Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA {P}) Description
Carcinoembryonic antigen reacts with CEA and CEA-like proteins such as NCA (non-specific cross-reacting antigen) and NCA2 and biliary glycoprotein (BGP1). In all tissues, the NCA of neutrophil granulocytes are stained positive. In colon adenocarcinoma, the antibody labels the cytoplasm of the tumor cells strongly. In the normal colon, the luminal part of enterocytes is strongly labelled. In breast carcinoma, a low percentage of glandular epithelial cells are stained. Gland lumina and some epithelial cell membranes in the normal breast tissue show positive staining. In the liver, the biliary canaliculi are positive. In general, CEA will mark adenocarcinoma of the stomach, colon, lung and pancreas; CEA is weakly or occasionally positive (less than 10%) for prostate cancer, bladder cancer and hepatoma. CEA is negative for squamous cell carcinoma of the skin and esophagus, mesothelioma, lymphoma, melanoma and sarcoma.