CEA Level-Stage III/IV NED's

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andyc56
andyc56 Member Posts: 42
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi. I'd like to get a sense of CEA levels of other Stage III and IV patients who are currently NED. My wife's most recent measurement was 2.3, still within "normal" but her previous reading was essentially zero. Thanks in advance for posting or emailing this info.! Best regards to everyone!

Andy

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  • jerseysue
    jerseysue Member Posts: 624 Member
    #2
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    My CEA level as of 2 weeks ago was a 1. I'm stage 4 finished chemo November 05.
  • alihamilton
    alihamilton Member Posts: 347 Member
    #3
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    I am not sure if I am hearing some concern about your wife's CEA. We were told that CEA will fluctuate a bit from reading to reading but my husband's has gone from 2.6 to 3.5 in a year. The oncologist does not seem concerned and the CT scan shows nothing. To me, though, it has risen and causes me some concern. Is your wife still in treatment? If she is, then the chemo can cause a rise in CEA.

    Take care, Ali
  • andyc56
    andyc56 Member Posts: 42
    #4
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    alihamilton said:

    I am not sure if I am hearing some concern about your wife's CEA. We were told that CEA will fluctuate a bit from reading to reading but my husband's has gone from 2.6 to 3.5 in a year. The oncologist does not seem concerned and the CT scan shows nothing. To me, though, it has risen and causes me some concern. Is your wife still in treatment? If she is, then the chemo can cause a rise in CEA.

    Take care, Ali

    Ali, she finished Folfox6 last May. I am a tad concerned but her oncologist seemingly was not worried. Next CT will be in early June. Thanks!
  • KFalvey
    KFalvey Member Posts: 118 Member
    #5
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    Hi Andy,
    I an Stage III, finished Folfox on 9/10/05 and at that time my CEA was 2.48; 11/30 it went to 1.49; 2/22 it went to 5.5, 6 days later it is now 9. I'm scheduled for a Pet scan at 8AM tomorrow. I went this morning to my primary physician to get blood drawn for a complete profile including another CEA for a 2nd opinion and to see what shape my other organs are in if I have to resume chemo. Wish me luck and my best to your wife. Kandy
  • Allen55555
    Allen55555 Member Posts: 15 Member
    #6
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    If you supply a litle more data you can get some good responses. CEA reported results do fluctuate but 0 to 2.3 a little strange. Need to state treatment stage and cea history results incuding dates as best you can. I am sure you have had more than 2 CEA tests
  • foxy
    foxy Member Posts: 188 Member
    #7
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    Hi Andy, I am a 12 year surviver, my CEA in January was 8 it is now 9 and I have had a completely clear colonoscopy and 2 days ago I had a CAT Scan, which I hope is also clear. I will not know the results until the 7th but I am hoping for a clearscan also. Hang in there, I had a large liver met resected in 1993 and I am still here to tell my story. The very best of luck to you and your wife, you have my prayers. Virginia.
  • ron50
    ron50 Member Posts: 1,723 Member
    #8
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    Hi Andy' I was stage 3 with 6 bad lymph nodes . My cea was only 2.8 at diagnosis. It sits regularly between 0.7 and 1 now(have been clear for 8yrs+). On occasions it has gone to 1.3 and both times it was due to duodenal and peptic ulcers. Give your wife my regards and wish her a long and healthy life for me Cheers Ron.
  • littlejulie
    littlejulie Member Posts: 311
    #9
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    ron50 said:

    Hi Andy' I was stage 3 with 6 bad lymph nodes . My cea was only 2.8 at diagnosis. It sits regularly between 0.7 and 1 now(have been clear for 8yrs+). On occasions it has gone to 1.3 and both times it was due to duodenal and peptic ulcers. Give your wife my regards and wish her a long and healthy life for me Cheers Ron.

    Hi there, My mom was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer 2 years ago yesterday. At the time of her diagnosis her cea was 1.0 and since then it has fluctuated between 0.7 and 2 so I'm not sure how reliable cea really is. I think for everyone cea is a constant concern that we put on the back burner because it doesn't tell us much.
  • andyc56
    andyc56 Member Posts: 42
    #10
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    littlejulie said:

    Hi there, My mom was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer 2 years ago yesterday. At the time of her diagnosis her cea was 1.0 and since then it has fluctuated between 0.7 and 2 so I'm not sure how reliable cea really is. I think for everyone cea is a constant concern that we put on the back burner because it doesn't tell us much.

    Thanks for your responses, everyone. We have only recently asked for and been told her specific CEA levels, but do know they were very low even before her resection (10/14 nodes positive). We are going to ask for the pre-surgery number, for sure. It is wonderful to hear of your positive stories and you all have our best wishes and prayers for continued good health.
  • mwomack
    mwomack Member Posts: 78
    #11
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    My husband finished chemo in May 05 as well. Stage IIIc Sigmoid.

    4.3 presurgery 10/04
    1.7 two weeks after surgery
    2.2 1 month after chemo - June 05
    1.2 July 05
    2.4 Sept. 05
    2.7 Oct. 05
    3.6 Dec. 05
    5.5 Jan. 05

    Surgery 2/15/06 presacral mass poorly differentiated. Currently we are waiting to see what to do next. The onc. had told us he would do chemo if his CEA after this surgery did not drop to normal. It dropped to 4.2, but it was only 6 days so we asked if it would hurt anything to re-check it. He said give it 4 weeks.

    Our onc. called when the CEA doubled in Sept. and said it was "troublesome" and he wanted to check it again in 6 weeks. I am hoping to be able to say that the onc. taking the jump seriously saved my husband's life. Even then, we had to wait til he felt he could justify the scans. He had CT in Dec (changes but inconclusive). In Jan. he pushed for the PET/CT.

    Did he not mention a re-check?

    MA

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