Update - ct scan and cea

Girl2
Girl2 Member Posts: 27
in Colorectal Cancer #1

Hi all my dad was due for a ct scan after 3 chemo rounds . However he's ended up in hosp with bowel inflammation . He's on antibiotics and biwelnus rejecting food . It's horrible !

anyway ct scan showed no new mets, few nodules stable but growth in liver mets . The weird thing is cea is going down each cycle but yet the scan shows increase in sizes of liver and peri mets ?

 

cea was 65 before chemo 

80 after round 1

55 after round 2

40 after round 3

 

we will spk to dr once he out hospital but had anyone had a similar situation ?

Comments

  • LindaK.
    LindaK. Member Posts: 506 Member
    #2
    CEA isn't always a good indicator

    My husband's last oncologist, a specialist in GI cancer, said CEA by itself is only a good indicator about 50% of the time.  My husband's CEA fell from around 6 to around 4 while he was in the hospital with a large tumor blocking his small intestines and waiting for 7 days for surgery.  Negligent "residents" kept saying he had constipation and would only take 1 x-ray every day.  When his surgeon finally appeared 5 days into the stay and asked to see the scans (of course none had been taken) and surgery was finally done 7 days later he said he was in tough shape.  I can't even think about how many people mistreated him during that hellish 17 days.

    CEA changes should lead the doctor to do more testing so I would push for that if you feel there is more going on.  a PET scan is usually better than ct.  My husband also had several issues during chemo and ended up being in the hospital a few times.  Setbacks are discouraging but the oncologist team should be on top of his care and treatment.

    Linda

Discussion Boards