Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to explore implication of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), cytokeratin fragment antigen( CYFRA ) 21-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level changes in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Methods 81 patients with ICC were admitted to our hospital between February 2020 and February 2023, and all received GEMOX chemotherapy and carelizumab treatment for 4 cycles with one cycle of 21 days. Serum CEA, CA125, CYFRA21-1 and VEGF levels were routinely detected by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. The influencing factors of prognosis in ICC patients were analyzed by multivariate Cox regression model. Results Serum CEA, CA125, CYFRA21-1 and VEGF levels in 26 patients with multiple ICC were (18.9±3.4)ng/mL, (110.3±9.5)ng/mL, (22.1±3.8)U/mL and (268.8±12.6)pg/mL, all significantly higher than [(11.8±3.3)ng/mL, (66.8±18.0)ng/mL, (10.8±3.7)U/mL and (199.6±37.1)pg/mL, respectively, P＜0.05] in 55 patients with single ICC, serum CEA, CA125, CYFRA21-1 and VEGF levels in 52 ICC patients with lymph node metastasis were (16.5±3.4)ng/mL, (93.7±23.1)ng/mL, (17.6±5.6)U/mL and (249.6±24.5)pg/mL, all significantly higher than [[(10.4±3.6)ng/mL, (59.6±14.8)ng/mL, (9.1±3.7)U/mL and (173.6±29.5)pg/mL, respectively, P＜0.05] in 29 ICC patients without lymph node metastasis, serum CEA, CA125, CYFRA21-1 and VEGF levels in 38 patients with tumor diameter greater than 5 cm were (17.5±4.2)ng/mL, (106.5±11.0)ng/mL, (19.0±5.8)U/mL and 259.8±17.9)pg/mL, all significantly higher than [(11.2±3.1)ng/mL, (58.5±9.7)ng/mL, (10.4±3.8)U/mL and (187.9±33.6)pg/mL, respectively, P＜0.05] in 43 patients with tumor less than 5 cm, serum CEA, CA125, CYFRA21-1 and VEGF levels in 39 patients with TNM phase Ⅳ were(17.5±4.2)ng/mL, (105.5±12.1)ng/mL, (18.8±5.8)U/mL and (258.1±20.6)pg/mL, all significantly higher than [(11.1±3.0)ng/mL, (58.1±9.5)ng/mL, (10.4±3.8)U/mL and (187.8±34.0)pg/mL, respectively, P＜0.05] in 42 patients with phase Ⅱ/Ⅲ; one-year survival in 81 patients with ICC in our series was 71.6%, and multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that TNMphase Ⅲ/Ⅳ, high serum CEA, CA125 and VEGF levels were all the independent risk factors impacting prognosis of patients with ICC (P＜0.05). Conclusion High serum CEA, CA125, CYFRA21-1 and VEGF levels in patients with ICC might be related to poor prognosis, which warrants further clinical investigation.

Key words: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, Carcinoembryonic antigen, Carbohydrate antigen 125, Cytokeratin fragment antigen 21-1, Vascular endothelial growth factor, Prognosis