CEA Blood Test for Lung Cancer

khs13
khs13 Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
Hi My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer in August 1999. Since then she has gone trough chemo, radiation and now chemo again. During these chemo treatments the doctor does a blood test to see what her CEA level is. Has anyone else had this test before or does anyone know a little about the test and if its accurate? If you could please respond. Thanks!

Comments

  • patrick
    patrick Member Posts: 10
    #2
    I had it done for a few years after rectal cancer. It always stayed around 1 or below. The normal is zero to 5.0. I was always told that "if it goes way up, your cancer has returned, but just because it stays low that doesn't mean you don't have it back." It stands for 'carcinoembryonic AG'. Whatever that means.

    They think that I have lung cancer now and I had one drawn in September that was 1.0. Good Luck, Patrick
  • lorilovison
    lorilovison Member Posts: 3
    #3
    My husband is on his second round of chemo also for recurrence of lung cancer in the lower right lobe (upper right lobe removed after chemo and radiation 2 years ago). He most recently had this CEA test also. Never had heard of it before until now. When he first started chemo it was 5 and after first round of chemo it now reads 4. Hope this means chemo is working!?!

    Lori
  • pennymoney
    pennymoney Member Posts: 3
    #4
    lorilovison said:

    My husband is on his second round of chemo also for recurrence of lung cancer in the lower right lobe (upper right lobe removed after chemo and radiation 2 years ago). He most recently had this CEA test also. Never had heard of it before until now. When he first started chemo it was 5 and after first round of chemo it now reads 4. Hope this means chemo is working!?!

    Lori

    CEA test
    I am so freaked out about the CEA test. I had breast cancer in 1999. In 2010, the CEA started going up, and I had lung cancer. Last year the CEA also went up, but I had a UTI, and it responded to the infection. But now, I do not have an infection and it is going up. It usually is about 2.3 or so, now it is 4.5. I took it last week and it was 3.6. The dr retested and that is when it showed 4.5. I am now going for a petscan. I am so nervous, I can't work or function. It seems this test is very in tune with what is happening with me. It is horrible.
  • pennymoney
    pennymoney Member Posts: 3
    #5
    lorilovison said:

    My husband is on his second round of chemo also for recurrence of lung cancer in the lower right lobe (upper right lobe removed after chemo and radiation 2 years ago). He most recently had this CEA test also. Never had heard of it before until now. When he first started chemo it was 5 and after first round of chemo it now reads 4. Hope this means chemo is working!?!

    Lori

    CEA test
    I am so freaked out about the CEA test. I had breast cancer in 1999. In 2010, the CEA started going up, and I had lung cancer. Last year the CEA also went up, but I had a UTI, and it responded to the infection. But now, I do not have an infection and it is going up. It usually is about 2.3 or so, now it is 4.5. I took it last week and it was 3.6. The dr retested and that is when it showed 4.5. I am now going for a petscan. I am so nervous, I can't work or function. It seems this test is very in tune with what is happening with me. It is horrible.
  • dennycee
    dennycee Member Posts: 857 Member
    #6
    CEA levels are rarely used
    CEA levels are rarely used in lung cancer diagnoses. My doctor never tested for this and this came up in my "mixed cancers" support group. None of the lung patients but all of the breast cancer and the colon cancer patients all have. The PET scan will give you the best information. Please let us know how it comes out.

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