CEA levels (stable trend)
o Normal range, non-smokers: < 3.5 ng/mL
o Normal range, smokers: < 5 ng/mL
o 5 ng/mL – 9 ng/mL : slighty above normal – most likely a benign inflammation
o 10 ng/mL – 19 ng/mL - low threshold for mets (probable indicates a met; will require further testing)
o 20 ng/mL - 35 ng/mL - most likely metastatic; moderate tumor burden
o > 35 ng/mL – most certainly metastatic; large tumor burden
Source: https://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=60075&p=476909#p476909
hopefulandstrong wrote:Right. This is why I'm reacting as I am. I do think it's important to note that I am in the middle of treatment. And so far, we don't have a trend -- just a dramatic rise from the last test -- which had equally dramatic drop from the one before that. Most of what I'm reading on CEA involves folks monitoring things following treatment. As I look at signatures, I do see a few bounces 60 to 45, back up to 56 and so forth. This is why my ONC nurse is imploring to "not freak out" without a trend. But I haven't seen anyone get down to 2.8 then bounce back up.
If there is anyone here for whom that has been the case, I would love to know your story.
Thanks so much,
hopefulandstrong wrote:... so I suspect they are going to try to persuade me to wait a few more weeks, and another CEA to gauge a trend rather than a blip....
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