Serum carcinoembryonic antigen level in Paget's disease

Serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels were examined in ten patients with genital Paget's disease, using radiommunoassay. Three of the patients showed elevated serum CEA levels, but the other seven patients had normal levels. All three patients with increased CEA levels had widespread metastases. The seven patients with normal levels had no metastasis or had only a very small metastasis in one lymph node. Elevated serum CEA levels are associated with Paget's disease only when it shows widespread metastases.