Mets and CEA

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Lydia666
Posts: 676
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2015 6:50 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada

Mets and CEA

Postby Lydia666 » Sat May 13, 2017 2:12 pm

I was wondering if anyone on here had extremely low CEA and had mets at the same time.

My CEA isn't deemed representative since it was 0.9 at diagnosis and had stayed that way throughout. Most recently, it was 0.4. Now i have these 2 lung spots which need to be rechecked in months and I wonder, if they were mets, could my CEA be 0.4?

Thank you.
Oct 2012- thyroid cancer
June 19, 2015 Dx@39 yrs- CRC-T3N1M0
No vascular, no perineural invasion
Aug-Sept 2015- 28 rad/5FU
Oct 28, 2015- LAR- temp ileo, neg. nodes- 0/11
March 2016- 6 rounds Xeloda/positive CHEK2 mutation
August 2016- DCIS and decided post prophylactic double mastectomy
May 2018 - clean CT
Sept 2018-clean scope
Devastation, total shock- oct 2018, invasion of peri mets
Dec 20 - 2 round of folfox
Mom to 4 & 7 yrs kids - at least i brought them to this level of independence.

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betsydoglover
Posts: 978
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 2:31 pm
Facebook Username: Betsy Lindh Williams
Location: Maryland - outside DC

Re: Mets and CEA

Postby betsydoglover » Sat May 13, 2017 4:39 pm

At diagnosis my colorectal surgeon ran a CEA, BUT Quest never did it (as it turned out later). So no idea of pre-surgery CEA. But since then- even with liver mets - my CEA was usually <0.5. Never got higher than 0.9 (even when I had a lung met). So - CEA is not a good marker for everyone. Wish it were, but it is not.
Betsy
diag. Stage IV, 5/05, liver met
lap sigmoid colectomy, 6/05
6 cycles Xeloda/oxaliplatin/Avastin (NED after 2)
11/08 9x13mm right lower lobe lung nodule; removed via VATS 4/09
NED
6 cycles Xeloda + Avastin
Avastin only 10/09-5/11
Still NED 06/18

jhocno197
Posts: 817
Joined: Mon May 11, 2015 9:33 pm

Re: Mets and CEA

Postby jhocno197 » Sat May 13, 2017 4:43 pm

Yes, you can have a very low CEA & have mets. Unfortunately.
DH - dx Dec 2014, stage IV with bladder & peritoneal involvement - non-resectable
Colostomy
FOLFOX failed
FOLFIRI failed
Tumor actually distending pelvic skin
Not a candidate for last-ditch pelvic exenteration
Stivarga finally begun 2/19/16
Tumor growing/fungating
Lonsurf started 11/18/16
Died 3/10/17

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

Re: Mets and CEA

Postby CRguy » Sat May 13, 2017 5:29 pm

Lydia666 wrote:I was wondering if anyone on here had extremely low CEA and had mets at the same time.
if they were mets, could my CEA be 0.4?


IF CEA is not a good marker for you, then Yes ... you could have mets with low CEA
I know ... I DID :twisted: mine was NEVER, never over 1.4 even when I had the primary tumour present,
or before VATS removal of the lung met 3 years later.

BUTT you may also not have mets !
so stay positive until some more results tell you exactly what is goin' on !

Cheers and best wishes
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

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

Re: Mets and CEA

Postby Lee » Sat May 13, 2017 5:51 pm

With all the challenges you've endured these last few years, you have every right to be scared. Butt the fact that you were diagnosed stage II with this cancer is generally a good indication that they caught this cancer early.

Is there a concern about your breast cancer?

If you think this will consume you over the next 4 months, can you push for a PET scan? I know they are far and few in Canada, but is there one in your region?

All the best,

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!

Lydia666
Posts: 676
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2015 6:50 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada

Re: Mets and CEA

Postby Lydia666 » Sat May 13, 2017 8:54 pm

Lee wrote:With all the challenges you've endured these last few years, you have every right to be scared. Butt the fact that you were diagnosed stage II with this cancer is generally a good indication that they caught this cancer early.

Is there a concern about your breast cancer?

If you think this will consume you over the next 4 months, can you push for a PET scan? I know they are far and few in Canada, but is there one in your region?

All the best,

Lee

Hi Lee,
My breast cancer is no concern at all, it was stage 0 non invasive and i went all out with the double mastectomy for precaution. My colorectal remains the most dangerous out of the 3 i had.
I would have access to a PET if i wanted but am not sure for now. I don't think a PET would catch this even if it was a met, too small. I am going to have to wait this one out.
Thank you.
Oct 2012- thyroid cancer
June 19, 2015 Dx@39 yrs- CRC-T3N1M0
No vascular, no perineural invasion
Aug-Sept 2015- 28 rad/5FU
Oct 28, 2015- LAR- temp ileo, neg. nodes- 0/11
March 2016- 6 rounds Xeloda/positive CHEK2 mutation
August 2016- DCIS and decided post prophylactic double mastectomy
May 2018 - clean CT
Sept 2018-clean scope
Devastation, total shock- oct 2018, invasion of peri mets
Dec 20 - 2 round of folfox
Mom to 4 & 7 yrs kids - at least i brought them to this level of independence.

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very worried husband
Posts: 130
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2011 1:20 am

Re: Mets and CEA

Postby very worried husband » Mon May 15, 2017 9:08 am

You could have lung spots for so many reasons. Check my posts. My wife had lung spots less than 1 cm back in 2013, and again end of 2016. They all cleared up in the follow up scans. Her CEA always remained low. hopefully they will be nothing in your case also.
Caregiver to Wife age25
Diagnosed Colon IIIB Jan2011
7/29 Nodes +
5FU+Oxi in china. Feb-Aug 2011
CEA@Diagnose:0.79
Immunological chemistry: Ki-67 (+), MSH2(+), MLH1(++), ERCC1 (-)
NED Supplements: Aspirin,Vit D,Calcium, Genoderma Lucidium
Baby born June 2015 :D :D :)

kandj
Posts: 314
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2015 11:29 am

Re: Mets and CEA

Postby kandj » Mon May 15, 2017 9:35 am

My husband's CEA was <.5 at diagnosis and he was stage 4 with numerous mets to the liver. Ironically, his highest CEA was 10.5 and that was during chemo following liver resection. I think his raises with inflammation personally.
wife to DH, dx 8/15 stage IV @36, 12+ liver Mets
HAI placed 12/15
Liver resect 5/19/2016 15-20 mets (surgeon lost count)
Liver Recurrence 7/2017-radiation
Lung met 10/18 VATS
lung/adrenal gland recurrence 11/19
Adrenal ablation 2/20 VATS 3/20
Radiation: 9/20 adrenal gland, 2/21 pancreatic node
9/2021 liver, 4/22 esophageal node
7/2023 proton therapy: liver
140+ rounds of chemo and counting
Chest nodes, lung nodules, and esophageal nodes currently.

sdino
Posts: 85
Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2017 5:32 pm

Re: Mets and CEA

Postby sdino » Mon May 15, 2017 11:05 am

Hi Lydia - yes you can have mets with a low CEA number, look at my signature for my wife. We just completed a CT scan last week and Folfox+Avastin+Oxi is currently working on shrinkage on colon/lung mets as well as her CEA levels. Initial CEA was 16 when DX'd. 14 bilateral Lung mets are still there, but CEA is now hovering around 0.5. I use CEA as a guidance/background check.... The CT's are my go to assessment tools. Wishing you the best ! sdino.
Caregiver for Wife 54 yrs old
DX:11/16-CC sigmoid colon
Lung Mets: 25+ Bilateral ranging 4mm-5.0cm
MSS, KRAS-G12D; TP53
iTCR TIL Trial NCT03412877 4/19 to 7/19 Off trial, - Sept. 2019 TIL trial NCT01174121
CT Scans: 7/2020 lung met shrinkage 36%, 3 lung mets left, two Liver mets destroyed by TILs
Brain tumor removal 3/2020
CEA:16-11/16; 5 -9/18; 63 -8/19; 1 -1/20; 0.8-5/20

lpas
Posts: 1010
Joined: Wed Nov 19, 2014 11:11 pm

Re: Mets and CEA

Postby lpas » Tue May 16, 2017 8:23 am

Lydia,

I'm so sorry they made you do a scan when you were sick. It just sucks that you're now having to go through this stress--most likely for nothing. I had blood work done a few weeks ago when I had the flu and I wish now that I hadn't. CEA was normal but a number of other things were wonky.

Keeping fingers and everything else crossed that this is just another speed bump on the road to recovery!
11/14 Dx sigmoid CC @ 45yo
12/14 Colectomy + hysterectomy
Stage IIIB, T3N1bM0, 2/20 nodes, MSS, G2, KRAS(A146T), TP53, SMAD4, ERBB2, CEA 1.0
2/15-7/15 XELOX & celecoxib
2/19 clean scope
11/19 clean CT
Ongoing cimetidine & other targeted supplements
Mom to a 6 & 8yo

Lydia666
Posts: 676
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2015 6:50 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada

Re: Mets and CEA

Postby Lydia666 » Wed May 17, 2017 8:13 am

Thank you for everyone 's input. I will keep you posted.
Oct 2012- thyroid cancer
June 19, 2015 Dx@39 yrs- CRC-T3N1M0
No vascular, no perineural invasion
Aug-Sept 2015- 28 rad/5FU
Oct 28, 2015- LAR- temp ileo, neg. nodes- 0/11
March 2016- 6 rounds Xeloda/positive CHEK2 mutation
August 2016- DCIS and decided post prophylactic double mastectomy
May 2018 - clean CT
Sept 2018-clean scope
Devastation, total shock- oct 2018, invasion of peri mets
Dec 20 - 2 round of folfox
Mom to 4 & 7 yrs kids - at least i brought them to this level of independence.

Murb123
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2017 7:25 pm

Re: Mets and CEA

Postby Murb123 » Sat Aug 04, 2018 6:15 pm

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