CEA 24

aleftina
aleftina Member Posts: 102
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
My CEA is 24. I know the normal range for non-smokers is 0-2.5. How bad is 24? How high was yours before the treatment and how the treatment affected it?

Comments

  • rep801
    rep801 Member Posts: 26
    #2
    My CEA started at 24.7, and has over the course of the last 2.5 years gone down to 9.8.

    The key to looking at tumor markers is to look at them over time. If this is your first read, take it as such. If you are good with charting (ie EXCEL) you might find it beneficial to start charting those markers and looking at them over whatever frequency of measurements you have. I have everything charted for the last 2.5 years and my surgical oncologist loves it. Also, other factors can influence any particular reading, so don't get upset or excited by single readings that jump 10% or more. The important thing is to view the pattern over time.
  • aleftina
    aleftina Member Posts: 102
    #3
    Thank you!!!! It's nice to know that it can go down, and it doesn't mean I am near death! :D

    I have a metastatic cancer, my CEA after the first cancer surgery was <0.5 for 18 months until this august when it went up to 5.8, then to 8.1 then to 12 last month and this month it's 24, kind of scary. I will chart it, thanks for the advise!
  • rep801
    rep801 Member Posts: 26
    #4
    aleftina said:

    Thank you!!!! It's nice to know that it can go down, and it doesn't mean I am near death! :D

    I have a metastatic cancer, my CEA after the first cancer surgery was <0.5 for 18 months until this august when it went up to 5.8, then to 8.1 then to 12 last month and this month it's 24, kind of scary. I will chart it, thanks for the advise!</p>

    You are right it doesn't mean you are near death. The other tumor marker that we have done every month is CA19-9. It climbed at one point to 1080 and is now in the 60s (with normal range <35). If I had panicked with CEA and CA19-9 both at their peaks, who knows where I would be now. Just worked with my specialists on a sure and steady course.

    God Bless, and keep a positive attitude.
  • aleftina
    aleftina Member Posts: 102
    #5
    rep801 said:

    You are right it doesn't mean you are near death. The other tumor marker that we have done every month is CA19-9. It climbed at one point to 1080 and is now in the 60s (with normal range <35). If I had panicked with CEA and CA19-9 both at their peaks, who knows where I would be now. Just worked with my specialists on a sure and steady course.

    God Bless, and keep a positive attitude.</p>

    Thank you, agent! I am trying to keep the faith! Decided to go all the way and believe I am going to be cured! :)))
  • nbalantac
    nbalantac Member Posts: 29
    #6
    aleftina said:

    Thank you, agent! I am trying to keep the faith! Decided to go all the way and believe I am going to be cured! :)))

    I am a Stage III and my CEA read out started at 12.5 (before surgery). Over the course of 2.1 years, it steadily gone down and my last read out 3 days ago was 1.7. The key, like agent said, is to look for the trend. My onc also mentioned that CEA read out is ment to be interpreted with a "grain of salt". Keep up the good and feisty survivor attitude, eat right, stay healthy. Let me join you in keeping the faith as I also decided to fight this thing and I know we are going to win it, period!!.

    Holiday cheers and good tidings to all!,
    Noel
  • aleftina
    aleftina Member Posts: 102
    #7
    nbalantac said:

    I am a Stage III and my CEA read out started at 12.5 (before surgery). Over the course of 2.1 years, it steadily gone down and my last read out 3 days ago was 1.7. The key, like agent said, is to look for the trend. My onc also mentioned that CEA read out is ment to be interpreted with a "grain of salt". Keep up the good and feisty survivor attitude, eat right, stay healthy. Let me join you in keeping the faith as I also decided to fight this thing and I know we are going to win it, period!!.

    Holiday cheers and good tidings to all!,
    Noel

    There was a study done where they could predict an outcome in 75% of cancer patients depending on their attitude. Isn't it amazing?

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