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Can alternative supplements increase CEA levels ?

Rosesoph
Rosesoph CSN Member Posts: 5
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I'm concerned that my father's CEA levels are not coming down to pre-surgery levels after he finished his chemo (Xeloda) back in early March.

His CEA levels are as follows:

CEA = 5.4 on 9/14/05 (before surgery)
CEA = 4.0 on 10/4/05 (3 weeks after hemicolectomy)
CEA = 14.1 on 3/14/06 (1 week after last cycle of Xeloda finished)
CEA = 8.4 on 5/1/06
CEA = 8.9 on 7/7/06

He was on the oral form of 5FU from 11/3/05-3/6/06. He refused the FolFox &
other IV chemo. He had CT scans October '05 and May '06 and both show NED. His onc wants another CT scan in Sept and wants to do a PET scan after that if CEA is still elevated.

I know there's been alot of talk on this board about CEA and it's unreliability, but you still
would like to see it come down to presurgery levels.

I'm wondering if any of the alternative supplements I have my dad taking could be possibly increasing his CEA. He's taking IP-6/Inositol, Maitake Mushroom, Tumeric, Selenium, CoQ, Green Source Multivitamin (to name a few).

Any alternative guru's out there ? (I've already emailed Emily about this)
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Comments

  • shmurciakova
    shmurciakova CSN Member Posts: 904 Member
    #2
    I seriously doubt it. I have been on all types of alternative supplements since my diagnosis in 2002. I have not had any abnormal results in my CEA as a result and have tried all of the supplements you listed. I am currently on IP-6/Inositol. I used to take Maitake and Tumeric, I take a green foods multi, etc.
    I know Emily's tumor did not produce CEA, so she may not be the one to talk to about this. CEA is produced (in excess) when there is cell division going on. A steadily increasing CEA is what you are looking for (to indicate a recurrence). So if, for example, your fathers numbers continue to rise over time that would be a cause for concern. However, they actually have fallen considerably since he got of the Xeloda (chemo can cause a temporary rise). Just keep monitoring it, I guess that is all you can do and look for a pattern. Other things that can cause elevated CEA are smoking as well as a few other conditions. You will have to look on the internet to see what they are though, because right now it escapes me. I think ulcerative colitis is one of the things.
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