Final answer:
The decreased benefit from CEA in women may be linked to post-menopausal changes and hormonal influences that affect the specificity of this cancer marker, alongside increased risks from hormone replacement therapy and later detection of certain cancers like cervical cancer.
Step-by-step explanation:
There is less benefit from CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) in women primarily due to different disease patterns and the influence of hormones such as estrogen. While CEA is used to monitor the recurrence of bowel cancer, women experience changes in estrogen levels, especially after menopause, which affect their cholesterol levels and bone density, leading to conditions like cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.
This hormonal change can influence the presence and levels of various protein markers in the blood, possibly making CEA a less reliable indicator in some women. Furthermore, the side effects of menopause, which correlate with lower estrogen levels, can complicate the interpretation of CEA levels. Treatments like hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can diminish menopausal symptoms, but they carry risks such as increased chances of stroke, heart attack, and several types of cancer, influencing the overall health condition and potentially the CEA levels. Additionally, symptoms of cervical cancer typically appear at advanced stages, which can intersect with the efficacy of CEA monitoring.