How high can CEA go?

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Lund5505
Posts: 69
Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2014 1:37 am

How high can CEA go?

Postby Lund5505 » Tue Apr 05, 2016 9:49 pm

I'm curious what is the highest CEA reading seen. Currently my CEA is at 3179 but I'm wondering how much higher it can go before my demise.

Thanks for the feedback
10/2013 dx female @54 stage IV innumerable liver mets
CEA 2600 kras wild MSS
11/2013 folfox avastin 8 rounds
6/2014 neuropathy development CEA 9.8 but won't go lower
8/2014 colon resection
11/2014 folfiri and cetuximab 9 rounds CEA 1700
4/2015 cetuximab only 4 rounds CEA down to 20 but won't go lower
7/2015 chemo break getting too toxic
10/2015 xeloda 3 rounds CEA 800 then 300 then back up to 900
1/2016 irinotecan CEA 1800 at start 2/2016 too toxic
4/2016 Cea 3200
Hospice recommended but I'm not ready yet

Nik Colon

Re: How high can CEA go?

Postby Nik Colon » Tue Apr 05, 2016 10:02 pm

I found someone who claimed their cea was over 20,000. another over 7k, and a few saying over 6k. But this is just what I seen.

Here:
https://csn.cancer.org/node/171818
Last edited by Nik Colon on Tue Apr 05, 2016 10:38 pm, edited 5 times in total.

Nik Colon

Re: How high can CEA go?

Postby Nik Colon » Tue Apr 05, 2016 10:21 pm

Oops

User avatar
wwroam
Posts: 763
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2008 8:13 pm
Facebook Username: Wayne Whitaker
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Contact:

Re: How high can CEA go?

Postby wwroam » Tue Apr 05, 2016 11:58 pm

I found those high CEA numbers believable.
My SO was 18,000 at diagnosis. After 9 rounds it was 2400 when the onc. advised an Oxi break due to neuropathy. After 10 weeks without Oxi it had climbed to 8000. It is now steady at 14000. In that period of rise in CEA there has been no change in tumour size or numbers, so there is not necessarily a direct connection.
Stage 3a DX 25/06/07
Folfox complete 30/01/08
7 years NED
Port scheduled for removal 8/02/10 Gone.
PSA .54 No prostate problems
Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetic
SO diagnosed CC Stage IV Liver Mets 23/03/15

Lund5505
Posts: 69
Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2014 1:37 am

Re: How high can CEA go?

Postby Lund5505 » Wed Apr 06, 2016 11:28 am

Thanks for the feedback. My CEA has always correlated very close with rising tumor volume. I was at 2600 at diagnosis then got down to 5 with folfox then back up to 1700 and down to 20 with folfiri. Since then we've tried xeloda and irinotecan and neither were doing any good so now I am just waiting and watching. My CEA came back yesterday at 3200 and it was 1200 a month ago. At this rate I'll be around 600 or more in a month. We know this is from mets covering approximately 80% of my liver.

I'm just frustrated and looking for some sort of sign as to when this is going to take a downward turn. I'm having a lot more fatigue and had to start a fentanyl patch to help with the pain.

I feel like I'm just waiting to die and this totally SUCKS

Sorry for the rant
10/2013 dx female @54 stage IV innumerable liver mets
CEA 2600 kras wild MSS
11/2013 folfox avastin 8 rounds
6/2014 neuropathy development CEA 9.8 but won't go lower
8/2014 colon resection
11/2014 folfiri and cetuximab 9 rounds CEA 1700
4/2015 cetuximab only 4 rounds CEA down to 20 but won't go lower
7/2015 chemo break getting too toxic
10/2015 xeloda 3 rounds CEA 800 then 300 then back up to 900
1/2016 irinotecan CEA 1800 at start 2/2016 too toxic
4/2016 Cea 3200
Hospice recommended but I'm not ready yet

CLD
Posts: 206
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2015 7:16 pm

Re: How high can CEA go?

Postby CLD » Wed Apr 06, 2016 6:50 pm

I'm sorry you are going through such a tough time right now. My thoughts are with you.
Wife to DH/ Father of 6 (age 42 at dx) diagnosed Jan 2015 stage IIIC
Tumor deposit in mesentery 13/24 lymph nodes +
CEA at dx: 5
MSS
Low Grade/Mod. Diff.
FOLFOX 6 months
N.E.D until June 2018
PET Scan 6/18
Biopsy confirms cancer in 3 Paraaortic lymph nodes
Folfiri + Avastin (6tx) and Xeloda during radiation
Cancer all over both lungs dx Jan 2019
FOLFIRI +AVASTIN presently

rivlinj
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2016 8:07 am

Re: How high can CEA go?

Postby rivlinj » Thu Apr 07, 2016 8:25 am

I was diagnosed a little over a year ago with Stage IV Colorectal Cancer. First CEA reading was 4880. Started Chemo immediately at Texas Oncology, Austin TX, every two weeks - Leucovorin, Avastin, Oxalipllatin and Folfox (portalbe pump) plus two anti nausea drugs. Now, after 21 Chemo rounds my CEA has come down steadily to 2.1 at the last reading. Now on sixth week of Chemo "holiday". Last scan was "clear" and will have scans quarterly, along with blood tests and flushing of the Chemo port. So far so good....feeling great except for Neuropathy in fingrs and feet. I can live with that.

User avatar
WriterGirl1969
Posts: 524
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2016 3:48 pm
Location: Central NY

Re: How high can CEA go?

Postby WriterGirl1969 » Thu Apr 07, 2016 5:28 pm

Lund5505 wrote:I'm just frustrated and looking for some sort of sign as to when this is going to take a downward turn. I'm having a lot more fatigue and had to start a fentanyl patch to help with the pain.

I feel like I'm just waiting to die and this totally SUCKS

Sorry for the rant


Hi Lund5505.
I just wanted to reach out to you. Don't be sorry for your rant. We reserve that right. Not to mention, it's good to let it out. I just wondered whether you had seen a post by another user that sounded (at least to me) to be in a similar spot as you. Nothing was working, they told her to put affairs in order right before Christmas. Now she's in remission. I copied the link to that post below, but just wanted to pass on a word of hope to you. It sucks. For sure. Don't give up. When all else fails, rant away. Hugs and prayers sent your way from me.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=53978&p=428641#p428641
DX 3/4/2016 Colon Cancer; age 46 Mom of then 4-yr-old
Stage IIIB: T3N1M0
3/31/16 Surgery
4 to 10/2016: Xeloda Monotherapy
CEA: 10/16 0.56, 1/17 0.54
CT CLEAR: 3/6/17; 4/17/18; 4/16/19
NED 3 years
“If I can help somebody as I walk along, then my living shall not be in vain.”

Nik Colon

Re: How high can CEA go?

Postby Nik Colon » Thu Apr 07, 2016 5:59 pm

Lund5505 wrote:Thanks for the feedback. My CEA has always correlated very close with rising tumor volume. I was at 2600 at diagnosis then got down to 5 with folfox then back up to 1700 and down to 20 with folfiri. Since then we've tried xeloda and irinotecan and neither were doing any good so now I am just waiting and watching. My CEA came back yesterday at 3200 and it was 1200 a month ago. At this rate I'll be around 600 or more in a month. We know this is from mets covering approximately 80% of my liver.

I'm just frustrated and looking for some sort of sign as to when this is going to take a downward turn. I'm having a lot more fatigue and had to start a fentanyl patch to help with the pain.

I feel like I'm just waiting to die and this totally SUCKS

Sorry for the rant

Are there any other suggestions, trials, etc? Just wondering if there is something else that may help. So sorry you are in this situation. Hugs and best wishes.


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