BACKGROUND: The authors present a statistical analysis of the dynamics of tumour markers and compare these with single serum levels in patients before and after liver surgery for colorectal liver metastases (CLM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The serum levels of tumor markers conventionally used in clinical practice (CA19-9, CEA, CA72-4) and markers informing of the proliferation activity of malignancy (TKI TPA, TPS) were statistically analysed. The authors studied 144 patients who underwent liver surgery for colorectal liver metastases between September 1999 and June 2005. Serum levels of tumor markers before surgery (maximally two weeks before the operation), after surgery (maximally one month after the operation - usually on the day of dismission), six months (+/- one month) and twelve months after the surgery (+/- one month) were determined. The Log Rank test and the Wilcoxon test were used for statistical evaluation. The survival rate and disease-free intervals (DFI) were computed using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: The statistical analysis of tumour marker dynamic after liver surgery (speed and power of recurrence) supported the dynamics of CA 19-9 and CEA as excellent prognostic factors of early recurrence of CLM in contrast to proliferative tumor markers. CONCLUSION: The results of the study suggest the importance of tumour markers for the prediction of a short survival rate or DFI. This approach would be very helpful for the planning of palliative oncological treatment for patients with liver malignancies that cannot be treated by surgical therapy. Current patients with a high tendency of recurrence of CLM after liver surgery should be followed up more thoroughly to increase the possibility of successful reoperation.

Department of Surgery University Hospital Pilsen Charles University Prague Alej svobody 80 323 00 Pilsen Czech Republic