The Colon Club

Another higher than normal CEA guy here - always stayed NED regardless of slight rises

JJH wrote:

NHMike wrote:...Do you have a link to what values mean and what normal range is?

The normal range depends on the particular assay or machine used for the test. Your lab report should indicate both the name of the assay/machine and the normal range for it. This might be in small print in a footnote or in small print in the right hand margin.

It is important to know which assay was used because normal ranges for diffrrent assays are different. For example, the Roche assay usually has a higher normal limit than most other assays.

http://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=54299&p=431407#p431407

http://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=51836&p=404364#p404364

http://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=53135&p=419830#p419830

Thanks for the details. I just snapped a picture of the computer screen with my phone so I don't think that the details are on that picture. I do have access on the online portal but I haven't used it yet so I should look around there to see if I can get the details on what kind of equipment they use.

Nextgen wrote:Hi All,

Mum CEA drop to 1.1
Praises be the Lord. Amen.

Yay!! So happy for you!

My CEA was around 2900 on 1/3/17. Due to multiple hospitalizations mid January thru June they never retested me after my two rounds of Folfox. I guess they didn't think it mattered much since I was off chemo while trying to recover from various side effects of Folfox.

I asked my oncologist about that when we resumed chemo in July. She was at first alarmed by how high it was (1650) until I asked her what it was the last time and she saw 2900. I am getting CEA tested monthly now, just got the results in the mail and it said >1650, not a specific number. This is after 3 rounds of Irinotecan + Cetuximab. I am getting half dose each week to lessen the side effects so maybe the number will go down after another month of treatment...

I just read about single digit CEA numbers from everyone else that it's making me kind of nervous having such a high number. Could it be because they haven't been able to shrink the tumor enough to remove it? I'll be asking my oncologist these questions, just wondered if anyone else has had a very high CEA come down to single or at least double digits.

Thanks for any feedback

Shana

Shana wrote:My CEA was around 2900 on 1/3/17. Due to multiple hospitalizations mid January thru June they never retested me after my two rounds of Folfox. I guess they didn't think it mattered much since I was off chemo while trying to recover from various side effects of Folfox.

I asked my oncologist about that when we resumed chemo in July. She was at first alarmed by how high it was (1650) until I asked her what it was the last time and she saw 2900. I am getting CEA tested monthly now, just got the results in the mail and it said >1650, not a specific number. This is after 3 rounds of Irinotecan + Cetuximab. I am getting half dose each week to lessen the side effects so maybe the number will go down after another month of treatment...

I just read about single digit CEA numbers from everyone else that it's making me kind of nervous having such a high number. Could it be because they haven't been able to shrink the tumor enough to remove it? I'll be asking my oncologist these questions, just wondered if anyone else has had a very high CEA come down to single or at least double digits.

Thanks for any feedback

Shana

I'm just learning about CEA numbers and don't have a feel for the scale outside of normal being between 3 and 5 depending on the equipment in use.

The previous high number that I've seen was in the 200s. I've never seen on in the thousands before and I'd definitely ask my oncologist about it. There are some other factors that can cause a higher number but I didn't see a scale for those causes.

I just found my first lab work report from 12/13/16 when I was still clueless about everything. My CEA was 6426 I definitely have a downward trend but omg that's a heck of a number. If I knew then what I know now I'd have freaked for sure!

I'll ask questions tomorrow and see if oncologist can shed some light on why my number is so high.

Shana wrote:I just found my first lab work report from 12/13/16 when I was still clueless about everything. My CEA was 6426 I definitely have a downward trend but omg that's a heck of a number. If I knew then what I know now I'd have freaked for sure!

I'll ask questions tomorrow and see if oncologist can shed some light on why my number is so high.

I heard about high cea value in thousands range during my mum chemo times. One told me, Not to focus on it too much, it is just a number, like the number in the bank account.

lpas wrote:

Nextgen wrote:Hi All,

Mum CEA drop to 1.1
Praises be the Lord. Amen.

Yay!! So happy for you!

Thanks Ipas.
I got so much hope reading at your signature.
I hope we can give hope to others. I know the anxiety ones get when they are sick. Thanks to this forum that sooth my anxiety and give me hope.

Nextgen wrote:

Shana wrote:I just found my first lab work report from 12/13/16 when I was still clueless about everything. My CEA was 6426 I definitely have a downward trend but omg that's a heck of a number. If I knew then what I know now I'd have freaked for sure!

I'll ask questions tomorrow and see if oncologist can shed some light on why my number is so high.

I heard about high cea value in thousands range during my mum chemo times. One told me, Not to focus on it too much, it is just a number, like the number in the bank account.

My wife, diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer (liver mets) at age 32 just weeks after giving birth to our daughter, had an initial CEA of 8,800 at the time of dx (03/2015). She responded well to chemo and had a successful resection (07/2015). She is now 19 months NED since finishing chemo (01/2016) with a steady CEA in the 0.8-1.5 range. We are far from out of the woods, and she battles significant anxiety related to a recurrence, but I hope her story so far can serve as a reminder of the light at the end of the tunnel for so many facing this horrible disease. You are all in my thoughts.

NZJay wrote:Another higher than normal CEA guy here - always stayed NED regardless of slight rises

Very encouraging man! Gbu !

dschock1102 wrote:

Nextgen wrote:

Shana wrote:I just found my first lab work report from 12/13/16 when I was still clueless about everything. My CEA was 6426 I definitely have a downward trend but omg that's a heck of a number. If I knew then what I know now I'd have freaked for sure!

I'll ask questions tomorrow and see if oncologist can shed some light on why my number is so high.

I heard about high cea value in thousands range during my mum chemo times. One told me, Not to focus on it too much, it is just a number, like the number in the bank account.

My wife, diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer (liver mets) at age 32 just weeks after giving birth to our daughter, had an initial CEA of 8,800 at the time of dx (03/2015). She responded well to chemo and had a successful resection (07/2015). She is now 19 months NED since finishing chemo (01/2016) with a steady CEA in the 0.8-1.5 range. We are far from out of the woods, and she battles significant anxiety related to a recurrence, but I hope her story so far can serve as a reminder of the light at the end of the tunnel for so many facing this horrible disease. You are all in my thoughts.

Brave cancer fighter ! Keep positiveness, may god bless your wife n u!

dschock1102 wrote:

Nextgen wrote:

Shana wrote:I just found my first lab work report from 12/13/16 when I was still clueless about everything. My CEA was 6426 I definitely have a downward trend but omg that's a heck of a number. If I knew then what I know now I'd have freaked for sure!

I'll ask questions tomorrow and see if oncologist can shed some light on why my number is so high.

I heard about high cea value in thousands range during my mum chemo times. One told me, Not to focus on it too much, it is just a number, like the number in the bank account.

My wife, diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer (liver mets) at age 32 just weeks after giving birth to our daughter, had an initial CEA of 8,800 at the time of dx (03/2015). She responded well to chemo and had a successful resection (07/2015). She is now 19 months NED since finishing chemo (01/2016) with a steady CEA in the 0.8-1.5 range. We are far from out of the woods, and she battles significant anxiety related to a recurrence, but I hope her story so far can serve as a reminder of the light at the end of the tunnel for so many facing this horrible disease. You are all in my thoughts.

Thank you for sharing such positive success especially with a high CEA. I can imagine her anxiety, I'm sure every survivor has those thoughts tucked in the back of their mind. I wish your wife continued NED and all the best to your family. We all appreciate hearing good result stories which gives us all hope!

Nov 2017 CEA reading is 2.7 - up again, although still within spec of 5.
I noticed C Reactive Protein (CRP) also elevated 6.3 mg/L
It is another sign of inflammation in the body.

Anyone has study about correlation of CRP with CEA or Cancer recurrence? Please share.

Can't help with my anxiety again! God have mercy! Amen!

Dec 2017 reading drop back to 1.3
Great relief i felt on every parts of my body.
Thank God!