The Colon Club

I posted my good news report on 29th April

This is the latest update.....


I could cry....I received a phone call to-day from my oncologist. My last blood work showed that my CEA is "slightly" elevated. I guess she looked
at my CT scan and it looked good so she didn't look at my blood work too closely. I have to go and get blood work done again at the end of July.
She was most encouraging on the phone and said that there are lots of things that will elevate CEA and the fact that I was recovering from a
winter filled with pneumonia, and bronchitis could be the cause.

So here I sit, I was so happy and excited looking forward to the long week-end holiday, and now I am so scared crying

I am so depressed... I am almost at the point of saying "screw it" I'm not going for anymore tests....I'll just take my chances.

Joy,

I'm so sorry for the upheaval that I can imagine this is causing you. I'm praying that it's nothing. Was CEA an indicator for you before? What exactly is elevated? Good thoughts to you and I hope you can get in there for your tests soon and that they bring you relief. Try to enjoy your weekend as planned.


Serena

Lots of things can definitely have an impact on your CEA - heck, smoking can do it! Colds, pneumonia, all that can contribute to elevated levels. Try not to focus on the CEAs. A good CT scan is a big deal, so kick cancer to the curb for and go enjoy the weekend. I promise that you can go back to worrying about it later if you want to. Or you can join me with a glass of wine.

Thanks folks....I was so shocked when she called me at 6pm. I have no idea what my CEA number is. I was so
taken aback that I didn't even ask her. I did not have a CEA done prior to treatment (long story) so there
was never a "normal" base number for me. I have been having blood work done for 7 years and this is the
first time that "elevated" CEA has come into play.

I did have a strange blood reading the following week (Chronic Leukemia) related and my blood work
came back as normal. The hematologist is not convinced that it was a spontaneous remission but rather
a "Lab error"......the chances of it being spontaneous remission is 1 in 100 million

so this past few weeks have been "freaky" as far as blood work is concerned.

All the blood work is done in the Cancer Centre of a large teaching hospital....I wouldn't have
thought that there was any chance of "mistakes"

But if your scan was clean mustn't there be another explanation ? Xx

Diverticulitis, polyps, obstruction (serious constipation), taking Biotin, any infection, any inflammation, Labcorp admits errors up to 10%, IBS, .... did she verify that the lab has not changed testing methods or that the same lab was used? Increased CEA levels can indicate some non-cancer-related conditions, such as inflammation, cirrhosis, peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis, rectal polyps, emphysema, and benign breast disease.

I know CEA can begin to rise 6 months before anything can be seen on a CT scan, but you are 7 years NED. I'd call back and ask for my readings for the last 4 or 5 tests to see if there's been a steady rise or if this was a one time thing. I'm going to bet it's a fluke and you're still cancer free!

My CEA jumped from 22 to 56 to 199. My PT, CT scans came back normal. I had an MRI in March and it showed a 4MM node on my liver. I have to have another MRI in a few weeks. I know the feeling of how scared you are. Continue to focus and live your life. I hope everything turns out for the best.

Joy wrote:...
All the blood work is done in the Cancer Centre of a large teaching hospital....I wouldn't have
thought that there was any chance of "mistakes"

Honey,
Anytime humans are involved, there's always a chance for mistakes. It sounds like the blood work needs to be done again and go from there. There's a lot of things that can elevate your CEA and, since it hasn't been a "thing", we'll hope it's one of those things and not an indicator of cancer!
It sounds trite but try to find something that will keep your mind busy this weekend - puzzles, a new way of doing something, anything to keep your mind from going where it has no control anyway. Easy to say, hard to do but we're built for hard, aren't we??
God bless ~
Guinevere

Hi Guinevere..Thank you for the encouragement. I am usually able to "pull-up-my socks"
and get on with it. This time I just "lost it" and went into a full blown "pity-party".

To-day I phoned and made an appointment for a pedicure with my daughter and
grand-daughter, lunch to follow

I gave myself a good "talking to". I will try and put on the "happy face" for the
holiday week-end.