CEA rising while taking chemo

bobby66
bobby66 Member Posts: 69
edited August 2017 in Colorectal Cancer #1

Hi,

 

i'm currently taking Folfox and my CEA is rising a little. Should i be concern? Does this mean that the chemo is not working. My doctor told me that I have 2 more treatments to go and then she will put me in maintenace pills.

Comments

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    #2
    CEA

     My Oncologist would not order CEA or CT scans during my treatment, as he said the results are unpredictable.  

    Tru

  • SandiaBuddy
    SandiaBuddy Member Posts: 1,381 Member
    #3
    No cea while on chemo

    Similarly, my doctor said there is no point in doing the CEA test while on chemo, that many things can affect the result.  She said they will resume the tests after chemo.

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #4
    It definitely happens

    This could be possible.  During treatment it's not a good indicator as process is happening in the body.  My doctor took mine but it was always not valid anyway.  Don't worry too much about it.  Do mention your concerns to your doctor though. 

    Kim

  • NewHere
    NewHere Member Posts: 1,427 Member
    #5
    Yes CEA Rises

    CEA rises during chemo treztment.  There are studies out there where the is some correlation between CEA rise patterns during chemo and reoccurance.  I had posted some things (links) about the studies a couple of years ago (wow, I cannot beleive my chemo was two years ago) but not finding them right now.  I will look here again and see if I can find the studies.  I know my pattern was not a good pattern of CEA, but to heck with the stats.

    The general takeaway is that CEA rises during chemo generally.  (Two genearallys there :)   )   Mine went from 8 when DX, down to 3 after sugery, then back to 7 and 8 during chemo, then down to 3  (Rounded kind of.) So I would not worry about a rise in CEA during chemo or even get too worked up about the chem/CEA patterns.)  Had blood drawn twice during chemo, CEA peaked on the test a month after last treatment.  Dropped for a bit before the met to the lung grew.  Popped that bad boy out and now in what seems to be my baseline.

  • bobby66
    bobby66 Member Posts: 69
    #6
    Thanks everyone, I was very

    Thanks everyone, I was very concern thinking that the chemo has stopped working. I will mentioned my concern anyway to my doctor in my  next appointment.

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