ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the value of serum carcinoembryonec antigen (CEA) in monitoring the response to biochemotherapy by Herceptin plus taxol (TAX) in patients with Her-2-positive advanced breast cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The changes in serum CEA level were investigated retrospectively after two cycles of biochemotherapy in 83 patients with Her-2-positive advanced breast cancer. The correlations between the changes and radiological objective response were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After two cycles of biochemotherapy, the clinical benefit rate (CBR) was 81.9%. In the 60 patients with lowered CEA level, the CBR was 85.0% (51/60), with a non-response rate of 15.0% (9/60); in contrast, the CBR was only 34.8% in 23 patients with elevated CEA, with a non-response rate of 65.2%, showing significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Serum CEA level can be used to monitor the therapeutic effect of biochemotherapy in patients with Her-2-positive advanced breast cancer.</p>