CEA 283ng/dL with two small lesions on PET scan

Nurse_Jeni
Nurse_Jeni Member Posts: 8 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1

Hi all, I posted here 18 months ago when my CEA was still just 10ng/ml so I thought I would do an update to let you know what has been going on.....

Time frame: 18mnths.

Tests: Mammogram, Fecal occult blood test, PAP smears, Multiple pathology tests including chromagranin A and 5HIAA urine, Abdo CT with contrast, nuclear bone scan, U/Sounds pelvis and neck (awaiting kidney U/S too), chest Xray, gastroscopy and colonoscopy, PET scan.

Abnormal Results: CEA doubling every three months reading before last was 283ng/ml (I did have another one done but it must have been bad because the doctor brushed it off and I didn't push her) Positive chromagranin A, possible suspicious lymph node in neck too small to biopsy, PET finally showed something- small right lung apex lesion thought to be malignant, another small lesion in the right retrocrural region(under diaphragm near back bone) possible metastisis from lung and a slightly atypical pooling in the left kidney hence waiting for U/S kidney.

All other results either non conclusive or negative, oh except ESR is fluctuating but always above normal and GFR (kidney function) was borderline once.

I underwent a resection of my right lung apex 5 days ago but won't know the results for another 6 days.

I wasn't sure which board to post on as without the results I don't know the origin of the lesion they removed and CEA is most closely related to colorectal lesions so I figured here would do till I know more.

I still have no symptoms and it seems quite odd to not find anything sizable with a CEA doubling (atleast)every three months and only two tiny lesions on full body FPET- FDG (?sp) and a possible pooling defect in one kidney.

Has anyone else had a very high CEA but no symptoms and minimal findings from tests?

Comments

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    edited October 2018 #2
    I was the opposite. When I

    I was the opposite. When I still had my tumour and after my CEA never went above normal. Then, a couple of years ago, when I got the lung mets it did go up and is now fairly reliable. It's gone as high as around 150. Sorry, I'm no help.

    Jan

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #3
    Sorry

    I'm sorry that you are going through this but wait until they determine what, if anything, is suspisious.  My CEA was always normal so I'm not able to help you.  Hoping it's nothing.

    Kim

  • zx10guy
    zx10guy Member Posts: 273 Member
    #4
    I ran across your thread a

    I ran across your thread a while ago when I was trying to see if anyone has had CEA increases without being symptomatic.  I'm sorry you are going through this, but thank you for following up.

    As far as anyone having high CEA with no symptoms or minimal findings, I so far fit in that category.  My CEA numbers since March of last year:  15.6, 16.7, 14.2, 11.9, 15.2, 20.2, 14.3, and 17.7.  My CEA prior to the first reading in March 2017 was 5.2 taken in December 2016.  I've had all diagnostics I think are possible: CT, PET, MRI, upper endoscopy, and colonoscopy.  I was on a 3 month follow up schedule until November 2017 where my oncologist put me on 6 month checkups.  My oncologist feels my CEA is being affected by something else as he said my CEA wouldn't be bouncing up and down if it was from cancer.  He also said by now, something should have shown up on my scans and I would be symptomatic.

    My next checkup is November.  I guess we'll see what happens then.  If things are clear, I'll be 2 years into this since he'll keep me on a 6 month follow up and I won't be examined again till May of 2019.

  • Kevin1224
    Kevin1224 Member Posts: 34
    #5
    my wife’s CEA, and CA-19 have

    my wife’s CEA, and CA-19 have always been high since first being diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer with mets to the liver, adrenal and bone last June.  The CEA has been as high as 1500, the CA-19 as much as 3200.  It has gone down in the year as far as 250 for both.  Today the tumor markers showed they both went up to a little over 500.  She has now been prescribed Lonsurf and will see how she does with this.

     

    Kevin

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    #6
    Test results

    I am hoping that by now, you have recieved your test results and know a little more about the tumour. Obviously, hoping is is benign, but as you say, CEA doesn't jump so high for no reason. Best to find out what is going on, wether bad or good.

    Hope to hear from you soon.

    Tru

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