Objective: To investigate whether carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in the fluid of median or lateral cervical cysts can improve diagnosis.
Methods: Cyst fluid CEA levels in 10 cases of median cervical or lateral cervical cysts based on pathological diagnoses (congenital cervical cyst group) were measured. These results were compared with the CEA levels of the control group comprising 10 cases of other head and neck cyst disorders.
Results: The CEA levels in nine out of ten cases in the congenital cervical cyst group were ≥10,000ng/mL. The CEA level in the remaining case was 8290ng/mL. In contrast, the CEA levels were low in the control group (>1000ng/mL). The optimal cut-off level between these groups was 8290ng/mL in the receiver operating characteristic curve (p<0.01).
Conclusion: Cyst fluid CEA levels may assist in the diagnosis of median and lateral cervical cysts.
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