Just posting as I've had a few people PM me about my CEA, which has remained fairly high and gradually trended up despite being NED on scans.
Started 8.4 at diagnosis; 4.0 after chemo finished; got as high as 5.3 last year.
I am really happy as my most recent CEA test showed a drop for the first time since 2015!
Still sitting above the "normal range limit" of 3.0, but any downward trend makes me feel more confident.
While my doctors can't give definite answers, my suspicion is the CEA has remained high due to a combination of the following:
-ex smoker
-regular weight trainer
-ongoing issues with hernia mesh pain (in 2017 this pain has significantly reduced)
Only other news is my surgical team has agreed to give me another annual CT scan. In my country, they usually stop scanning colon cancer at 3 years NED. I made them agree to a 4th scan which will take place around November / December.
That's all from me - my best wishes to everyone