CEA Levels

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  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #22
    jaybel said:

    CEA LEvels

    Well now since i last posted my CEA went to 0.7  So on day of surgery it was 1.5, after surgery <.3, then .5, .6 and now 8 months after surgery it is .7!  What could be going on??  My Ct scan in March, 2017 was clean.  Should I go get a colonoscopy?? My cancer was stage 1, T2 with 27 clean lymph nodes and low grade tumor.  I am really getting worried!!  Its so hard to deal with these blood tests! My doctor just keeps telling me no to worry but the bottom line is there is nothing they can do until they see something on a CT scan.

    Settling down

    Your body has been through allot, and if your CT's are clear, and your CEA isn't jumping up by leaps and bounds (when I had the liver tumour, it jumped from 0.5 to 10 and then to 19) then your CEA just might be looking for its new normal.

    After my liver ablation, my CEA rose a little each time untl it settled at around the 1.0 mark. 

    Sadly, as a Cancer patient, anything that half looks abnormal is going to make you sick to your stomach. I have/am learned/learning to try to breath through these moments of fear.  Live your life as NED. Happy! Happy! Happy!   I get to really LIVE and be HAPPY for three whole months between my tests. I pray you can do the same, because worry/stressing is not good for any body, let alone one that has experienced Cancer. 

    TRU

  • Rider56
    Rider56 Member Posts: 3
    #23
    CEA levels
    I have Stage IV rectal cancer which was diagnosed 4 months ago. My original CEA was 1200. It has gone down in steady increments to 32 presently. I had Oxaliplatin, Avastin and Xeloda. I certainly am feeling better now. I know I will not be cured but hoping to squeeze a few more years in. I could no longer tolerate Oxaliplatin after 4 or 5 treatments. I can put up with the ghastly side effects, but it seemed to be hurting my liver so my oncologist took me off it My platelets went down to 74. She said we will switch to Irinotecan if/when I need it, but she doesn't think I need it now. I pretty much begged for more, but no go. So I am now on Avastin and Xeloda only. Hoping not to slide back soon. I have no side effects worth mentioning now. I have worked full time since 3 weeks in. It wasn't easy before, but I do need my health insurance. And guess what, I work in a cancer center. I have adjusted to my new reality, mostly because I feel so much better; normal, really. Would love to talk to anyone/everyone, as I minimize this to friends and family, so having very few honest conversations. Advice is appreciated! I wish everyone well.
  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #24
    Rider56 said:

    CEA levels
    I have Stage IV rectal cancer which was diagnosed 4 months ago. My original CEA was 1200. It has gone down in steady increments to 32 presently. I had Oxaliplatin, Avastin and Xeloda. I certainly am feeling better now. I know I will not be cured but hoping to squeeze a few more years in. I could no longer tolerate Oxaliplatin after 4 or 5 treatments. I can put up with the ghastly side effects, but it seemed to be hurting my liver so my oncologist took me off it My platelets went down to 74. She said we will switch to Irinotecan if/when I need it, but she doesn't think I need it now. I pretty much begged for more, but no go. So I am now on Avastin and Xeloda only. Hoping not to slide back soon. I have no side effects worth mentioning now. I have worked full time since 3 weeks in. It wasn't easy before, but I do need my health insurance. And guess what, I work in a cancer center. I have adjusted to my new reality, mostly because I feel so much better; normal, really. Would love to talk to anyone/everyone, as I minimize this to friends and family, so having very few honest conversations. Advice is appreciated! I wish everyone well.

    We're here for just that reason

    Would love to talk to anyone/everyone, as I minimize this to friends and family, so having very few honest conversations. Advice is appreciated! I wish everyone well.

    Welcome to the forum, Rider.  We are here to help you along the way.

    Why don't you post to the forum homepage, that way we can welcome you and help you, without hijacking this thread.  

    Here is the homepage link https://csn.cancer.org/forum/128 

    TRU

  • beaumontdave
    beaumontdave Member Posts: 1,289 Member
    #25
    That Can't Enjoy Anything

    That Can't Enjoy Anything {CEA} test sure keeps us all stressed. I just did my six month blood panel Monday, and if the Onc. hasn"t called by now, I'm happy to ignore it until the next one. God forbid I find out it bumped up a tenth, I'll have that in the back of my head until Christmas. Welcome to the new folks, and just accept that even several years down the road that test will likely be making you nervous....................Dave

  • Bellen
    Bellen Member Posts: 281 Member
    #26
    Outlaw41 - question about erbitux

    Hello Outlaw41 - I have CRC with several mets to my liver - am on avastin and folfiri chemo (same as folfox but irinotecan instead of oxy).  Did you ever have avastin prior to the rest of your chemo being administered?  I wonder did they give you erbitux in place of the avastin.  And have you had any side effects of the erbitux?  A friend of mine may be taking erbitux soon and I would like to learn more about it. And hearing that cancer tumours mutate, I may have to try something different in the future.  Thanks and wishing you well.

  • Burnsy64
    Burnsy64 Member Posts: 6
    #27
    should I get a second opinion before i let them operate?

    I am new here.  I had a colonoscopy at the end of March.  The surgeon took a polyp off and told me to come back in 3 years.  Next thing I know my Dr. Office called and said they want to see me.  On May 9th I was told I have rectal cancer.  I had an MRI and it was in conclusive.  My CEA was 7.  I had a CT scan on 24th.  Waiting for the results to see if it spread.  The surgeon tells me I need to have a resection done.  I would have to have a bag for 3 months.  He said hopefully it hasnt spread and I wont need chemo or radiation.  I am not sure about the surgery.  Is it the only way to go?  I am a care aid and I have to change peoples ostomy bags.  It makes me sick.  I do not want one of those.  I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the thought that I have cancer.  It is really scary.  My Dad died of small cell lung cancer 8 years ago at the age of 66.  He is on my mind a lot.  The MRI didnt pick anything up, but surgeon says CEA levels say I still have cancer.  I am not sure what to do.

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #28
    Burnsy64 said:

    should I get a second opinion before i let them operate?

    I am new here.  I had a colonoscopy at the end of March.  The surgeon took a polyp off and told me to come back in 3 years.  Next thing I know my Dr. Office called and said they want to see me.  On May 9th I was told I have rectal cancer.  I had an MRI and it was in conclusive.  My CEA was 7.  I had a CT scan on 24th.  Waiting for the results to see if it spread.  The surgeon tells me I need to have a resection done.  I would have to have a bag for 3 months.  He said hopefully it hasnt spread and I wont need chemo or radiation.  I am not sure about the surgery.  Is it the only way to go?  I am a care aid and I have to change peoples ostomy bags.  It makes me sick.  I do not want one of those.  I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the thought that I have cancer.  It is really scary.  My Dad died of small cell lung cancer 8 years ago at the age of 66.  He is on my mind a lot.  The MRI didnt pick anything up, but surgeon says CEA levels say I still have cancer.  I am not sure what to do.

    Just my suggestion

    It might be a good idea for you to post this exact thread (copy and paste) to a new thread on the CSN home page. Here is the link https://csn.cancer.org/forum/128  That way, when people answer, the post will be to you personally, and not a part of jaybel's thread. 

    If you have problems posting, let me know. 

    I am sorry you find yourself here.  Those first months after diagnosis are terribly emotional because so much is going on. Coming to terms with the word Cancer, and that you have it. All the information that is thrown at you. The treatment options, procedures, surgeries, colostomy, chemos, radiation possibilities. Its allot to take in. Being scared is definitely a big part of it.  

    My one suggestion here is to take it one day at a time.  

    We look forward to seeing your post on the forum home page. 

    Tru

  • mysweetheartrusty
    mysweetheartrusty Member Posts: 19
    #29
    BillO60 said:

    CEA = Create Elevated Anxiety
    My CEA has run the range from 0.57 to about 17.0. The numbers do not correspond with where I'm at in terms of tumor growth. I've been off of chemo since December 15, 2016 and my CEA has gradually moved from 1.2 in December to 3.4 yesterday.

    On it's own, a 3.4 wouldn't get anyone excited. However, I just had a CT scan a week ago and it showed a couple of new tumors in my lung that weren't there in February.

    CEA does not tell you what is going on, only that something might be going on and might be worth checking out. It's like running a fever, or having a high white blood count, etc. They are indicators that something might be wrong and so shouldn't be ignored if the numbers spike.

    bummer

    sorry about the mets. That really stinks.

    I love the way you compare the CEA to a fever. My husbands CEA level bounces around are doesn't seem to have much

    ryhme or reason. Like a fever it comes and goes. Thanks, this will help me with the stress :)

  • Saad65
    Saad65 Member Posts: 1
    edited February 2018 #30
    CEA TEST

    Hi there, I’m 53 years old m had my cea test on sep 2017 and it was 27, ct scan there was nothing!

    made another CEA test Feb 18 the result is 21.6 high again!

    why my cea result was high?

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    edited February 2018 #31
    Saad65 said:

    CEA TEST

    Hi there, I’m 53 years old m had my cea test on sep 2017 and it was 27, ct scan there was nothing!

    made another CEA test Feb 18 the result is 21.6 high again!

    why my cea result was high?

    Welcome

    This is a fairly old post so it would be great if you could post a new one.  As far as CEA it can be very unreliable.  If your's shows high and CT scan showed nothing it should be monitored, and with another high one they might want to do a PET scan.  Please let us know how things are going and think about posting on the board with a new entry.

    Kim

  • judyb76
    judyb76 Member Posts: 15 Member
    #32

    Well here I am after receiving my latest CEA (among others) lab results yesterday. Jumped from 3.2 in Oct of 2021 to 13.6 Feb 9, 2022! I am now waiting to hear from my Oncologist. As is probably expected, this latest jump made me very nervous. I started doing the research and ran across this, particular, forum and glad I did. Very informative. I hope the fact that there are no recent posts here, means everybodys' results got better!

    Like my doctor said, "it" will always be the elephant in the room.

    Best to you ALL...❤️

    Judy

    P.S.

    I was diagnosed with lung cancer (small cell) July 2, 2019 and in complete remission January 27, 2020.

  • judyb76
    judyb76 Member Posts: 15 Member
    edited February 2022 #33

    Sorry, looks like I posted in the wrong forum/topic. I just saw the CEA and posted. Still learning my way around this site, obviously.😊

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