Worried - CEA increase 93 points in 1 week without chemo

[okie57]

DH's 6th chemo caused low WBC (2.10), RBC (1.79), Hemoglobin (6.5), Platelets (77), Neutrophils (.48) resulting in holding off on next chemo and immediate blood transfusion of 2 units. CMP 3 weeks after last chemo (1 week late for chemo) showed CEA increase from 78.30 on 10/10 (first drop of CEA ever) to 171.2 on 10/24. This looks bad. Has anyone had such an increase in these circumstances?

7th chemo did not include 5-FU push (bolus) or leucovorin. We didn't meet with oncologist to discuss this and won't for 2 weeks. He said that he might decrease chemo by 20% in the future. Is that what he did by deleting bolus and leucovorin? It appears that DH must have chemo, some chemo every 2 weeks. Any thoughts from this great community would be helpful!

[mariane]

I am very sorry. Sending prayers.

Is your husband on Neupogen/Neulasta on regular basis?

[jhocno197]

CEA is not exact. It doesn't show exact amount of growth or spread. Also, this is not that much higher (given his record) than the CEA of 155 you have listed. Some tumors give off CEA more copiously than others. Also, other things going on, like inflammation, can contribute to higher CEA levels.

So, while this is not great, it is not necessarily as bad as it sounds. It does sound like he needs to be very careful about chemo breaks.

[CLD]

My DH doctor initially removed the bolus after 3rd tx due to poor liver function numbers. His last 2 tx were decreased by 20% due to neuropathy. Many members have had their chemo reduced for various reasons.

[okie57]

"Is your husband on Neupogen/Neulasta on regular basis?"

No, he has never had either of those. He had had 3 transfusions, though.

[okie57]

Thanks for your replies.

I found on this site,

http://www.exeterlaboratory.com/test/ca ... tigen-cea/

And it said that "A difference of 20% between two CEA measurements is considered medically significant."

[mypinkheaven]

7th chemo did not include 5-FU push (bolus) or leucovorin. We didn't meet with oncologist to discuss this and won't for 2 weeks. He said that he might decrease chemo by 20% in the future. Is that what he did by deleting bolus and leucovorin? It appears that DH must have chemo, some chemo every 2 weeks. Any thoughts from this great community would be helpful!

I think they didn't do the 5FU because of the blood results and that wasn't the 20% reduction. His 8th treatment should include the 5FU and leucovorin, but possibly reduced by 20%.

Can you ask the oncologist about getting a pump rather than the bolus? A slow infusion of the 5FU and leucovorin is considered less toxic.

[Nik Colon]

The 20% reduction he is talking about is probably the oxi.

[okie57]

DH was getting the bolus (5-FU push) while at the infusion center and he would leave the center with the 5-FU pump on for 2 days to get the slow drip 5-FU, so he was getting both. Called the oncologist yesterday and the 20% reduction is not having the 5-FU push. DH is handling this chemo much better than usual.

The CEA test showing the big increase was the one that happened at MDA. Onco nurse said that they may do things just a little different or use different procedures in their CEA test. She said to wait and see what his CEA level is next Monday when he gets his next labs.

Hoping for a decrease!

[Nik Colon]

Interesting. The only time my onc mentioned reduction was referring to the big ones (which I mean Oxi or iri). They never used reduction % when talking about the others (and I did have bolus, then later no bolus or leucovorin). But they did say which one when they reduced (like my iri). So, idk, jme