My presurgery CEA was 1.2. My oncologist said that she did not think CEA would be a good indicator for me because I had a pretty hefty cancer load at that time.
She is, however, continuing to monitor my levels.
February 23=1.2
March 25=0.6
April 27=.9
May 20=1.5
Tuesday, I go in for my 5th FolFox cycle. I can’t help but wonder if the rise in CEA means that the chemo is not being effective.
My surgeon believes that he got all of the present cancer during my surgery, so there shouldn’t be anything we can monitor with a scan.
I see my oncologist again in a month. I’m wondering if I should send her a message about this or just wait until I see her again.
I’m off to do more research.
when CEA is not a good indicator.
when CEA is not a good indicator.
Stage 3c
2/2020 Right colon hemicolectomy (invasive adenocarcinoma with micropillary features)
Moderately differentiated
Tumor size: 4.4 in greatest dimension Metastatic Carcinoma in 12 out of 28 lymph nodes
Extranodal extension identified
Margins negative
3/2020 Began 12 rounds of FolFox
9/2020 Finished FolFox
12/2020 PET Scan-NED
1-2021 ctDNA Test negative
5-2021 ctDNA Test negative
7-2021 ctDNA Test negative
9-2021 PET/CT Scan-NED
2/2020 Right colon hemicolectomy (invasive adenocarcinoma with micropillary features)
Moderately differentiated
Tumor size: 4.4 in greatest dimension Metastatic Carcinoma in 12 out of 28 lymph nodes
Extranodal extension identified
Margins negative
3/2020 Began 12 rounds of FolFox
9/2020 Finished FolFox
12/2020 PET Scan-NED
1-2021 ctDNA Test negative
5-2021 ctDNA Test negative
7-2021 ctDNA Test negative
9-2021 PET/CT Scan-NED
Re: when CEA is not a good indicator.
I don't want to throw too much at you ... BUTT .... 
CEA was never a marker for me and we eventually added CA 19-9 + LDH ... also always been OK
MORE imaging + More specialists looking at your situation = better IMO
" Don't take radiation/oncology advice from a surgeon .... etc. etc. etc. ..."
SO talk with your Onc. Sometimes CEA "trends" can be important ... BUTT
CEA is known to increase with successful treatment which nukes the tumor etc.
AND CEA can increase with most any inflammation in the body, so your minor increase could well be nothing at all related to cancer
JMO
BTDT !
Cheers and best wishes for getting more info
CRguy
CEA was never a marker for me and we eventually added CA 19-9 + LDH ... also always been OK
MORE imaging + More specialists looking at your situation = better IMO
" Don't take radiation/oncology advice from a surgeon .... etc. etc. etc. ..."
SO talk with your Onc. Sometimes CEA "trends" can be important ... BUTT
CEA is known to increase with successful treatment which nukes the tumor etc.
AND CEA can increase with most any inflammation in the body, so your minor increase could well be nothing at all related to cancer
JMO
BTDT !
Cheers and best wishes for getting more info
CRguy
Caregiver x 4
Stage IV A rectal cancer/lung met
17 Year survivor
my life is an ongoing totally randomized UNcontrolled experiment with N=1 !
Review of my Journey so far
Stage IV A rectal cancer/lung met
17 Year survivor
my life is an ongoing totally randomized UNcontrolled experiment with N=1 !
Review of my Journey so far
-
Rock_Robster
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2018 5:27 am
- Location: Brisbane, Australia
Re: when CEA is not a good indicator.
polluxx wrote:My presurgery CEA was 1.2. My oncologist said that she did not think CEA would be a good indicator for me because I had a pretty hefty cancer load at that time.
She is, however, continuing to monitor my levels.
February 23=1.2
March 25=0.6
April 27=.9
May 20=1.5
Tuesday, I go in for my 5th FolFox cycle. I can’t help but wonder if the rise in CEA means that the chemo is not being effective.
My surgeon believes that he got all of the present cancer during my surgery, so there shouldn’t be anything we can monitor with a scan.
I see my oncologist again in a month. I’m wondering if I should send her a message about this or just wait until I see her again.
I’m off to do more research.
I’m not sure if it helps, but the lab I use doesn’t usually even report CEAs below 2 (ie they just give “<2”) as they don’t think it is clinically meaningful at these levels.
Good luck,
Rob
41M Australia
2018 Dx RC
G2 EMVI LVI, 4 liver mets
pT3N1aM1a Stage IVa MSS NRAS G13R
CEA 14>2>32>16>19>30>140>70
11/18 FOLFOX
3/19 Liver resection
5/19 Pelvic IMRT
7/19 ULAR
8/19 Liver met
8/19 FOLFOX, FOLFOXIRI, FOLFIRI
12/19 Liver resection
NED 2 years
11/21 Liver met, PALN, lung nodules
3/22 PVE, lymphadenectomy, liver SBRT
10/22 PALN SBRT
11/22 Liver mets, peri nodule. Xeloda+Bev
4/23 XELIRI+Bev
9/23 ATRIUM trial
12/23 Modified FOLFIRI+Bev
3/24 VAXINIA (CF33 + hNIS) trial
2018 Dx RC
G2 EMVI LVI, 4 liver mets
pT3N1aM1a Stage IVa MSS NRAS G13R
CEA 14>2>32>16>19>30>140>70
11/18 FOLFOX
3/19 Liver resection
5/19 Pelvic IMRT
7/19 ULAR
8/19 Liver met
8/19 FOLFOX, FOLFOXIRI, FOLFIRI
12/19 Liver resection
NED 2 years
11/21 Liver met, PALN, lung nodules
3/22 PVE, lymphadenectomy, liver SBRT
10/22 PALN SBRT
11/22 Liver mets, peri nodule. Xeloda+Bev
4/23 XELIRI+Bev
9/23 ATRIUM trial
12/23 Modified FOLFIRI+Bev
3/24 VAXINIA (CF33 + hNIS) trial
Re: when CEA is not a good indicator.
DH's onc told us that he's not worried until CEA gets into the double digits...
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
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
Re: when CEA is not a good indicator.
My CEA was almost 4 at diagnosis/surgery, and was declared to be not a marker for me. Since then it has moved up to 6 and 8, and currently is 5.3. No one really pays any attention to it.
It is not a marker for about 30% of us. I regard it as one less thing to obsess about!
It is not a marker for about 30% of us. I regard it as one less thing to obsess about!
F, 64 at DX CRC Stage IV
3/17/18 blockage, r hemi
11 of 25 LN,5 mesentery nodes
5mm liver met
pT3 pN2b pM1
BRAF wild, KRAS G12D
dMMR, MSI-H
5/18 FOLFOX
7/18 and 11/18 CT NED
12/18 MRI 5mm liver mass, 2 LNs in porta hepatis
12/31/18 Keytruda
6/19 Multiphasic CT LNs normal, Liver stable
6/28/19 Pause Key, predisone for joint pain
7/31/19 Restart Key
9/19 CT stable
Pain: all fails but Celebrex
12/23/19 CT stable
5/20 MRI stable/NED
6/20 Stop Key
All MRIs NED
3/17/18 blockage, r hemi
11 of 25 LN,5 mesentery nodes
5mm liver met
pT3 pN2b pM1
BRAF wild, KRAS G12D
dMMR, MSI-H
5/18 FOLFOX
7/18 and 11/18 CT NED
12/18 MRI 5mm liver mass, 2 LNs in porta hepatis
12/31/18 Keytruda
6/19 Multiphasic CT LNs normal, Liver stable
6/28/19 Pause Key, predisone for joint pain
7/31/19 Restart Key
9/19 CT stable
Pain: all fails but Celebrex
12/23/19 CT stable
5/20 MRI stable/NED
6/20 Stop Key
All MRIs NED
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