Big CEA drop after first chemo!

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claudine
Posts: 809
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:41 pm
Location: Montana

Big CEA drop after first chemo!

Postby claudine » Mon Apr 01, 2019 9:52 am

When my husband was first diagnosed a year ago (no primary, spinal met only) his CEA level was 10, which we were told isn't that high for a stage 4 CRC. He underwent radiation then adjuvant chemo (6 cycles of Xelox) which did not work, as a January PET scan revealed a new tumor in his left adrenal gland. At his first chemo two weeks ago (folfiri + Avastin), his CEA was 58, yikes! For the second cycle last Friday, his oncologist warned us that it may take a while for his level to drop, and that it could even keep rising for a while. So we were all pleasantly surprised to learn that after only one chemo, it had dropped to 17! I'm not sure how common that is, from what I read every case is different, for some people it drops fast at first then slower, for others it's a regular decline... Regardless, it's not often that we get good surprises like this with this %^&$&^%disease! If the trend continues, he may not get all 12 cycles, getting what remains of the tumor taken out by radiation or arthroscopic surgery :-)
Wife of Dx 04/18 (51 yo). MSS, KRAS G12A, no primary

Tumors: L4 04/18; left adrenal gland & small lung nodules 03/19
rectum 02/22 (pT3 pN0 stage 2A); L3 09/22

Surgeries: intestinal resect. 05/18 (no cancer - Crohn's); adrenalectomy 02/20
L3-L4-L5 fusion and corpectomy 05/20; LAR 04/22; ileo reversal 09/22
L2-L3 fusion and corpectomy 09/22

Treatments: EBRT 04/18; SBRT 02/19; Failed adjuvant Xelox ; Folfiri/Avastin 03/19 - 01/20
adjuvant chemorad (Xeloda) 06/22; SBRT 11/22; Xeloda/Avastin since 01/24

Gravelyguy
Posts: 382
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2018 6:03 pm

Re: Big CEA drop after first chemo!

Postby Gravelyguy » Mon Apr 01, 2019 10:15 am

That is great news Claudine! So happy for you and your husband!

May the CEA continue to drop!

Dave
6/17 dx mRC t3n1m1 very low rectal tumor 2 liver Mets 1.3 cm and .9 cm

6/17 begin 4 rounds Folfox w/Vectibix
9/17 short course radiation
10/17 rectal and liver resection LAR with coloanal anastomosis (no rectum left)
11/17-3/18 8 rounds Folfox
6/18 still NED!! Takedown
8/28/18 still NED! CEA .8 new low for me
10/18/18 colonoscopy clear
12/12/18 CEA .9 still NED!
6/11/19 CEA 1.0
12/19/19 CEA 1.0 still NED!
6/17/20 CEA 1.1 still NED!
12/15/20 CEA 1.1still NED!
12/16/21 CEA 1.2 still NED!

Punky44
Posts: 498
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:29 pm

Re: Big CEA drop after first chemo!

Postby Punky44 » Mon Apr 01, 2019 3:42 pm

Awesome!
Caregiver to my amazing mom (68 at dx)
10/1/18 DX with rectal cancer; CEA 17
T3N2M0
Total neoadjuvant therapy:
8 rounds Folfox 11/5/18 - 2/11/19
Short course radiation 3/14/19 - 3/20/19
Robotically assisted laparoscopic LAR 3/21/19
Pathology report says yT2N0M0 with 0/38 nodes
6/28/19 Reversal and port out
CEA 2.1; 1.9; 2.6; 2.8; 2.3; 2.4; 3.0; 3.4; 3.1; 3.4; 3.0; 3.1; 2.6
Latest update: 8/21/23 Clear CT with CEA 2.6!

Me: 34, first colonoscopy 11/16/18—normal! Come back in 5 years.

User avatar
henry123
Posts: 218
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2017 3:25 am

Re: Big CEA drop after first chemo!

Postby henry123 » Wed Apr 03, 2019 4:15 am

That's great news.
46yo M msi-high Lynch +ve
5/16 lap AR 14/21 L nodes +ve
T4N2M1
7/16 Capox 9 cyc
9/16 cea 2
1/17 550
PET CT mets in lung & peri
iri+ avast fail
3/17 10577
4/17 regro fail
5/17 cea 28800
5/17 CT inc in size of mes nodes ,onset of multi nodules in liver
6/17 Opdivo start
7/17 26754
8/17 5623
9/17 497
10/17 52
CT all clear exc a nodule in Lung. liver norm
1/18 3.6
Aspirin start
6/18 1.5 CT clear
12/18 1.1 NED
1/20 NED Opdivo stop
8/23 1.0 All ok

claudine
Posts: 809
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:41 pm
Location: Montana

Re: Big CEA drop after first chemo!

Postby claudine » Wed Apr 03, 2019 10:00 am

Wow Henry123, are those your CEA levels? 28800??? I didn't know they could go that high! Wonderful that you're in the clear now :D
Wife of Dx 04/18 (51 yo). MSS, KRAS G12A, no primary

Tumors: L4 04/18; left adrenal gland & small lung nodules 03/19
rectum 02/22 (pT3 pN0 stage 2A); L3 09/22

Surgeries: intestinal resect. 05/18 (no cancer - Crohn's); adrenalectomy 02/20
L3-L4-L5 fusion and corpectomy 05/20; LAR 04/22; ileo reversal 09/22
L2-L3 fusion and corpectomy 09/22

Treatments: EBRT 04/18; SBRT 02/19; Failed adjuvant Xelox ; Folfiri/Avastin 03/19 - 01/20
adjuvant chemorad (Xeloda) 06/22; SBRT 11/22; Xeloda/Avastin since 01/24

User avatar
henry123
Posts: 218
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2017 3:25 am

Re: Big CEA drop after first chemo!

Postby henry123 » Fri Apr 05, 2019 11:55 am

CEA levels really went crazy and I was considered a goner at that time.
Thank God for Immunotherapy that worked.
Lesson - never give up hope.
46yo M msi-high Lynch +ve
5/16 lap AR 14/21 L nodes +ve
T4N2M1
7/16 Capox 9 cyc
9/16 cea 2
1/17 550
PET CT mets in lung & peri
iri+ avast fail
3/17 10577
4/17 regro fail
5/17 cea 28800
5/17 CT inc in size of mes nodes ,onset of multi nodules in liver
6/17 Opdivo start
7/17 26754
8/17 5623
9/17 497
10/17 52
CT all clear exc a nodule in Lung. liver norm
1/18 3.6
Aspirin start
6/18 1.5 CT clear
12/18 1.1 NED
1/20 NED Opdivo stop
8/23 1.0 All ok


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