High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

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DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Tue Aug 22, 2017 11:28 am

I found out why my ct scans were moved up and it has nothing to do with scheduling. It's because my CEA(tumor marker) is 46. Before surgery in 2014 it was below 1 and it has always been below 1 up until now. I get my ct scan on September 22nd and see the doctor for follow up on October 5th. From everything I'm reading normal CEA is below 5.
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

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

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby Lee » Tue Aug 22, 2017 11:37 am

Many things can effect CEA levels, not just cancer. Have you been sick recently? Any inflammation?

Try not to worry just yet, butt it's best to be proactive.

Good luck,

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!

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Tue Aug 22, 2017 11:38 am

I had sinus infections this year but I've been over them for a while. I'll try not to worry.
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

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

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby Lee » Tue Aug 22, 2017 11:48 am

DarknessEmbraced wrote:I had sinus infections this year but I've been over them for a while. I'll try not to worry.


I can see where that just might be the culprit. If I remember correctly, you had it for awhile. Took antibiotics for it, etc

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!

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Tue Aug 22, 2017 11:52 am

Yes I did have three of them but I get my CEA and CA 125 checked every 3 months which was during the infections. Wouldn't it have showed then?
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

TXLiz
Posts: 249
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2016 3:31 pm

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby TXLiz » Tue Aug 22, 2017 12:10 pm

Darkness, try not to worry. CEA can rise for so many reasons. Get your scan results before you let yourself get upset...I know it's hard.

My 14 year old son had an unusually high CEA once, and they gave him a CT. He had enlarged lymph nodes in his stomach region due to a virus that showed zero symptoms.

I was FREAKING out but doc said CEA is a strange thing...so many things can influence it.

Take care! Good luck with scan.
Vomiting and blockage 9/19/16 46 y F
R hemi colectomy 9/20/16
Stage 3 B CRC, located in cecum
3 out of 16 lymph nodes positive
perineural invasion/lymphovascular invasion
infiltrating, mod differentiated adenocarcinoma with a mucinous component
separate tumor nodules present in pericolonic adipose tissue
MSI-high
Baseline PET scan clear 9/16 CEA 0.5
FOLFOX 10/16- 3/17
April 16th, CT scan clear. CEA 1.1
Lynch "inconclusive"
Colonoscopy 10/5/2017 clear

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Tue Aug 22, 2017 12:14 pm

I'm sorry your son went through that Liz!*hugs* Thanks, I'm trying not to get before ct scan results are back but it's hard. If I wasn't having more stomach issues lately I wouldn't be as concerned.
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

Beckster
Posts: 438
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 3:01 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby Beckster » Tue Aug 22, 2017 12:47 pm

DarknessEmbraced wrote:I'm sorry your son went through that Liz!*hugs* Thanks, I'm trying not to get before ct scan results are back but it's hard. If I wasn't having more stomach issues lately I wouldn't be as concerned.


DarknessEmbraced,

Just a thought.... in your signature, you stated that you were diagnosed with ischemic colitis, which is an inflammation of the intestines. Do you think your stomach issues and elevated CEA might be a flareup of your colitis?
57/F
DX:(CC) 10/19/16
11/4/16- Lap right hemi(cecum)
CEA- Pre Op (1.9), Pre Chemo (2.5)
Type: Adenocarcinoma
Tumor size:3.5 cm x 2.5 x 0.7 cm
Grade: G3
TNM: T3N0M0/IIA
LN: 0/24
LVI present
Surgical margins: clear
MSS
12/27/2016 - Capeox, anaphylactic
1/2/17 to 6/9/17- Xeloda
6/17,12/17,6/18,12/18,6/19,12/19,12/20,12/21 CT Scan NED :D
CEA- 6/17- 3.6, 9/17- 2.8 12/17-2.8, 3/18-3.1, 6/18-3.0, 9/18 2.8, 12/18 2.5 3/19 3.1 6/19 3.1 9/19 2.6 12/19 2.8 6/20 3.0 12/20 2.7 6/21 2.9,[color=#000000]12/21 2.7[/color]
Clear Colonoscopy 10/17, 11/19,11/21 :D

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Tue Aug 22, 2017 12:50 pm

I'm not sure since I don't have any bleeding and my colonoscopy last year was normal. It could be that. Would ct scan show it?
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

User avatar
JJH
Posts: 408
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2017 7:26 am

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby JJH » Tue Aug 22, 2017 12:53 pm

TXLiz wrote:Darkness, try not to worry. CEA can rise for so many reasons...

Here are some of the reasons for elevated CEA:

http://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=53135&p=419830#p419830
"The darkest hour is just before the dawn" - Thomas Fuller (1650)
●●●

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Tue Aug 22, 2017 12:55 pm

Thank you JJH!
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

Beckster
Posts: 438
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 3:01 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby Beckster » Tue Aug 22, 2017 1:16 pm

DarknessEmbraced wrote:I'm not sure since I don't have any bleeding and my colonoscopy last year was normal. It could be that. Would ct scan show it?


From my readings, yes it would be detected on a ct scan. I have a question...was you CEA 46 or 4.6?
57/F
DX:(CC) 10/19/16
11/4/16- Lap right hemi(cecum)
CEA- Pre Op (1.9), Pre Chemo (2.5)
Type: Adenocarcinoma
Tumor size:3.5 cm x 2.5 x 0.7 cm
Grade: G3
TNM: T3N0M0/IIA
LN: 0/24
LVI present
Surgical margins: clear
MSS
12/27/2016 - Capeox, anaphylactic
1/2/17 to 6/9/17- Xeloda
6/17,12/17,6/18,12/18,6/19,12/19,12/20,12/21 CT Scan NED :D
CEA- 6/17- 3.6, 9/17- 2.8 12/17-2.8, 3/18-3.1, 6/18-3.0, 9/18 2.8, 12/18 2.5 3/19 3.1 6/19 3.1 9/19 2.6 12/19 2.8 6/20 3.0 12/20 2.7 6/21 2.9,[color=#000000]12/21 2.7[/color]
Clear Colonoscopy 10/17, 11/19,11/21 :D

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Tue Aug 22, 2017 1:16 pm

My CEA is 46. Thanks Beckster!
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

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

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby Lee » Tue Aug 22, 2017 2:59 pm

If you get checked every 3 months, and you had this much of a jump, I would assume it is something else. Hopefully the scans will give you an answer, butt I don't think cancer would go from 1 to 46 in three months time.

Try not to worry,

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!

Beckster
Posts: 438
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 3:01 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby Beckster » Tue Aug 22, 2017 3:28 pm

Lee wrote:If you get checked every 3 months, and you had this much of a jump, I would assume it is something else. Hopefully the scans will give you an answer, butt I don't think cancer would go from 1 to 46 in three months time.

Try not to worry,

Lee


I agree Lee...that is why I wanted clarification. It does not seem logical...
57/F
DX:(CC) 10/19/16
11/4/16- Lap right hemi(cecum)
CEA- Pre Op (1.9), Pre Chemo (2.5)
Type: Adenocarcinoma
Tumor size:3.5 cm x 2.5 x 0.7 cm
Grade: G3
TNM: T3N0M0/IIA
LN: 0/24
LVI present
Surgical margins: clear
MSS
12/27/2016 - Capeox, anaphylactic
1/2/17 to 6/9/17- Xeloda
6/17,12/17,6/18,12/18,6/19,12/19,12/20,12/21 CT Scan NED :D
CEA- 6/17- 3.6, 9/17- 2.8 12/17-2.8, 3/18-3.1, 6/18-3.0, 9/18 2.8, 12/18 2.5 3/19 3.1 6/19 3.1 9/19 2.6 12/19 2.8 6/20 3.0 12/20 2.7 6/21 2.9,[color=#000000]12/21 2.7[/color]
Clear Colonoscopy 10/17, 11/19,11/21 :D


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