CEA question

Sooker55
Sooker55 Member Posts: 21 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1

My CEA taken every 3 months over the last 2 years is usually 2.2, went as high as 2.6 once, then dropped back to 2.2.  Just got a 3.0 result and of course I am concerned.  All prior tests were performed using Siemens (Bayer) method. Most recent test used a different lab and performed the test using the Beckman Coulter method.  Should I be concerned here?  Have any of you had similar experiences? Thanks for your help.  I lurk and find the information tremendously helpful. 

Comments

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #2
    Hello Lurker

    I can't help you, as I get my blood taken and then have absolutely no idea what happens to it until I get my results. 

    3 is within the normal range. Some say up to 5, my Oncologist wants mine to be 3 or below. 

    I will be interested to hear others answers to your query. 

    Sue - Trubrit

  • Cathleen Mary
    Cathleen Mary Member Posts: 827 Member
    #3
    Trubrit said:

    Hello Lurker

    I can't help you, as I get my blood taken and then have absolutely no idea what happens to it until I get my results. 

    3 is within the normal range. Some say up to 5, my Oncologist wants mine to be 3 or below. 

    I will be interested to hear others answers to your query. 

    Sue - Trubrit

    My CEA hovers around 5 and

    My CEA hovers around 5 and all seems well.  My onc told me different labs, different results...not hugely different, but different.

    I am betting all is well with you. Sure hope so.

    CM

  • peterz54
    peterz54 Member Posts: 341
    #4
    Random error also plays a role

    The numbers you gave are low.   2.2 sounds like a low level cut-off.   Was it reported as "< 2.2" ?

    Yes, different labs will give slighty different results, but within the same lab you will also likely get slighlty different results even when reanalyzing the same sample or different samples with the same concentration.   This is due to random error.  On the other hand, if a series of samples are done and they all trend in the same direction, either up or down, that might suggest something real is occuring.  

    If you are still concerned, have your doctor contact the lab and find out what the normal random error is at this level.   My guess is that it's several tenths of a ng/ml.

     

    Peter

     

        

  • Easyflip
    Easyflip Member Posts: 588 Member
    #5
    I agree with the

    others that lab testing and results are not as accurate as people are thinking.  A small difference is not as important as a trend. A low number is good period. Don't stress over tenths, the machines aren't that accurate.

    Easyflip/Richard 

  • jen2012
    jen2012 Member Posts: 1,607 Member
    #6
    I wouldn't worry, but I

    I wouldn't worry, but I wouldnt wait three months for another check.   I would ask to recheck every other week for a month or two to make sure it's not trending up. 

    hope it's nothing!

  • MAliceR
    MAliceR Member Posts: 98
    #7
    Steady wins the race

    My oncologist watches more for trends then anything else. Mine seems to have decided to stay steady at 4.5. If might go down to 4.3 or so but it usually hangs right at the same spot. At first I focused a lot on it. It was something I worried about and made myself crazy over trying to figure out why it wouldn't go down. My oncologist explained that everyone is different. Sometime after cancer for some people it never goes back to "normal". For me this is my normal. So we watch it and if it begins to climb, then we worry. In the meantime we test it every 3 months and if it moves upwards we decide if it is time for an unscheduled CT scan to check things out. 

    Blessings...

    MAlice

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