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Realistic CEA Perspective Needed
New to the forum. Hoping I can find someone out there with an opinion.
35yo Male (at time of diagnosis)
Diagnosed 1/16 with T3n1 colo-rectal cancer
6 weeks preoperative chemotherapy
Lower anterior resection 6/16
Resection take down 8/16 🙂 🙂 🙂
Since the surgery, my CEA (1.6 preoperative/ .4 postoperative) has climbed steadily from .4 to 17.6 (current). It measured 14.8 two months ago and 17.6 this month. Planning to see my doctor on Monday. I'm looking for any thoughts/experiences from others to help me prepare for the meeting. After studying different causes for elevated CEA, smoking/infection/etc., none seems to account for how high this number is. It seems that the typical CEA cut-off 10 is very rarely because of these underlying factors.
What I'm really looking for is reality. I would rather know that there is a near certain chance of recurrence, than to avoid statistics or studies that may indicate recurrence. I want to know what my next steps/options are (requesting a PET scan on Monday). I think understanding my current situation, will help me prepare, mentally, for what might be coming.
After all of my reading and searching, I have trouble seeing these CEA results as anything but indicative of recurrence.
Thank you so much for reading, and if you have thoughts and time to reply I would GREATLY appreciate it.
Logan
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Greetings all. Wanted to post an update. I had a PET scan last week and got a call the same day from my oncologist's office. They went over the results with me, and I am to see my oncologist tomorrow. So without going into too much detail until I understand more, the scan showed two metastatic lymph nodes in the region of the original tumor and potential metastasis near the location of the previous iliostomy. I will continue to post updates once my doctor and I parse through this.
Good luck to all who are fighting the good fight.
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3 ReactionsThanks @maestro; we so appreciate the updates and insights you're sharing.
Had my first colonoscopy in 2016. One polyp was removed. It came up as cancer stage 1. Colon resection was done 2 weeks later. CEA levels are checked every six months, which have all been WNL. CEA level in 2/2018 was 0.5. This last CEA done 9/2018 came up to 3.0. Really worried and scared since this is the first abnormal level. I have seen my oncologist and CT scan and GI visit recommended. I have had mammo, transvaginal ultrasounds, chest xrays, CT of chest done all within the past year along with echcardiograms, stress tests and heart cath..all normal. Any opinions greatly appreciated.
@cherrieb I see you are a new member here on connect. I would like to welcome you to our community. I also had a stage 1 colon cancer diagnosed in Dec 2015. My Cea levels go up and down. I would not make yourself a nervous wreck. I think that is normal for it to go up and down. It could also be a messed up lab work. When was your last colonoscopy? I see you haven't mentioned that test above. I have had 2 since my resection. Now they moved me out 3 years. Cause my last one didn't have any bad polyps they said. Otherwise they watch people yearly who are polyp farmers with certain suspicious polyps.
Try not to make yourself crazy on just one test. Like I said, it could be a messed up test. And your worrying for nothing.
Wishing you the best.
Jackie
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1 ReactionThx for the reply. Last colonoscopy was 3/2017. Just scared since levels went high so quickly. Not just a gradual increase.
What does CEA level mean? Is it a cancer marker?
@nanny23 and @cherrieb I found this write up about CEA Markers written by Mayo Clinic. It hopefully explains better than I can. But it is just a marker they use that may suggest a cancer has returned. I hope this is more helpful and @cherrieb gives you a little better peaceful mind...
https://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-catalog/Clinical+and+Interpretive/8521