CEA Level question

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behconsult
Posts: 264
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2014 4:53 pm

CEA Level question

Postby behconsult » Mon May 03, 2021 9:01 pm

As I step through the anxiety, I have ongoing angst about my above normal CEA. Note that previously my cancer always had cea in the normal range, even when I had blockage of a large tumor. In July of 2020, I had the growth of a lung lesion, CEA increase (Mutation) and had cryoablation. Hence, the CEA drop to 4.6. Now recent bump up to 12. My March 9th CT was OK. Everything was "stable" though the four lesions have been cryoablated. I read that CEA results go for 1-4 month window. In Feb 27 I had bronchitis That did not clear until the first week of April. I have requested a colonoscopy as it has been 5 plus years and have bloating from from time to time. Any pearls...or if not pearls prayers then. Thanks, Bob


7/2/20-------- 8.1 H
10/6/20------- 4.6
11/3/20------- 4.2
12/8/20------- 5.1 H
12/22/20------ 6.0 H
1/5/21----------8.4 H
2/2/21--------- 7.2 H
3/16/21-------- 6.9 H
4/13/21------- 11.2 H
4/27/21-------- 12.0 H
Stage 4 Age 56 BrafV660E 5/14
spot on perit/ Right side tumor
Resctn 6/9/2014
Folfox strt 7/2014. 6 of 12 tx
Chemo induced DM2
Pet 4 mets to lung (1 cm, 6 mm) Xeloda/Avastin 9/16 to present.
Cryo-ablation to four spots- Collapsed lung/chest tube 2x
Possible local recurrence in a spot or two on PET. Stable CT

User avatar
Green Tea
Posts: 451
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2016 10:48 am

Re: CEA Level question

Postby Green Tea » Mon May 03, 2021 11:41 pm

behconsult wrote:As I step through the anxiety, I have ongoing angst about my above normal CEA. Note that previously my cancer always had cea in the normal range, even when I had blockage of a large tumor. In July of 2020, I had the growth of a lung lesion, CEA increase (Mutation) and had cryoablation. Hence, the CEA drop to 4.6. Now recent bump up to 12. My March 9th CT was OK. Everything was "stable" though the four lesions have been cryoablated. I read that CEA results go for 1-4 month window. In Feb 27 I had bronchitis That did not clear until the first week of April. I have requested a colonoscopy as it has been 5 plus years and have bloating from from time to time. Any pearls...or if not pearls prayers then. Thanks, Bob

_DATE__ _____CEA__ __MEDICATIONS___ ___PROCEDURES___DX/SYMPTOMS
07/02/20--- 8.1 H ---------------------------------- Lung Lesion(s)
07/???/20----------------------------- CryoAblation
09/16/20------------Xeloda/Avastin
10/06/20--- 4.6------Xeloda/Avastin
11/03/20--- 4.2------Xeloda/Avastin
12/08/20--- 5.1 H----Xeloda/Avastin
12/22/20--- 6.0 H----Xeloda/Avastin
01/05/21--- 8.4 H----Xeloda/Avastin
01/06/21------------Moderna vaccine
02/02/21--- 7.2 H ---Xeloda/Avastin--------------------Bronchitis
03/09/21------------Xeloda/Avastin-----CT Scan OK ----Bronchitis
03/16/21--- 6.9 H ---Xeloda/Avastin--------------------Bronchitis
04/13/21---11.2 H ---Xeloda/Avastin-------------------Bronchitis
04/27/21---12.0 H ---Xeloda/Avastin

Maybe your bronchitis and recent symptoms are side effects of your Moderna vaccine shot. Could that be a possibility?

The most common side effects after the Moderna shot
Pain at the injection site, chills, headache, and fever are the most common symptoms people experience after receiving the Moderna vaccine.

All of these reactions — which are temporary and nonthreatening — indicate the vaccine is doing its job. They typically clear up within a few days.

“As the vaccine works to ‘train’ your immune system to start developing antibodies, the pain is a sign of the inflammation that occurs as part of this process,” said Dr. Shobha Swaminathan, an associate professor of medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and clinical research site leader for the Rutgers Moderna trial.

Reference: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/moderna-covid-19-vaccine-side-effects-how-long-they-last#The-most-common-side-effects-after-the-Moderna-shot

stu
Posts: 1613
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2013 5:46 pm

Re: CEA Level question

Postby stu » Tue May 04, 2021 2:56 am

You definitely got the prayers !

It is certainly not straightforward as I observe they are also dropping down in parts too. What I would say if you do find yourself needing some intervention to address this on the lungs it was by far the easiest surgical operation my mum had by VATs !
Chemo itself was the only thing that every really impacted her CEAs to go beyond 11 ! Recurrence sat around 7 for the liver and 4.5 for her lung recurrence. When need she sits around 3.8 to 4 .
Now her CEAs bounce over 5 with great regularity but no disease ever found . Something that has happened with age !

Hope you get it resolved soon !
Stu
supporter to my mum who lives a great life despite a difficult diagnosis
stage4 2009 significant spread to liver
2010 colon /liver resection
chemo following recurrence
73% of liver removed
enjoying life treatment free
2016 lung resection
Oct 2017 nice clear scan . Two lung nodules disappeared
Oct 2018. Another clear scan .

catstaff
Posts: 177
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2021 11:37 am

Re: CEA Level question

Postby catstaff » Tue May 04, 2021 7:48 am

CEA seems to be one of the most difficult issues and it comes up here over and over, for obvious reasons. It is not a diagnostic marker even in patients who had an elevation prior to surgery, yet it can be a warning.

Our experience was that the size and rate of the increase were probably more significant than the value. His onc was on it when it went from 2.7 to 9 even though the CT was "stable". Ordered a PET which showed recurrence. In retrospect the pelvic mets were barely visible but not realized to be significant from the CT, and the lymph-node mets were invisible on CT.

It is often a false positive but if it gets above 15 it is less likely to be benign, according to at least one study. So it is certainly something to watch.
D/H Dx 10/2019 RC age 61
Clinical T4bN2M1a (common iliac and para-aortic lymph nodes)
MSS KRAS G12D
CRT 11/19-1/20 FOLFOX 3/20-7/20
Pelvic exenteration w/LAR 8/20
ypT4bN0Mx G3 0/14 nodes LVI not seen PNI-
CEA 10/19:20, 1/20-11/20:1.6, 4.3, 3.4, 2.7, 2/21:9.0 3/21:18,40 4/21:28,19, 5/21:13.3,8.6
PET 3/21 recurrence in distal nodes, L5 vertebra, pelvis
FOLFIRI+bev 3/21-

crikklekay
Posts: 142
Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2018 9:47 am
Location: Richmond, VA

Re: CEA Level question

Postby crikklekay » Sat May 08, 2021 2:28 pm

I completely understand the anxiety! My husband’s CEA went from 2.2 to 5.3 all of a sudden, retested a week later and it was 5.1, clear colonoscopy and CTScan but when retested a month later it was suddenly 7. He has a PET scan scheduled next week, it can be a false flag but his Onc wants to be sure. Sending good luck and vibes your way!
Caring for DH John
Stage IIIC, Lymph nodes: 6/22
Chemo: FOLFOX (6)
12/17 ER and emergency surgery
02/18 Hospital w/MSSA infected port, PICC line inserted, chest CT scan showed septic emboli & blood clots
03/18 Hospital w/CDIFF
08/18 CT Scan Clear, NEMD
2018/2019/2021 Colonoscopy Clear
2019/2020/2021/2022 CT Scan Clear
2021 PET scan & MRI show one spot on liver
08/21 Liver surgery to remove spot, confirmed mCRC. Now Stage IV
09/21 Start Folfiri + Avastin
03/22 CEA Rise, continuing chemo


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