AIM:To prospectively explore the role of carcinoembryonicantigen (CEA) in gallbladder bile in patients with colorectalcarcinoma and the morphological and clinical features ofneoplasia and the occurrence of hepatic metastases.METHODS:CEA levels in the gallbladder and peripheralblood were studied in 44 patients with colorectal carcinomaand 10 patients with uncomplicated cholelithiasis.CEAsamples were collected from the gallbladder bile andperipheral blood during the operation,immediately beforeextirpating the colorectal neoplasia or cholecystectomy.Values of up to 5 ng/ml were considered normal for bile andserum CEA.RESULTS:In the 44 patients with colorectal carcinomawho underwent operation with curative intent,the averagelevel of serum CEA was 8.5 ng/ml (range:0.1 to 111.0 ng/ml) and for bile CEA it was 74.5 ng/ml (range:0.2 to 571.0ng/ml).In the patients with uncomplicated cholelithiasiswho underwent cholecystectomy,the average level ofserum CEA was 2.9 ng/ml (range:1.0 to 3.5 ng/ml) andfor bile CEA it was 1.2 ng/ml (range:0.3 to 2.9 ng/ml).The average duration of follow-up time was 16.5 months(range:6 to 48 months).Four patients who underwentextirpation of the colorectal carcinoma without evidenceof hepatic metastasis and with an average bile CEA valueof 213.2 ng/ml presented hepatic metastases between threeand seventeen months after removal of the primarycolorectal neoplasia.Three of them successfully underwentextirpation of the hepatic lesions.CONCLUSION:High CEA levels in gallbladders of patientsundergoing curative operation for colorectal carcinoma mayindicate the presence of hepatic metastases.Such patientsmust be followed up with special attention to the diagnosisof such lesions. AIM: To prospectively explore the role of carcinoembryonicantigen (CEA) in gallbladder bile in patients with colorectalcarcinoma and the morphological and clinical features of onoplasia and the occurrence of hepatic metastases. METHODS: CEA levels in the gallbladder and peripheral blood were studied in 44 patients with colorectal carcinoma and 10 patients with uncomplicated cholelithiasis. CEAsamples were collected from the gallbladder bile andperipheral blood during the operation, immediately beforeextirpating the colorectal neoplasia or cholecystectomy. Values ​​of up to 5 ng / ml were considered normal for bile andserum CEA.RESULTS: In the 44 patients with colorectal carcinoma underwent operation with curative intent, the average level of serum CEA was 8.5 ng / ml (range: 0.1 to 111.0 ng / ml) and for bile CEA was 74.5 ng / ml (range: 0.2 to 571.0 ng / ml) the patients with uncomplicated cholelithiasis who underwent cholecystectomy, the average level of serum CEA was 2.9 ng / ml (range: 1.0 to 3.5 ng / ml) a The average duration of follow-up time was 16.5 months (range: 6 to 48 months). Four patients who underwentextirpation of the colorectal carcinoma without evidence of ndforbile CEA was 1.2 ng / ml (range: 0.3 to 2.9 ng / ml) hepatic metastasis and with an average bile CEA value of 213.2 ng / ml presented hepatic metastases between three and seventeen months after removal of the primarycolorectal neoplasia.Three of them successfully underwentextirpation of the hepatic lesions. CONCLUSION: High CEA levels in gallbladders of patients undergoing curative operation for colorectal carcinoma mayindicate the presence of hepatic metastases.Such patients beust be followed up with special attention to the diagnosisof such lesions.