Elevated CEA with long standing sinus infection /cold

[dianetavegia]

I've had a sinus problem for about a month now and have been treating it with home remedies instead of antibiotics. Now I'm sneezing and have symptoms of a head cold, along with several family members.

My CEA had been 3.4 last time (6 months ago) but I had a slight sinus issue but this week my reading was 4.3. The only time my CEA has been this high was with pneumonia 4.4 and a liver met 6.5 and then 8.4 day of resection.

I'm very concerned and want to blame it on the sinus condition but since this is the first time I've had no scans, I'm pretty scared.

I'm almost 6 years out from my liver resection and just short of 9 years since my original dx at Stage III.

Diane

[NHMike]

This is always a tough one. My son had a lung infection shortly after I was diagnosed (he had the flu before it), and then my wife got the flu. It was a challenge staying far away enough from them so that I wouldn't catch it.

From what I've seen, CEA can be rather wild with numbers. My CEA was relatively low, even with a huge tumor. Are you do for a scan?

[mariane]

My oncologist told me that sometimes she saw 3.0 difference in CEA reading in 2 tests done on the same day. They did not find explanation.
I got weird 2.8 reading in Atlanta on June 8th and immediately flew to NY for check up. Their test showed 1.3 in June and 1.3 again at the end of July.


Good Luck!

[susie0915]

I know it's stressful. My CEA always runs less than .5 but last was 1.0. I know that is still on the low side of normal, but was
an increase. I emailed my oncologist and she was not concerned at all as they can vary. So we'll see what next one is. Try not
to worry I've seen a lot of variations on this forum with people that were nothing to worry about. I know it's easier said than done.
Maybe your doctor could repeat the blood test.

[Deb m]

It's the trend that would be a concern. Have them re-check it in a few weeks. If it increases even more, than I would push for a scan, but if it's stable or lower, than I would try not to worry. I know, easier said than done.

deb m

[dianetavegia]

I went to my regular doctor for my sinus infection and she said it's quite bad. The turbinates in both nasal passages are swollen almost shut. My nasal sinus drainage is thick white and she said that is harder to clear up and drain. Anyhow, I got a steroid shot and 10 days of medication. I'm going to ask for a retest of the CEA after I complete the medication.

I've had 2 readings at 4.3 and 4.4 since my liver resection and both were with walking pneumonia or a chest cold. In 2009 and early 2010, I had 2 reading over 4 tho I'd completed chemo 3 and 6 months earlier. I had no CEA's during chemo. I wasn't given my readings until they began to post them on Labcorp.

Auto response only from my onc. His website still doesn't have my results posted.

He had not scheduled scans until next April because it's been 9 years since my original dx and almost 6 years since my liver resection.

[Detox]

Elevated CEA is always scary but I read that anything +/- 1 point is within the margin of error and not a cause for concern.

[susie0915]

What is normal range for your lab? My lab is 0-5

[dianetavegia]

Labcorp is 3.9 as high normal for non smokers. This reading was 4.3. Six months ago it was 3.4. I roam between 2.7 and 3.4 and have for years except when I am sick.

Since getting home from the doctor 6 hours ago, I feel much worse. I ache and my skin hurts. I go from hot to cold but don't have a fever. My head and sinuses are still really bothering me. The doctor checked my lymph nodes and there was no swelling or soreness. Throat just looks irritated from drainage. I'm sneezing like I have a bad head cold.

I'm guessing the reading was from me coming down with something. I'll still ask for a re test once my antibiotics are over. She's got me taking it every 6 hours.

[mariane]

Infection can affect CEA. So can medications and supplements.

My lowest CEA 1.1 in NY I had while taking all the supplements. Unfortunately I had constant diarrhea and liver did not like them. My LDH and bilirubin went up. After I cut on supplements my LDH and bilirubin went both down. My diarrhea stopped but CEA went up to 1.3 and stayed there.

[dianetavegia]

https://www.britannica.com/science/inflammation

A retrospective study finding a 49% false-positive of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) testing among patients with a history of resected colorectal cancer, “suggests that confirmation of an ongoing increase in CEA level should be universal practice before an extensive workup is initiated,” Anya Litvak, MD, and colleagues from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) reported in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

[DarknessEmbraced]

I hope you feel better soon and that the CEA elevation is due to the infection.*hugs*