CEA, Doesn't mean anything

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Tswe
Tswe Member Posts: 6
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
My wife is stage 4 colon cancer. She's had low CEA's. Oncologist states that "30 % of population low CEA's are not indicators of anything." Oncologist says in these cases you can rely on CAT scans. Can anyone give me an opinion on this?
TSWE

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  • kristasplace
    kristasplace Member Posts: 957 Member
    #2
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    Hi there! I'm not a stage IV, but I had a T3 tumor that apparently could not be seen on a CT scan just a few months before my Dx. I found out after my Dx that the reason it wasn't showing up was because the tumor was blocking the contrast, and they couldn't see it. I have heard that the CT scan is NOT a very good diagnostic tool for detecting tumors and polyps in the colon. They don't even bother doing CT scans on me anymore. They only use MRI's to search for metastasis. I've never had a PET scan, but i've heard they are good too.

    I hope your wife is doing well.
    Many hugs,
    Krista
  • StacyGleaso
    StacyGleaso Member Posts: 1,233 Member
    #3
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    The oncologist is right, as far as CEAs being a good indicator. CT scans aren't, in my opinion, as thorough as something like a PET scan. The problem with PET scans is that there are the risk of false positives. Meaning, it will say something is there, when isn't nothing to be concerned about. Personally, I'd rather have false positives than false negatives.

    Some people on this board have been very successful tracking their cancer with their CEA level. Others, not so much.

    Best wishes,

    Stacy<----former stage 4, now just a big "zero" (which is fabulous!)
  • dn220
    dn220 Member Posts: 79 Member
    #4
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    kristasplace said:

    Hi there! I'm not a stage IV, but I had a T3 tumor that apparently could not be seen on a CT scan just a few months before my Dx. I found out after my Dx that the reason it wasn't showing up was because the tumor was blocking the contrast, and they couldn't see it. I have heard that the CT scan is NOT a very good diagnostic tool for detecting tumors and polyps in the colon. They don't even bother doing CT scans on me anymore. They only use MRI's to search for metastasis. I've never had a PET scan, but i've heard they are good too.

    I hope your wife is doing well.
    Many hugs,
    Krista

    I had a PET scan shortly after they found my tumor and it was measured at 10cmX10cm by colonscopy but the PET scan didnt show it at all and didnt show any other cancer either that was later found during surgery so I think it all depends on the radiologist reading the films myself but then who am I?
    Deb
  • shmurciakova
    shmurciakova Member Posts: 906 Member
    #5
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    The CEA is only indicative of something going on if you see a steady rise occuring (in the people whose tumors give off CEA). So, in the 70% or so of colon cancer patients who have tumors that produce CEA, it is looked at over a period of time. If it is continually rising, there is presumably a problem.
    CAT scans are good at looking at soft tissue organs such as liver and lungs. Not so good as MRI for other things. As for the PET scan, the nodule has to be at least 1cm in size to light up, anything smaller than that, like 10mm won't necessarily light up the scan. That is why some of these things get missed. CAT scans will pick up things as small as 4mm. A PET is usually ordered to confirm whether or not something seen on a CT is cancer or not.
    That is all I know from my experiences with these things.
    -Susan H.
  • Betsydoglover
    Betsydoglover Member Posts: 1,248 Member
    #6
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    Hi -

    A rising CEA may mean something. A very high CEA may mean something. But, you shouldn't worry overly about CEA. It's just a datapoint.

    I was diagnosed with biopsy-proven Stage IV disease (liver met) and had a CEA of less than 0.5. It is tested at every onc visit, just in case, but is always < 0.5. In the Spring of 2006 I was evaluated twice at NIH/NCI for a clinical trial. My CEA was 0.0 according to their tests. That doesn't mean it dropped, just that each lab is different.

    Your oncologist is right. CEA is worth tracking but for many folks, it means nothing.

    Take care,
    Betsy
  • impactzone
    impactzone Member Posts: 551 Member
    #7
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    Based on my stage 4 issues, the comments of betsy and susan h were right on. usually they do a PET/CT at the same time and overlay the images. At least at Stanford they rely on CT scans and only go to PET if they see some other worrisome indicators (rising CEA...unusual blood work, constant unexplained pain. Your Onc seems to be right on based on my info.
    Chip

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