Sucky CEA

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LeeT
Posts: 178
Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 11:33 am
Location: Ontario

Sucky CEA

Postby LeeT » Tue Feb 01, 2011 3:13 pm

Sucky, sucky, suckidy, suck (should replace the s with a f)...after a great start with FOLFIRI my CEA came flying down but my result from last week came at 1773- up from 674. I am hoping that this might have to do with pain that I was experiencing in my liver the weeks before and having to miss a chemo due to low neutrophils- maybe just a temp increase?
My onc said last time that we would judge by my CEA to determine a switch to the dreaded FOLFOX...I think I will ask him if it is worth it to do another full chemo (as my previous one half my iritocean (sp?) and then do the CEA again before switching?
LeeT
Age31
Proud mamma of Rhys and wifey to Grant
Dx 29 April Stage IV mCRC cancer with mets on liver
18/05- Started FOLFIRI with Avastin

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joeyooser
Posts: 1273
Joined: Thu Dec 17, 2009 6:43 pm

Re: Sucky CEA

Postby joeyooser » Tue Feb 01, 2011 3:33 pm

Auggh, sorry to hear about that. I wonder if you need to have it re-drawn in a couple weeks to see if it was a fluke?
Tim
Stage IIIc - 9/23 lymph nodes, poorly diff, 35yo father of 2.
Lap resection Jul 28 09 resulted in near-deadly leak
Finished chemo Feb '10; Takedown March '10;
Nov 2010 - carcinomatosis
May 2011 - Clinical Trial, failed out of trial, in hospice care

helen098
Posts: 2009
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 2:07 pm
Location: Forest Hills New York

Re: Sucky CEA

Postby helen098 » Tue Feb 01, 2011 3:36 pm

i second the sucky news :cry:
can you try and draw the blood again in a few weeks and see if it gets less sucky?
stage 3A surgery 6/6/6 finished chemo jan 07
11 5FU/12 Levcouorin/10oxaliplatim
port removed jun 07
anal fistula surgery oct 05 may 07 feb 08 sep 08 jun 09

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Bev G
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Facebook Username: Bev Golde
Location: Quechee, VT

Re: Sucky CEA

Postby Bev G » Tue Feb 01, 2011 10:21 pm

Oh, Lee. Totally sucky. Defines sucknitude. I just learned today that liver inflammation can raise CEA a lot. Are your liver enzymes up by any chance? Adding you to my prayer list tonight. Sending you lots of warm hugs, too.

Bev
58 yo Type1 DM 48 years
12/09 Stage IV 2/22 nodes + liver met, colon resec
3 tx FOLFIRI, liver resec 4/10
9/10 6 mos off chemo, Neg PET&CTC CEA nl
2/11 finished total 10 rounds chemo

9/13 ^17th clean PET/CT NED for now

disco nap
Posts: 992
Joined: Sat Aug 07, 2010 10:45 am

Re: Sucky CEA

Postby disco nap » Wed Feb 02, 2011 7:31 am

Stay strong Lee. As it has been mentioned on these boards, one EA result means nothing, it's the trend that matters. I'll keep you in my thoughts and wish you better results on your next blood draw.
DX July 2 '10 CC Stage IIIC, 11/18 nodes+
Right Hemi July 6 '10
Folfox: Aug 17'10 - Feb 17'11
Mar 2012: Lynch Syndrome MLH1
"Declared well" and been well ever since.
Update: Jan 2023 - still NED.

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LeeT
Posts: 178
Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 11:33 am
Location: Ontario

Re: Sucky CEA

Postby LeeT » Wed Feb 02, 2011 9:04 am

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I hope this is just a once off. Bev my liver enzymes were higher recently and have had a lot of "liver pain" lately- I will call my onc today and see what he says. Praying that this is the reason.
LeeT
Age31
Proud mamma of Rhys and wifey to Grant
Dx 29 April Stage IV mCRC cancer with mets on liver
18/05- Started FOLFIRI with Avastin

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: Sucky CEA

Postby Lee » Wed Feb 02, 2011 9:21 am

Lee (I like your name).

Sorry for the news, I too hope it's just a fluke. Are they planning to draw it again soon?

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

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CRguy
Posts: 10473
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: Sucky CEA

Postby CRguy » Wed Feb 02, 2011 10:42 pm

Hey LeeT,
Not fun I know...in fact Huge Sucknitude !...but, and we have discussed this many times here in the past too...CEA can be elevated for a number or reasons, and any chest or abdomen "inflammation" can cause an increase....such as chemo nuking tumours and mets. Remember it is still only one part of the puzzle, not the whole story.

CEA is a poor marker for me. Sometimes I really don't know if I would want it to be...then the anxiety if it changes....OR NOT want it to be... then the anxiety of NOT knowing there are changes ....pretty messed up hey ? :oops: Also had the elevated liver 'zymes.....just to make life interesting since my CT was NED, and wouldn't want to have "nothing" to chew over after all !!!...Onc says we'll check those again next time. Gee thanks a heap.

First thing they do here (BC Cancer Agency) is retest in 4 weeks anyway and start talking trends...not just one value, so I suggest that you, in Ontario, temporarily join the BC (Lotusland) mindset, and get the retest ! I officially pronounce you an honourary member of BC's Lotusland for as long as you need to be !

Many Cheers on the Journey
CRguy
Caregiver x 4
Stage IV A rectal cancer/lung met
17 Year survivor
my life is an ongoing totally randomized UNcontrolled experiment with N=1 !
Review of my Journey so far


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