Worried about cea

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doctorsuma
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2021 9:45 pm

Worried about cea

Postby doctorsuma » Wed Dec 29, 2021 5:58 am

Hi there
My spouse had stage 3c. Went through LAR of sigmoid colon and then 11 rounds of folfox.he got into septicemia last round and was admitted .
After everything we went to Mayo Rochester had a PET scan done there .Everything was clear except a light up in the area of rectal anastomoses.We did a colonoscopy thinking it was a recurrence but it was just a stricture at the anastomoses site .The colorectal surgeon dilated it said there was nothing to biopsy .Cea at that time was 2.4
After 3 months now it’s time for first follow up .Cea has increased to 5.6 .rest of blood work was normal
He has symptoms of the stricture again though with gas bloating etc .
Worried about cea rise .Ct scan has been ordered again .has anyone experienced a rise in cea this quick ?

Koreysue
Posts: 258
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2018 2:36 pm

Re: Worried about cea

Postby Koreysue » Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:39 pm

My cea bounces around. I see that this is an old post- hoping things are going ok.

ksue
Dx: 6/2017 stage 3 CC
Sigmoid, 2 nodes
CEA at dx: 6.1
Sigmoid Colectomy/folfox (last chemo (1/31/18)
CEA 4/2018: 2.4
CEA 7/2018: 3.7
Colonoscopy 8/18 clean
PET scan 8/20/18 NED
CEA 11/2018: 3.8
CEA 2/2019: 3.2
CT NED 6/18/19 / CEA : 3.4
CEA 10/21/19: 3.2
CEA 3/9/20: 3.8
CT NED /CEA 6/17/20: 3.8
CEA 11/4/20 4.6 <——— whyyyy? (will retest in a few weeks)
CT NED 12/1/20 CEA: 3.5
CEA 5/21 4.2
CEA 10/21 3.4
colonoscopy 10/21 10mm polyp
CEA 4/22 3.7
CEA 7/22 3.8
CEA 12/22 4
CEA 1/22 3.2 and NED 5yr scan

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

Re: Worried about cea

Postby crikklekay » Sat Mar 05, 2022 6:48 pm

The main issue with CEA is if it keeps going up. CEA can increase because of many reasons, so if it pops up a bit then goes back down it isn’t much of a worry. But if it keeps going up, then your doctor will want to hunt for what is making it go up.

Good luck! I know CEA is scary, John’s just hit 5.5 so we’re in the same boat. Wait a month, retest, and see where he’s at.
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

LynnMarie
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Feb 20, 2020 2:52 pm
Facebook Username: Lynn M Frankel
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: Worried about cea

Postby LynnMarie » Mon Mar 07, 2022 6:36 pm

I've had several CEA flares w/nothing found. Here are all my results since dx in 1/2020. All are using the test where above 2.9 is abnormal.
2.50
2.14
1.40
4.11
2.81
2.61
4.37
3.36
2.66
1.60
3.38

CEA can be elevated for many reasons, especially inflammation.
Still, I get terrified every time...like right now with the 3.38 result on 2/4/22.

It makes me feel slightly better that I've had 5 negative ctDNA tests. Highly recommend getting ctDNA tests to have another tool.
Fem, 51 yo at DX CRC Stage IIIa
3 cm tumor removed from sigmoid during colonoscopy 1/10/20 (51 yo)
adenocarcinoma, poorly differentiated
colon resection 2/4/20 = 1 of 18 lymph nodes positive
port 3/1/20
Genetic testing: MSS KRAS G12V
FOLFOX 3/4 - 8/14/20 (last 5 no oxi because of allergic reaction)
CEA: 1/22: 2.5; 3/4: 2.14; 7/15: 1.4, 11/13: 4.11; 12/7: 2.81
CT Scan 8/12 NED
Now what?


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