by a single high-dose treatment with pamidronate can provide useful palliation for patients with bone metastases. Responding patients may be retreated as symptoms dictate to good effect. We are currently running a phase III double-blind trial with high-dose pamidronate for progressive painful metastatic bone disease to exclude any placebo effect and observer bias.
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PMID:High-dose intravenous pamidronate for metastatic bone pain. 808 Jul 46