CEA rises .5 to 10.9 - 18.6 - UPDATE - BAD

Trubrit
Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
edited April 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1

That news sure took the wind out of my sales. 

Doc wants me to have a PET scan. Insurance wouldn't cover it last time, so he will talk with them. If they won't do it, he said an MRI on the liver (have a suspect spot there) will be done. 

Onward and upward. I will not be beat.

 

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Comments

  • jen2012
    jen2012 Member Posts: 1,607 Member
    #2
    Crud Sue...so sorry to hear

    Crud Sue...so sorry to hear that.  Try not to panic yet...hopefully it turns out to be nothing.

  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    #3
    Has CEA been a good marker for you

    in the past?  At any rate, I hope this turns out to be just a bump in the road.  You're a very strong person, and if another spot has to be banished, you'll be the one to do it!

  • Brenda Bricco
    Brenda Bricco Member Posts: 579 Member
    #4
    This is not what I wanted to

    This is not what I wanted to see... I am so sorry but I know you will rally and whoop it. Thinking and praying for you.

    GOD'S blessings

    Brenda

  • Lisa2012
    Lisa2012 Member Posts: 142
    #5
    Positive attitude!

    I love your final comment, onward and upward.   I understand struggles with insurance, hopefully you can work through this quickly.  Hang in there.   Keep your positive spirit!

  • UncleBuddy
    UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
    #6
    Darn!!

    Think positive! Hopefully you'll get the PET scan. It did a better job on showing the specifics for my brother. I hope it's nothing. Take care of yourself.

    Lin

    Let us know how everything goes

  • wolfen
    wolfen Member Posts: 1,324 Member
    #7
    UncleBuddy said:

    Darn!!

    Think positive! Hopefully you'll get the PET scan. It did a better job on showing the specifics for my brother. I hope it's nothing. Take care of yourself.

    Lin

    Let us know how everything goes

    Sue

    I was just so taken aback when I read this, as I know you were! This damn cancer just seems to sneak back in. I am thinking of you & hoping for a positive oucome.

    Luv,

    Wolfen

  • sdp
    sdp Member Posts: 181
    #8
    Had this happen twice to me

    I had this happen twice to me and both time I got a pet-ct done in a week or so after I got the cancer marker tests.

    both times it detected a liver met . Latest was about 10'days back. Was a met of 1.6 x 1.5 mm in segment 4a . Difficult to resect with laproscopy - already had a liver resection a year and half ago.

    have an MRI tomorrow and then doc will decide whether to go for a microwave ablation or something else.

    procedure scheduled for day after. Earlier met was taken care of by radio frequency ablation.

    so let's see what it is this time . My cea had gone up from approx 3 to 12 once and now from 4.7 to about 7. Last time the liver met was 2.6 or 3 cm . Maybe cause the cea then was caught rising after two months and this time i reduced the interval of the blood marker test to nine month.

    hope there is not much activity in your case. Wish you the best.

  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #9
    So sorry to hear this

    I am so sorry to hear this news. 

    Prayers on the way for better test results than expected and that there is another cause for the CEA rise.

    Hugs,

    Marie who loves kitties

  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    #10
    Sorry to hear that but you

    Sorry to hear that but you have the right attitude. I would say hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #11
    annalexandria said:

    Has CEA been a good marker for you

    in the past?  At any rate, I hope this turns out to be just a bump in the road.  You're a very strong person, and if another spot has to be banished, you'll be the one to do it!

    I'm not sure

    Has CEA been a good marker for you in the past?

    After my diagnosis and bowel resection my CEA was normal, one month later it was up to 13. I had a CT and PET scan to see what was going on and both turned out normal. I then started treatment, so I didn't get another CEA until treatment was over. 

    I have had two CEA tests since treatment started, both were low and now this high one. 

    I don't know whats normal for me or not. I need to do a bit more research and any advise would be much appreciated. 

    Thank you so very much for your kind words and support. 

  • lilacbrroller
    lilacbrroller Member Posts: 412 Member
    #12
    janderson1964 said:

    Sorry to hear that but you

    Sorry to hear that but you have the right attitude. I would say hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

    PET scan

    Hi, Trubrit. Sorry to hear about your changed circumstances.  That's a real bummer. 

    I would advise you to push hard for the PET scan if you can as it's really good at showing active cancer. 

     

    good luck with everything

     

    Karin

     

  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    #13
    Trubrit said:

    I'm not sure

    Has CEA been a good marker for you in the past?

    After my diagnosis and bowel resection my CEA was normal, one month later it was up to 13. I had a CT and PET scan to see what was going on and both turned out normal. I then started treatment, so I didn't get another CEA until treatment was over. 

    I have had two CEA tests since treatment started, both were low and now this high one. 

    I don't know whats normal for me or not. I need to do a bit more research and any advise would be much appreciated. 

    Thank you so very much for your kind words and support. 

    Well, based on that,

    I would have to wonder if this higher number is just a fluke.   If it went up all of sudden to 13 (which is out of normal range) and the PET didn't show anything, and then it went back down to normal, then it does seem possible that you are just one of those people for whom CEA is not a perfect diagnostic tool (and there are many crc people like that).  CEA can go up for a number of non-cancer related reasons, so when it goes up, they certainly do need to check things out, but this makes me hopeful that maybe things will turn out to be ok.  I hope so.

    How soon will you be able to get more information?

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #14
    annalexandria said:

    Well, based on that,

    I would have to wonder if this higher number is just a fluke.   If it went up all of sudden to 13 (which is out of normal range) and the PET didn't show anything, and then it went back down to normal, then it does seem possible that you are just one of those people for whom CEA is not a perfect diagnostic tool (and there are many crc people like that).  CEA can go up for a number of non-cancer related reasons, so when it goes up, they certainly do need to check things out, but this makes me hopeful that maybe things will turn out to be ok.  I hope so.

    How soon will you be able to get more information?

    Hope Hope Hope

    Your words give me hope. 

    I'm waiting to hear from the Oncologist office. I think they may be working the insurance company to get the PET cleared.

    I know my Onc wanted me to get it done pronto. Meanwhile he's off holidaying in England. Lucky devil!

  • PatchAdams
    PatchAdams Member Posts: 271
    #15
    link

     

    This is an article on how many false positives there are in CEA testings.  Let's cross our fingers! 

    http://meetinglibrary.asco.org/content/122986-143

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #16
    PatchAdams said:

    link

     

    This is an article on how many false positives there are in CEA testings.  Let's cross our fingers! 

    http://meetinglibrary.asco.org/content/122986-143

    Thank you!

    I really appreciate this link, Patch. It definitely gives me hope. 

  • Chelsea71
    Chelsea71 Member Posts: 1,169 Member
    #17
    Shoot Sue.  Sorry to read

    Shoot Sue.  Sorry to read this news.  I admire your fighting spirit.  You have a great attitude.

     

    Chelsea

  • LindaK.
    LindaK. Member Posts: 506 Member
    #18
    Darn CEA

    My husband's CEA went from 3.6 to 2 while a large aggressive tumor was growing in his intestines.  2.0 was the number a few days before the tumor was removed.  There are a number of items they look at combined before CEA alone is alarming (in my husband's case anyway) but obviously it was not a good indicator for his last tumor.  Try not to worry too much, easier said than done I know!

    Linda

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #19
    PET scheduled on April 15th

    How I hate waiting. 

    I called the Oncologist office and talked to a nurse. I asked if I can get another CEA test done, and she said 'sure'. I will get that done on Monday and hopefully have results by Thursday. If they are the same, then I'll go ahead with the PET. Of course I'm hoping there was a false positive, but we shall have to see. 

    until then, I refuse to worry (too much). I figure worrying doesn't change the results and life is too short to waste a moment not being happy. 

     

  • Hooley
    Hooley Member Posts: 156
    #20
    Trubrit said:

    PET scheduled on April 15th

    How I hate waiting. 

    I called the Oncologist office and talked to a nurse. I asked if I can get another CEA test done, and she said 'sure'. I will get that done on Monday and hopefully have results by Thursday. If they are the same, then I'll go ahead with the PET. Of course I'm hoping there was a false positive, but we shall have to see. 

    until then, I refuse to worry (too much). I figure worrying doesn't change the results and life is too short to waste a moment not being happy. 

     

    Hang in

    Hang in there Sue. Def praying for you...with God all things are possible. And yes, I found it hard to praise Him with a rising VEA But kusymimjust kept knowing and trusting him no matter what. Don't give the devil a hold. Keep'positive.  Yes u sure can so it !

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #21
    Monday no more

    Pretty obvious I wasn't going to wait until Monday. Don't even know why I thought it in the first place. I called the hospital, and my blood work order was there, so here i sit with my sticky bandage over the crook of my arm. 

    I will call Monday or maybe Tuesday for my results. 

    I guess it just feels good to be 'doing' something. 

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