carcinoembryonic antigen
noun
car·ci·no·em·bry·on·ic antigen ˌkär-sə-nō-ˌem-brē-ˈä-nik- 
: a glycoprotein present in fetal digestive-tract tissues and in peripheral blood of patients with some forms of cancer
Word History
First Known Use
1965, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
carcinoembryonic antigen
noun
car·ci·no·em·bry·on·ic antigen ˌkärs-ᵊn-ō-ˌem-brē-ˌän-ik-
: a glycoprotein present in fetal gut tissues during the first two trimesters of pregnancy and in peripheral blood of patients with some forms of cancer (as of the digestive system or the breast) —abbreviation CEA