Study Groups
gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma, malignant primary pulmonary disease
PULMONARY METASTASES, PANCREATIC ADENOCARCINOMA, GASTROINTESTINAL ADENOCARCINOMA
In this nonrandomized controlled trial, the first group (positive control) included patients with known primary or recurrent gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma (colon, rectal, and pancreatic adenocarcinoma) with or without elevated serum CEA levels who were found to have nodules suggestive of pulmonary metastases. The second group included patients with nodules suggestive of malignant primary pulmonary disease on screening imaging who were scheduled for surgical resection regardless of serum CEA status. Of note, our institutional practice does not include preoperative nodule sampling.