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Growth Potential of Human Colorectal Carcinomas in Nude Mice: Association with the Preoperative Serum Concentration of Carcinoembryonic Antigen in Patients¹

Departments of Surgery [J. M. J., D. C.], Cell Biology [R. G., K. M., I. J. F.], and Pathology [K. C.], University of Texas M. D. Anderson Hospital at Houston and Tumor Institute, Houston, Texas 77030.

A preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) concentration greater than 5 ng/ml portends a poor prognosis for patients with colorectal carcinoma. The purpose of this study was to determine if the tumorigenicity of colorectal carcinomas in nude mice was associated with the preoperative serum CEA concentration. Neoplasms from 53 patients were either implanted as fragments or dissociated with collagenase and DNase, and 3 x 10⁶ viable cells were injected into the flanks of BALB/c nude mice. The growth potential of tumors resected from patients with CEA levels exceeding 5 ng/ml was greater than that of tumors from patients with normal serum CEA: 26 of 33 carcinomas from patients with CEA 5 ng/ml were tumorigenic in nude mice, whereas only 8 of 22 neoplasms from patients with normal serum CEA were tumorigenic in nude mice (P < 0.001). Primary colorectal cancers, not metastases, were the basis for the association between tumorigenicity and preoperative CEA. Tumorigenicity was also associated with stage of disease, since Dukes' D primary tumors and metastases were more tumorigenic than Dukes' A to C primary tumors. Growth in nude mice was not associated with other prognostic factors such as tumor site, mucin production, local invasion, or stage of histological differentiation. The tumorigenic capability of human colorectal carcinomas may be associated with the preoperative serum CEA concentration and may reflect an increased potential to develop clinical metastases.

¹ Supported by a contract from Smith Kline and French Laboratories and by Grant R01 CA42587 from the Department of Health and Human Services.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed, at Department of Surgery, Box 106, University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Hospital, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030.

Received 12/17/86. Revised 7/13/87. Revised 10/29/87. Accepted 12/10/87.

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