question about cea

aggie0053
aggie0053 Member Posts: 110
in Colorectal Cancer #1

i just had my 6th treatment of folfox and advistan my cea is still under 5 but apr 1.7 may 2.9 jun 2.2 this past sat 3.3 my blood work is good considering the liquid i'm putting in, go for pet/ct scan this sun just a little worried

Comments

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #2
    CEA woes

    I am sorry that you are worried aobut your CEA. It does seem to be fluctuating.  I asked my Oncologist during my treatment, why he didn't want me to get my CEA done, and he told me that the results aren't reliable. I only started getting it done after treatment. 

    I know that Oncologists do things differently, and even though we have CRC, it can still be different, but if this helps you worry less, then I would be happy. 

    Worry will always be there, but try not to worry too much. 

    Keep us informed about your test results. Will be thinking of you. 

  • aggie0053
    aggie0053 Member Posts: 110
    #3
    Trubrit said:

    CEA woes

    I am sorry that you are worried aobut your CEA. It does seem to be fluctuating.  I asked my Oncologist during my treatment, why he didn't want me to get my CEA done, and he told me that the results aren't reliable. I only started getting it done after treatment. 

    I know that Oncologists do things differently, and even though we have CRC, it can still be different, but if this helps you worry less, then I would be happy. 

    Worry will always be there, but try not to worry too much. 

    Keep us informed about your test results. Will be thinking of you. 

    cea

    thanks sue  the bad part was it was supposed to be taken monthly but the lab started weekly i finally got them back monthly hope that helps. i guess it wouldn't be as bad if the worry gene was put away for awhile. thanks john

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #4
    aggie0053 said:

    cea

    thanks sue  the bad part was it was supposed to be taken monthly but the lab started weekly i finally got them back monthly hope that helps. i guess it wouldn't be as bad if the worry gene was put away for awhile. thanks john

    Try to relax

    Concentrate on staying as healthy as you can through your treatment. Remember, you are only half way through, there is more time for the meds to work on anything that 'might' be there. 

    Imagine the chemo killing the bad cells. Release them with your breath. Release your anxiety with your breath. Look upward, and move onward. We're by your side. 

     

  • LindaK.
    LindaK. Member Posts: 506 Member
    #5
    CEAnxiety

    My husband recently switched cancer centers to a place where they have 4 GI cancer specialists.  His new doctor said CEA is only a good indicator about 50% of the time.  My husband's CEA actually went from 4 to 2 while in patient with a large tumor growing in his small intestines, so for him, it's not a good marker.  They take many things into consideration, scans most likely being the most effective tool.  Try not to worry too much.

    Linda

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #6
    CEA

    That darn number always has people worrying.  It can be very unreliable even if you've had some type of infection.  But the rise should be watched carefully.  It can fluctuate by whole numbers.  Wishing you the best for the scan.

    Kim

  • traci43
    traci43 Member Posts: 773 Member
    #7
    try not to worry

    Weekly checks of CEA really don't say much, from what I've been told.  Monthly will show better trends.  Remember that you are undergoing chemo so there could be some variation as the cancer cells die.  Others on this site have talked about rising CEA as the cancer cells die, then declining CEA after they pass through their system.  Hopefully changing back to monthly draws will help to calm things down.  Best of luck to you as you continue treatment.  Traci

  • aggie0053
    aggie0053 Member Posts: 110
    #8
    traci43 said:

    try not to worry

    Weekly checks of CEA really don't say much, from what I've been told.  Monthly will show better trends.  Remember that you are undergoing chemo so there could be some variation as the cancer cells die.  Others on this site have talked about rising CEA as the cancer cells die, then declining CEA after they pass through their system.  Hopefully changing back to monthly draws will help to calm things down.  Best of luck to you as you continue treatment.  Traci

    cea

    thank you everyone it's sure nice to know you can get some input from good friends, thanks again john

  • fatbob2010
    fatbob2010 Member Posts: 467 Member
    #9
    CEA

    I have read many different descriptions of CEA and how our doctors use it in our treatment management.  Here is perhaps just one more spin.

    CEA, as I have been told recently by my Onc, is a measure of growth activity, or potential activity.  He left me believing that as the tumor grows it produces CEA as a  by-product.  Not sure if this means a low number indicates slow to no growth or not.  In my case that seems to be a good call.  My CEA has fallen from 114 to under 5 with 4 cycles of the current treatment.  Scans seem to bear out a similar reduction in size of not only the liver but lung nodules as well.

    All that being said, it seems that no matter how uncertain a marker.  No matter how it is used by our care team.  We are stuck with this as the current standard. One that has to abe tailored to each person individually.

    Staying confident,

    Art

     

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