seeing onc tomorrow and surgeon next day

pete43lost_at_sea said:

thanks everyone
the drum roll from the big onc appointment was nothing.
my onc said the small rise in cea from 5.9 to 7.4 on its own is not enough to start chemo and said i could get a second opinion. i will take her up on this, but it maybe a second opinion from a clinic in germany. will keep you posted.
so i see my onc on 23jan2012 and will do bloods again then.
was expecting the big sad stage 4 talk, thats been deferred. so no new chemo port and chemo.
its coming up to christmas so this is really positive.

i am blessed to have had a recent clear pet and ct, so these bloods cea still very worrying and soemthing to be tackled, but i am trying to keep them in perspective.

mind you the idea the tumours is growing as we speak and my wonderful alternative liefstyle and diet has not stopped it is frustrating but thats my lot.

i also saw the integrative doctor at 9am and had 45gr vit c iv. it went well, he was far more pessimistic. he mentioned the interview below and cancer defeated newsletter.
both interesting reads.

http://www.prescription2000.com/Interview-Transcripts/2011-07-12-jeanne-drisko-iv-vitamin-c-update-transcript.html

the blessing out of all this is i can continue to focus on my alternative lifestyle and a few well choosen supplememnts. i am seeing another intregative specialist this week and my surgeon tomorrow.

its crazy to think they have an indication my tumour is growing, taking root so to speak and conventional medicine cannot even locate it, at least the wholeist approach has an advantage here, as the conventional guys don't even have a target yet.

i hope we all have a healthy and happy xmas,
hugs and parayers for us all,
Pete

PS I am doing starting a transendental meditiation course with wife tonight. When i get it mastered i will fly over mentally and wish all my friends in the usa. never in 10000 million years did i think i would do a tdm course.

What conditions can cause an elevated CEA?

Both benign and malignant (harmless and cancerous) conditions can increase the CEA level. The most frequent cancer which causes an increased CEA is cancer of the colon and rectum. Others include cancers of the pancreas, stomach, breast, lung, and certain types of thyroid and ovarian cancer. Benign conditions which can elevate CEA include smoking, infections, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, and some benign tumors in the same organs in which an elevated CEA indicates cancer. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can cause a temporary rise in CEA due to the death of tumor cells and release of CEA into the blood stream. Benign disease does not usually cause an increase above 10 ng/ml.

What are the limitations of CEA testing?

CEA is not an effective screening test for hidden (occult) cancer since early tumors do not cause significant blood elevations. Also, many tumors never cause an abnormal blood level, even in advanced disease. Because there is variability between results obtained between laboratories, the same laboratory should do repeat testing when monitoring a patient with cancer.