The Colon Club

I just got NED results on Pet and CT scans this week but CEA rose from 4.3 to 6.1 in 2 weeks. I've had severe chest pains caused by neulasta so am hoping my increased CEA is a result of inflammation not something more sinister, but difficult not to worry about it!

Anyone else had a similar experience?

Thanks

Shân

Shan,
I have had rising CEA with stable CT scans for a few months now. It is frightening.
Butt, the docs seem to rely more on the CT than the CEA exactly for the reason you state - other things can impact cea, like inflammation.
You may want to have the CEA retested in a few weeks to see if it's a trend or just an anomaly.
Good luck.

Dear Shän,

I am a caregiver, my wife is in stage 4. She is doing chemotherapy and it is working well. from your signature,
------
Stage IV
10/14 Radiation,
1/15 PEP activity in the lymph nodes in abdomen.
12 rounds irinotecan and avastin
4/15 NED[/i]
-----
If convenient, can you share more info what you have done during this period? how the cancer cells from lymph nodes are removed? by chemo or others?

many thanks!

Thanks midlifemom, feel better already with your advice

A one-time rise is not always something to worry about, particularly since it was not a huge one.
If it continues to rise over the next few times it's checked, or has a huge jump, then it might mean something concerning .

I see in your signature that you just had Iri and Avastin in February. FYI, my CEA shot up from 1 to 3 during FOLFOX and I8 months later I'm still not back to my level at diagnosis. I'm betting this is inflammation from the chemo. Good luck!

Thank you all for your replies.

Bluebird in answer to your question " if convenient, can you share more info what you have done during this period? how the cancer cells from lymph nodes are removed? by chemo or others?", here goes ":-

I started chemo 3 weeks after surgery (12 rounds of oxaliplaton, 5 F-U and leucovorin) but after 8 rounds my CEA started to rise and a scan at the end of those 12 rounds revealed distant lymph node metastasis to lymph nodes in my abdomen and neck. The following 12 rounds of irinotecan and avastin took care of them after radiation for the neck lymph node and I was NED for 5 months last summer before activity in another lymph node popped up in my sternum, had that radiated with SBRT and was very much hoping that was an oligo metastasis (albeit the 2nd) as everything I have read about that and my radiation oncologist has told me, could be a one off and getting rid of it could mean a cure.

My oncologists at Greenwich Hospital and MSK say that distant lymph node metastasis is very rare as spread to liver and lungs is way more likely but that hasn't been my path so far. (Colon Talk refers to those with distant lymph node metastasis as Olypmians). I think the truth is mine is somewhat aggressive as Folfox failed to work but I'm taking the wack a mole approach and am hoping I can stay ahead and that the cancer eventually gives up!

The reappearance of my cancer in lymph nodes appears to directly correlate with my rise in CEA so am watching that very closely. I'm hoping my recent rise in CEA is related to the inflammation in my chest caused by the neulasta, so will get another blood test next week to check that, fingers crossed.

Somewhat pinning my hopes that the trails for Pembrolizumab will prove my cure in the months to come if Avastin which I am also super confident with doesn't do the trick.

How wonderful to have been NED for a year now, your wife sounds like she have been extremely lucky to have knocked it on the head, am so happy for you both.

Is she still on chemo now?

Shân

Thanks Shan!

She is doing chemo now, just finished 6 of 12 cycles, last CT result looks promising, but no detailed info for small turmors like lymph...