CEA Levels

jaybel said:

CEA LEvels

Well now since i last posted my CEA went to 0.7  So on day of surgery it was 1.5, after surgery <.3, then .5, .6 and now 8 months after surgery it is .7!  What could be going on??  My Ct scan in March, 2017 was clean.  Should I go get a colonoscopy?? My cancer was stage 1, T2 with 27 clean lymph nodes and low grade tumor.  I am really getting worried!!  Its so hard to deal with these blood tests! My doctor just keeps telling me no to worry but the bottom line is there is nothing they can do until they see something on a CT scan.

Your body has been through allot, and if your CT's are clear, and your CEA isn't jumping up by leaps and bounds (when I had the liver tumour, it jumped from 0.5 to 10 and then to 19) then your CEA just might be looking for its new normal.

After my liver ablation, my CEA rose a little each time untl it settled at around the 1.0 mark. 

Sadly, as a Cancer patient, anything that half looks abnormal is going to make you sick to your stomach. I have/am learned/learning to try to breath through these moments of fear.  Live your life as NED. Happy! Happy! Happy!   I get to really LIVE and be HAPPY for three whole months between my tests. I pray you can do the same, because worry/stressing is not good for any body, let alone one that has experienced Cancer. 

TRU

Rider56 said:

CEA levels
I have Stage IV rectal cancer which was diagnosed 4 months ago. My original CEA was 1200. It has gone down in steady increments to 32 presently. I had Oxaliplatin, Avastin and Xeloda. I certainly am feeling better now. I know I will not be cured but hoping to squeeze a few more years in. I could no longer tolerate Oxaliplatin after 4 or 5 treatments. I can put up with the ghastly side effects, but it seemed to be hurting my liver so my oncologist took me off it My platelets went down to 74. She said we will switch to Irinotecan if/when I need it, but she doesn't think I need it now. I pretty much begged for more, but no go. So I am now on Avastin and Xeloda only. Hoping not to slide back soon. I have no side effects worth mentioning now. I have worked full time since 3 weeks in. It wasn't easy before, but I do need my health insurance. And guess what, I work in a cancer center. I have adjusted to my new reality, mostly because I feel so much better; normal, really. Would love to talk to anyone/everyone, as I minimize this to friends and family, so having very few honest conversations. Advice is appreciated! I wish everyone well.

Would love to talk to anyone/everyone, as I minimize this to friends and family, so having very few honest conversations. Advice is appreciated! I wish everyone well.

Welcome to the forum, Rider.  We are here to help you along the way.

Why don't you post to the forum homepage, that way we can welcome you and help you, without hijacking this thread.  

Here is the homepage link https://csn.cancer.org/forum/128 

TRU

Hello Outlaw41 - I have CRC with several mets to my liver - am on avastin and folfiri chemo (same as folfox but irinotecan instead of oxy).  Did you ever have avastin prior to the rest of your chemo being administered?  I wonder did they give you erbitux in place of the avastin.  And have you had any side effects of the erbitux?  A friend of mine may be taking erbitux soon and I would like to learn more about it. And hearing that cancer tumours mutate, I may have to try something different in the future.  Thanks and wishing you well.

Burnsy64 said:

should I get a second opinion before i let them operate?

I am new here.  I had a colonoscopy at the end of March.  The surgeon took a polyp off and told me to come back in 3 years.  Next thing I know my Dr. Office called and said they want to see me.  On May 9th I was told I have rectal cancer.  I had an MRI and it was in conclusive.  My CEA was 7.  I had a CT scan on 24th.  Waiting for the results to see if it spread.  The surgeon tells me I need to have a resection done.  I would have to have a bag for 3 months.  He said hopefully it hasnt spread and I wont need chemo or radiation.  I am not sure about the surgery.  Is it the only way to go?  I am a care aid and I have to change peoples ostomy bags.  It makes me sick.  I do not want one of those.  I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the thought that I have cancer.  It is really scary.  My Dad died of small cell lung cancer 8 years ago at the age of 66.  He is on my mind a lot.  The MRI didnt pick anything up, but surgeon says CEA levels say I still have cancer.  I am not sure what to do.

It might be a good idea for you to post this exact thread (copy and paste) to a new thread on the CSN home page. Here is the link https://csn.cancer.org/forum/128  That way, when people answer, the post will be to you personally, and not a part of jaybel's thread. 

If you have problems posting, let me know. 

I am sorry you find yourself here.  Those first months after diagnosis are terribly emotional because so much is going on. Coming to terms with the word Cancer, and that you have it. All the information that is thrown at you. The treatment options, procedures, surgeries, colostomy, chemos, radiation possibilities. Its allot to take in. Being scared is definitely a big part of it.  

My one suggestion here is to take it one day at a time.  

We look forward to seeing your post on the forum home page. 

Tru

Hi there, I’m 53 years old m had my cea test on sep 2017 and it was 27, ct scan there was nothing!

made another CEA test Feb 18 the result is 21.6 high again!

why my cea result was high?

Well here I am after receiving my latest CEA (among others) lab results yesterday. Jumped from 3.2 in Oct of 2021 to 13.6 Feb 9, 2022! I am now waiting to hear from my Oncologist. As is probably expected, this latest jump made me very nervous. I started doing the research and ran across this, particular, forum and glad I did. Very informative. I hope the fact that there are no recent posts here, means everybodys' results got better!

Like my doctor said, "it" will always be the elephant in the room.

Best to you ALL...❤️

Judy

P.S.

I was diagnosed with lung cancer (small cell) July 2, 2019 and in complete remission January 27, 2020.