High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

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DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
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Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Tue Aug 22, 2017 3:32 pm

No it doesn't seem logical although when I had my tumor before surgery CEA was below 1. I always assumed it wasn't a good indicator for me which is why CA 125 is checked as well.
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 3:46 pm

Beckster wrote:I agree Lee...that is why I wanted clarification. It does not seem logical...


Great minds think alike :wink:

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!

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 3:48 pm

DarknessEmbraced wrote: I always assumed it wasn't a good indicator for me which is why CA 125 is checked as well.


I'm not familiar with CA 125. Is that # in a normal range?

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 3:59 pm

http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-informat ... ?region=on



It was a little high but it went back down. CEA has never been until now.
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 4:55 pm

CA 125 was not available when I was going through chemo. If that is within normal range, I believe you CEA increase is due to something else. CEA is suppose to have an upward trend, you had a MAJOR spike in 3 months time, something else triggered it or maybe they just messed up at the lab. With that spike I would be too worried about it being cancer.

Can you call your Onc and get their opinion?

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 5:04 pm

I don't have an oncologist because I didn't do chemo. I was referred back to my family doctor. My family doctor schedules all testing.
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 5:18 pm

DarknessEmbraced wrote:I don't have an oncologist because I didn't do chemo. I was referred back to my family doctor. My family doctor schedules all testing.


Interesting... maybe Canada is different, but in the US, we see onc even if we are not on chemo. I decided to do chemo, but if I did not, I would still be under the onc care for at least 5 years. I also had 2A and I have CT scans every 6 months and bloodwork every 3 months. He said I will be doing this for 3 years.

I would request that they move up the CT scan... you should not have to wait a month to get your answers. Plus, if they are worried, the dr should have requested that the scan be done ASAP. I would call and raise hell!
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

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 5:19 pm

If you want, call your Dr. Maybe Dr is looking for something else with upcoming scan.

Usually if cancer is going to come back, it does so within the first 2 years. You are coming up on three yrs. Assume if you do indeed have cancer this far out, it would be a sloooow growing cancer. If CEA is a good indicator for you, you would see a slooow steady rise, especially this far out. CEA can be effected by other things, I believe it is something else that caused that spike in your CEA.

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!

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 5:36 pm

I'll try Lee. I saw the doctor filling in for my family doctor today and he's concerned because of the CEA increase which is why it's being moved up. Here there several oncologists at the hospital and you don't see the same one each time. You see which one is available when you have your appointment. I saw one the first time who advised against chemo saying the side effects would be worse than any small benefit. He said 10% to 15% chance of recurrence. They moved up the ct scan from October 30th. I'm leaving for Toronto on August 24th and won't be back until September 4th. I don't think they will move it up anymore. The doctor said within a month.
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! :)

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susie0915
Posts: 945
Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:17 am
Facebook Username: Susan DeGrazia Hostetter
Location: Michigan

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby susie0915 » Tue Aug 22, 2017 5:42 pm

Lee,
When you say recurrence generally happens within two years, is that two years from diagnosis or two years from the time
you are ned? I was diagnosed in May, 2015 and ned August, 2015 after chemoradiation. I was just curious. My oncologist told me once two years from diagnosis is when recurrences generally appear and I thought it was two years from the time you finished treatment. For me, that would've been April, 2016. She said no, what is your understanding?

Susie
58 yrs old Dx @ 55
5/15 DX T3N0MO
6/15 5 wks chemo/rad
7/15 sigmoidoscopy/only scar tissue left
8/15 PET scan NED
9/15 LAR
0/24 nodes
10/15 blockage. surgery,early ileo rev, c-diff inf :(
12/15 6 rds of xelox
5/16 CT lung scarring/inflammation
9/16 clear colonoscopy
4/17 C 4mm lung nod
10/17 pel/abd CT NED
11/17 CEA<.5
1/18 CT/Lung no change in 4mm nodule
5/18 CEA<.5, CT pel/abd/lung NED
11/18 CEA .6
5/19 CT NED, CEA <.5
10/19 Clear colonscopy
11/19 CEA <.5

peanut_8
Posts: 2340
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 1:31 pm

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby peanut_8 » Tue Aug 22, 2017 6:02 pm

I'm crossing my fingers and toes hoping that it's not cancer related.
female, diagnosed Jan 14, RC stage 2a, age 56
MSS
April 14, 28 chemo/rad with Xeloda
June 14 adjuvant Xeloda 6 rounds
currently NED

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 6:03 pm

Thank you peanut! :) Me too.
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! :)

peanut_8
Posts: 2340
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 1:31 pm

Re: High CEA reason for ct scans being moved up

Postby peanut_8 » Tue Aug 22, 2017 6:07 pm

The only thing I can add is that it seems like others who have had a jump in their CEA like yours DE, have had it retested within 2 weeks to make sure there wasn't some sort of lab error.

Can you request another test before your trip?
female, diagnosed Jan 14, RC stage 2a, age 56
MSS
April 14, 28 chemo/rad with Xeloda
June 14 adjuvant Xeloda 6 rounds
currently NED

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 6:11 pm

susie0915 wrote:Lee,
. . . My oncologist told me once two years from diagnosis is when recurrences generally appear . . .
Susie


My understanding 2 yrs from diagnoses. The reason being, the cancer cells are already there, butt we don't have the technology to see them until they reach a certain size. Thus mop up chemo to kills those cells. After the 3 year mark, the chances of it coming back are very rare (I think something like 10%). It can happen, butt it is rare.

Olivia Newton John is fighting a breast cancer recurrence 25 yrs later.

DE, The Dr that filled in for your regular Dr, does s/he know that CEA is not an indicator for you?

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 6:13 pm

They won't test it that soon and we leave Thursday. It could be a lab error. The family doctor is the one who orders the blood work. The CT scan will be definitive. Yes he knows it hasn't been a good indicator. That's why they test CA 125 as well.
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! :)


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