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Post treatment CEA results

breezie
breezie CSN Member Posts: 22
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Looking for some advice on post-treatment CEA results. Had a colon resection May 09, diagnosed with Stage III Colon cancer June 09. Endured 6 months of of 5FU Oxacillin treatments which ended New Years Eve 09. My Feb scan was clear and my CEA number dropped from pre-surgery as well as my CEA number in May but my CEA test a couple of days ago showed a number close to the pre-surgery number. I read that a drop in the post treatment number and then a rise could indicate the presence of cancer. Has anyone had a similar experience and is there a cause for concern? Not sure which is worse, the treatment or the mental anguish of waiting for the next checkup and test.
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  • geotina
    geotina CSN Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    #2
    Breezie:
    What kind of numbers are we talking about? Knowing what kind of numbers we are talking about would give members a better idea. What does your doctor say.

    Take care - Tina
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  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 CSN Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #3
    What did the doctor say?
    It seems to me that if the numbers indicated a worrisome trend, your oncologist would have talked to you about further testing or something.

    *hugs*
    Gail
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  • breezie
    breezie CSN Member Posts: 22
    #4
    geotina said:

    Breezie:
    What kind of numbers are we talking about? Knowing what kind of numbers we are talking about would give members a better idea. What does your doctor say.

    Take care - Tina

    Post treatment CEA results
    Sorry, I didn't post my numbers because they've always been within range and my care is shared between a surgeon at Memorial Sloan and an oncologist where I live. Sloan's numbers are: 4.5 pre-surgery, 3.1 post-treatment (Feb) and 4.0 (Aug). My numbers when tests are done locally are: 2.0 pre-surgery and 1.9 post-treatment (May).

    Had an appointment at Sloan on Thurs for checkup and CEA test but the results weren't available until Friday (travel home day) and since they're posted on-line I was able to check them when I got home so I've sent an e-mail to my doctor and am waiting for a reply.

    We did have a discussion about CEA numbers and the possibility of a rise which if I remember correctly he said they would watch and maybe order a scan early if there was some concern. According to an article I read a drop in number post-treatment and then a rise could indicate the presence of cancer.

    I was just wondering whether anyone else had a similar experience where their number dropped post treatment and then rose on a future test but everything was okay and there was no cause for concern. I'm sure everything is okay because I feel really good but there's always that little element of doubt or maybe fear that creeps in at test time.

    Take care - Breezie
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