Results

There was no significant difference in gender, age, hepatitis B history, serum AFP level or lesion location. Patients with liver metastases had a tendency to have higher serum CEA, CA19-9 and CA-125 level. Multivariate analysis revealed that serum CEA level (p< 0.001), CA19-9 level (p< 0.001) and CA-125 level (p= 0.001) were independent prognostic predictors for liver metastases. Combination of CEA, CA19-9 and CA-125 can enhance their sensitivity in diagnosis of synchronous and metachronous liver metastases. Serum CA19-9 level, combined test of CA19-9 and CA-125, combined test of triple markers have higher sensitivities in synchronous metastasis than those in metachronous metastasis.

Conclusions

Combination test would enhance the sensitivities of serum CEA, CA19-9 and CA-125 levels, which are important in predicting liver metastases from CRC in the Chinese population, either synchronous or metachronous.