Tumor markers

eibod
eibod Member Posts: 160
in Colorectal Cancer #1
I am new to this site. Was wondering if anyone could tell me the
importance of CEA tumor markers? What is considered high?

Comments

  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #2
    CEA........
    0-3 for non smokers
    4-6 for smokers........those are the normal ranges for smokers and non smokers......
    ....and it just depends if CEA is a reliable marker ..It isn't in some people.....if it is then CEA tends to show either activity in abnormal cells or increased activity in cells already known to be there......may or may not be cancer though...biopsy, pathology, that will tell the tale.......

    buzz
  • Lori-S
    Lori-S Member Posts: 1,277 Member
    #3
    eibod

    The importance depends totally on whether or not CEA is an indicator for you. It is important to remember that it is THE TREND in your markers.

    Here is how it goes. You should have your CEA measured before surgery or any treatment (when first diagnosed). Then the CEA needs to be ran after surgery or treatment. The CEA should show a downward number after surgery as the tumor responsible for the elevation was removed. If your CEA was up before surgery or treatment and then came down, it most likely is a good indicator for you. Buzz gave you the numbers that the labs use as normal numbers. If your CEA shows a trend like mentioned above, it can be used in conjunction with other test (CScans, MRIs, PETs, etc) to monitor for tumor growth. It is not how high the number is but, whether or not it is trending for you. Some tumors will have high numbers and others lower numbers. It does not mean that the higher number tumor is bigger or badder than the slower number. Each tumor and each recurrence will have a different tendency and CEA may be an indicator for you for one tumor and then not so for another. That is why it is not used on it's own for diagnosis or monitoring your cancer. Also, inflammatory processes and some illnesses will elevate you CEA so there is always the possibility that an elevation may be caused by something other than cancer.
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #4
    Lori-S said:

    eibod

    The importance depends totally on whether or not CEA is an indicator for you. It is important to remember that it is THE TREND in your markers.

    Here is how it goes. You should have your CEA measured before surgery or any treatment (when first diagnosed). Then the CEA needs to be ran after surgery or treatment. The CEA should show a downward number after surgery as the tumor responsible for the elevation was removed. If your CEA was up before surgery or treatment and then came down, it most likely is a good indicator for you. Buzz gave you the numbers that the labs use as normal numbers. If your CEA shows a trend like mentioned above, it can be used in conjunction with other test (CScans, MRIs, PETs, etc) to monitor for tumor growth. It is not how high the number is but, whether or not it is trending for you. Some tumors will have high numbers and others lower numbers. It does not mean that the higher number tumor is bigger or badder than the slower number. Each tumor and each recurrence will have a different tendency and CEA may be an indicator for you for one tumor and then not so for another. That is why it is not used on it's own for diagnosis or monitoring your cancer. Also, inflammatory processes and some illnesses will elevate you CEA so there is always the possibility that an elevation may be caused by something other than cancer.

    "A" for you Lori.........
    couldn't have said it better myself.lol.......buzz
  • here4lfe
    here4lfe Member Posts: 306 Member
    #5
    Lori-S said:

    eibod

    The importance depends totally on whether or not CEA is an indicator for you. It is important to remember that it is THE TREND in your markers.

    Here is how it goes. You should have your CEA measured before surgery or any treatment (when first diagnosed). Then the CEA needs to be ran after surgery or treatment. The CEA should show a downward number after surgery as the tumor responsible for the elevation was removed. If your CEA was up before surgery or treatment and then came down, it most likely is a good indicator for you. Buzz gave you the numbers that the labs use as normal numbers. If your CEA shows a trend like mentioned above, it can be used in conjunction with other test (CScans, MRIs, PETs, etc) to monitor for tumor growth. It is not how high the number is but, whether or not it is trending for you. Some tumors will have high numbers and others lower numbers. It does not mean that the higher number tumor is bigger or badder than the slower number. Each tumor and each recurrence will have a different tendency and CEA may be an indicator for you for one tumor and then not so for another. That is why it is not used on it's own for diagnosis or monitoring your cancer. Also, inflammatory processes and some illnesses will elevate you CEA so there is always the possibility that an elevation may be caused by something other than cancer.

    Excellent explanation. It is
    Excellent explanation. It is the trend, not the magnitude of the numbers. My wife's never got as high as 14, and I see others in the hundreds, but a movement from 3 to 6 got the oncologist team moving VERY FAST. CEA is an excellent marker for her, so we monitor it very closely.

    Best
  • tanstaafl
    tanstaafl Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    #6
    biomarker, inflammation
    We've tracked CA19-9 as a biomarker also. More recently tracked inflammation (CRP, ESR or PV) to better separate inflammation effects, and to treat the inflammation. ESR seems cheapest, perhaps more stable than CRP, and more readily available. Plasma viscosityng testi is less available.

    I don't think most people can get the labwork and technical support to intrepret biomarkers closely, including elevations due to chemo changes or necrosis, for weighing non-unique answers (e.g. either it's dissolving releasing biomarker, something is really active, or just an inflammation effect).
  • Love2Cats
    Love2Cats Member Posts: 127
    #7
    I hope you don't mind if I ask
    My CEA started at 13.7 back in late November of 2010. Now after a colon resection, and my first chemo, my CEA dropped to 8.7. After my second chemo, my level dropped to 6.2, which is near normal (still cheating a little with the darn smoking). Does this mean if I get into the normal range, that I will be NED, or they will stop my chemo treatments? I am stage 4 if that matters or not. Thanks for the help
  • eibod
    eibod Member Posts: 160
    #8
    Thanks to everyone for the
    Thanks to everyone for the info. I am not sure I am in the correct chatroom, my husband
    is the cancer patient, not myself. He was diagnosed October 2009 with colon cancer, stage 4, mets to liver. Since then he has had chemo, rectal tumor fulgaration, liver oblazion (sp?). He was in the hospital for chemo complications during Christmas of 2009. He is in his second round of chemo, in January 2011 had a blockage with emergency surgery for a colostomy. He was in the hospital 5 weeks, contacted vre infection. Was delusional for a week of that time. Reading all of your comments makes me feel so guilty.
    You're all so cheerful, and you are the patients. I feel so guilty because I am so exhausted with cancer and the way it takes over your life. I am scared because I don't know what to expect next, and it makes me feel angry.
  • pete43lost_at_sea
    pete43lost_at_sea Member Posts: 3,900 Member
    #9
    eibod said:

    Thanks to everyone for the
    Thanks to everyone for the info. I am not sure I am in the correct chatroom, my husband
    is the cancer patient, not myself. He was diagnosed October 2009 with colon cancer, stage 4, mets to liver. Since then he has had chemo, rectal tumor fulgaration, liver oblazion (sp?). He was in the hospital for chemo complications during Christmas of 2009. He is in his second round of chemo, in January 2011 had a blockage with emergency surgery for a colostomy. He was in the hospital 5 weeks, contacted vre infection. Was delusional for a week of that time. Reading all of your comments makes me feel so guilty.
    You're all so cheerful, and you are the patients. I feel so guilty because I am so exhausted with cancer and the way it takes over your life. I am scared because I don't know what to expect next, and it makes me feel angry.

    I am scared because I don't know what to expect next
    Hi eibod,

    I had similar feelings, but they really do wear you down. I always tried to live in the now as they say before cancer with some success. Now with my DX stage 3 rectal 9 months ago, operation and almost finished mopup chemo I am looking at doing the best each day I can to live well and help others.

    So this board and the people carers and patients have a wealth of experience and offer non medical but real life advice.

    Cancer is dammed scary, but you can overcome the fear by facing it, educating yourself. The eductation thing is really never ending. I really hope your husband recovers and gets better health. We are all human and make mistakes, so don't feel to guilty and try and see the beauty thats around us everywhere.

    Welcome to the board, I hope you visit often.

    Pete
  • Lori-S
    Lori-S Member Posts: 1,277 Member
    #10
    eibod said:

    Thanks to everyone for the
    Thanks to everyone for the info. I am not sure I am in the correct chatroom, my husband
    is the cancer patient, not myself. He was diagnosed October 2009 with colon cancer, stage 4, mets to liver. Since then he has had chemo, rectal tumor fulgaration, liver oblazion (sp?). He was in the hospital for chemo complications during Christmas of 2009. He is in his second round of chemo, in January 2011 had a blockage with emergency surgery for a colostomy. He was in the hospital 5 weeks, contacted vre infection. Was delusional for a week of that time. Reading all of your comments makes me feel so guilty.
    You're all so cheerful, and you are the patients. I feel so guilty because I am so exhausted with cancer and the way it takes over your life. I am scared because I don't know what to expect next, and it makes me feel angry.

    eibod
    Please don't feel guilty for what you are feeling. We all have feelings ... sometimes positive and sometimes negative. Just go ahead and feel them and if you need to vent about them, we are here for you.

    It sounds like you two have had a tough time with the additional things that cancer brings along ... like the blockage, infection and chemo problems. You guys are not alone. Feel free to come here and share your experience and we'll do our best to help you out and listen to your experiences.

    Welcome ... and yes, you are on the right board. We have lots of caregivers here with us patients and I'm sure they will share what they are going through as well. We all get exhausted, angry and scared sometimes. Maybe being here will help you feel so not alone so you don't have to shoulder the burden all on your own. It helps to have people to communicate with that are in the same boat. And feel free to ask questions as there is no such thing as a dumb question and there so much love and knowledge in this group to share.

    Again Welcome. HUGS
  • Lori-S
    Lori-S Member Posts: 1,277 Member
    #11
    Love2Cats said:

    I hope you don't mind if I ask
    My CEA started at 13.7 back in late November of 2010. Now after a colon resection, and my first chemo, my CEA dropped to 8.7. After my second chemo, my level dropped to 6.2, which is near normal (still cheating a little with the darn smoking). Does this mean if I get into the normal range, that I will be NED, or they will stop my chemo treatments? I am stage 4 if that matters or not. Thanks for the help

    Hey there Love2
    Only your doctor might call you NED. As I said above, the marker is used with other tests to make that determination. Wether or not they will stop chemo will depend on you onc also and if you are stage 4, then where your mets are and how they've responded will be a major factor on the chemo question and NED.
  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    #12
    eibod
    I just want to welcome you to this site. I hope you will find it helpful; I know I do!
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #13
    eibod said:

    Thanks to everyone for the
    Thanks to everyone for the info. I am not sure I am in the correct chatroom, my husband
    is the cancer patient, not myself. He was diagnosed October 2009 with colon cancer, stage 4, mets to liver. Since then he has had chemo, rectal tumor fulgaration, liver oblazion (sp?). He was in the hospital for chemo complications during Christmas of 2009. He is in his second round of chemo, in January 2011 had a blockage with emergency surgery for a colostomy. He was in the hospital 5 weeks, contacted vre infection. Was delusional for a week of that time. Reading all of your comments makes me feel so guilty.
    You're all so cheerful, and you are the patients. I feel so guilty because I am so exhausted with cancer and the way it takes over your life. I am scared because I don't know what to expect next, and it makes me feel angry.

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • here4lfe
    here4lfe Member Posts: 306 Member
    #14
    eibod said:

    Thanks to everyone for the
    Thanks to everyone for the info. I am not sure I am in the correct chatroom, my husband
    is the cancer patient, not myself. He was diagnosed October 2009 with colon cancer, stage 4, mets to liver. Since then he has had chemo, rectal tumor fulgaration, liver oblazion (sp?). He was in the hospital for chemo complications during Christmas of 2009. He is in his second round of chemo, in January 2011 had a blockage with emergency surgery for a colostomy. He was in the hospital 5 weeks, contacted vre infection. Was delusional for a week of that time. Reading all of your comments makes me feel so guilty.
    You're all so cheerful, and you are the patients. I feel so guilty because I am so exhausted with cancer and the way it takes over your life. I am scared because I don't know what to expect next, and it makes me feel angry.

    Take a DEEP Breath
    I know how you feel. Just know that your time with your husband is precious, so push all negativity out of the way, get a routine (hard to do when you have to rush off to the emergency room, etc), and enjoy the good days.

    Keep reading this forum for information and inspiration, then hop over to the caregivers forum too. You are not alone.

    Best
  • joy44
    joy44 Member Posts: 50
    #15
    AnneCan said:

    eibod
    I just want to welcome you to this site. I hope you will find it helpful; I know I do!

    Markers what are they and
    Markers what are they and should my husband and I know about these? My husband is stage 4, he just had his third round of chemo, everyone keeps asking about numbers and markers, I asked our onocologist she said we didn't need to worry about them, his blood count and platlets are low and thats all we know. I am concerned that we don't know enough and now we are having battle of the onocologists, chemo and radiation ??? What do we need to know
  • eibod
    eibod Member Posts: 160
    #16
    joy44 said:

    Markers what are they and
    Markers what are they and should my husband and I know about these? My husband is stage 4, he just had his third round of chemo, everyone keeps asking about numbers and markers, I asked our onocologist she said we didn't need to worry about them, his blood count and platlets are low and thats all we know. I am concerned that we don't know enough and now we are having battle of the onocologists, chemo and radiation ??? What do we need to know

    I am still not sure about
    I am still not sure about Tumor Markers. My husbands were 9.6 end of November 2010 and
    last week 25.8. The dr hasn't mentioned this so should I be concerned. He is still
    having chemo every other week, so shouldn't it go down? He stays in bed most of the
    time, never has energy. Us this normal?

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