CEA question

lmliess

Hello everyone....I had a question regarding CEA levels. I have done 2 rounds of Folfori with Avastin for my 'areas of concern' in my lung area. My CEA was tested before chemo started and was 27.9. After 2 rounds of chemo it is 28.2. So basically it has not moved. My Onc said it is too soon to tell, but now I am worried the chemo isn't even touching the cancer. (Ugh!! I hate to even type that word!)
Anyway, if anyone can tell me their experience with CEA levels dropping and how long it took I would appreciate it!

lisa42

Hi there,

I would not panic too much. It is still early, as your onc said. It could be the phenomenum of the CEA slightly rising while cancer cells are dying off, or it could be that two cycles really hasn't been long enough yet.

Take care!
Lisa

BARTLEY

CEA LEVEL
BEFORE MY COLON SURGERY FOR CANCER CEA WAS 13,SIX MONTHS OF CHEMO & RADIATION IT DROPED TO SIX, THEN 3 YEARS LATER IT ROSE TO 14 AND REMAINS HIGH EVEN 7YRS. AFTER TREATMENT, MY DOCTOR SAID SMOKING CAN ALTER CEA, I SMOKE HOWEVER THE SCANS SHOW NO TUMORS NOW SO HE CUT ME LOOSE, REGARDS/. BARTLEY

taraHK

same
I just posted a similar story -- about CEA and CPT-11. I should have replied to your thread instead, so we can keep this theme together. (I knew I had just been reading about something similar - duh! Can I blame on chemobrain? Had chemo today - chemobrain is so real!

Let's hope we are both facing the same phenomenon -- CEA not falling yet because of all the dying nasties - yeah!

Tara

ktlcs

Same Here
Hank's CEA went up at the beginning of treatment when he was doing chemo/rads. Onc said it will sometimes rise due to the large number of dying cells. After rising for 3 months in a row it dropped dramatically (the highest was 78) and is now normal. You may be experiencing the same phenomenon

Good Luck

K