Update on Treatments But CEA not normal

Jurav
Jurav Member Posts: 13
edited June 2021 in Colorectal Cancer #1

I have finally finished with my 12 Treatment of Folfox after having a Hemicolectomy back in November. I was excited to finally be done with the treatments, since my PET Scan before showed no evidence of the diseese. I have some nueropathy and some other minor side effects, but nothing too severe at this point.

I had blood work done just before my last treatment, and my CEA level is showing as 3.10. 



After my surgery, my CEA was at 0.8, then right before treatments it was at 1.6, now after treatments, it's showing as 3.10. 

Should I be concerned about this upward trend? I still have a couple of more weeks before my next PET Scan.

Comments

  • myAZmountain
    myAZmountain Member Posts: 417 Member
    edited June 2021 #2
    Hi Jurav

    No expert on CEA but have seen many people here worried about unexpected elevations--here is a bit from a study on the internet regarding CEA levels rising with Oxaliplatin --Oxaliplatin has been shown to cause an inflammatory response, which appears to be one of its mechanisms of toxicity, and a raised CEA level has been correlated with increased inflammation       Full report-https://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/anticanres/38/3/1711.full.pdf  Good luck with your PET scan !!

  • Real Tar Heel
    Real Tar Heel Member Posts: 307 Member
    edited June 2021 #3
    The efficacy of CEA levels

    The efficacy of CEA levels depends on the person. However, any jump seems to indicate something in my experience. They say not to worry unless the readings are outside of normal levels. I personally don't buy it. If you are a person who stresses over every negative event, don't think about your CEA levels. If you are the kind of person who feels they have to know every detail and are comfortable with that, you should watch your levels, it might give you an indication of what is down the road.

    That said, there are people on here with high CEAs, higher than mine and have zero visible tumors.

  • Jurav
    Jurav Member Posts: 13
    #4
    Thanks

    Thank you both for your replies. Both were very helpful.

    I do kind of worry about details, and i even called my onchologist about it, which she said not to worry about it. It's still within normal levels.

    I am just worried about it going up. I know I've had some inflammatory responses in my intestines from the Oxaliplatin. They even stopped giving it to me for the last two treatments since it was also causing Neuropathy in my fingers and feet.

    Thanks again.

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