Carcinoembryonic antigen and mucin-1 (CEA and MUC1)

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a cell-adhesive glycoprotein and oncofetal antigen overexpressed in a range of epithelial cancers, including colorectal and breast cancer.[3][5] It plays a role in tumor progression, metastasis, and is involved in cell adhesion.[5] Mucin-1 (MUC1) is a transmembrane glycoprotein of the mucin family, abnormally glycosylated and overexpressed on many epithelial tumors, particularly in breast cancer.[1][2] MUC1 modulates tumor cell signaling, immune evasion, proliferation, and inhibits apoptosis.[2] Both CEA and MUC1, when processed and presented by MHC I/II molecules, become targets for T-cell-mediated immune response and are the basis for antigen-specific immunotherapies, including cancer vaccines and antibody-based modalities.[1][2][6] They are widely used as circulating and tissue biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of cancer response and recurrence, especially in colorectal and breast cancers, although their specificity is limited.[1][2][3][4][5]

Other names

Carcinoembryonic antigenCEAMucin-1MUC1CA 15-3cancer antigen 15-3

Immune-mediated destruction (via vaccines or antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity); Direct inhibition of tumor growth/metastasis (antibody-mediated); Radioimmunotherapy delivers radiation specifically to CEA-expressing cells.