Postby martd » Sat Aug 11, 2018 11:17 am
The actual cea number is not very important, it can vary from person to person. It's only used as a marker in the beginning for a baseline. The important part is when the cea is checked throughout his treatment they are looking for a change, stable is good and lowering is good. With my treatment they checked every couple of months when the did scans, some places check more often. There are some cases where it can't be used for a marker because it doesn't increase or maybe in your husband's case because it's just to high. And the number being high doesn't mean the cancer is any worse. Ask if they are checking his cea level at his next scan and maybe ask the nurse to explain why it can't be measured?
49 y/o male dx 11/2017 crc
Stage 4 with 17 liver Mets, cea 490
RAS, BRAF WT Tp53 LOF
12 rounds folfox , avastin
5/18 cea 2.8 liver resection and pve
7/18 part 2 liver resection, remove right side of liver
Surgical site mrsa infection, wound vac
8/18 cea .9 cCR, rectal tumor is gone
Rectal surgery postponed, watch and wait
10/18 clear scan CEA .7
01/19 clear scan CEA .9
04/19 clear scan CEA .9
07/19 clear scan CEA 1.0