CEA question

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lmliess
lmliess Member Posts: 329
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hello everyone....I had a question regarding CEA levels. I have done 2 rounds of Folfori with Avastin for my 'areas of concern' in my lung area. My CEA was tested before chemo started and was 27.9. After 2 rounds of chemo it is 28.2. So basically it has not moved. My Onc said it is too soon to tell, but now I am worried the chemo isn't even touching the cancer. (Ugh!! I hate to even type that word!)
Anyway, if anyone can tell me their experience with CEA levels dropping and how long it took I would appreciate it!

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  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #2
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    Hi there,

    I would not panic too much. It is still early, as your onc said. It could be the phenomenum of the CEA slightly rising while cancer cells are dying off, or it could be that two cycles really hasn't been long enough yet.

    Take care!
    Lisa
  • BARTLEY
    BARTLEY Member Posts: 1
    #3
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    CEA LEVEL
    BEFORE MY COLON SURGERY FOR CANCER CEA WAS 13,SIX MONTHS OF CHEMO & RADIATION IT DROPED TO SIX, THEN 3 YEARS LATER IT ROSE TO 14 AND REMAINS HIGH EVEN 7YRS. AFTER TREATMENT, MY DOCTOR SAID SMOKING CAN ALTER CEA, I SMOKE HOWEVER THE SCANS SHOW NO TUMORS NOW SO HE CUT ME LOOSE, REGARDS/. BARTLEY
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #4
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    same
    I just posted a similar story -- about CEA and CPT-11. I should have replied to your thread instead, so we can keep this theme together. (I knew I had just been reading about something similar - duh! Can I blame on chemobrain? Had chemo today - chemobrain is so real!

    Let's hope we are both facing the same phenomenon -- CEA not falling yet because of all the dying nasties - yeah!

    Tara
  • ktlcs
    ktlcs Member Posts: 358
    #5
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    Same Here
    Hank's CEA went up at the beginning of treatment when he was doing chemo/rads. Onc said it will sometimes rise due to the large number of dying cells. After rising for 3 months in a row it dropped dramatically (the highest was 78) and is now normal. You may be experiencing the same phenomenon

    Good Luck

    K

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