Blood Clots and Raised CEA

FormerMember over 4 years ago

5 replies
125 subscribers
883 views

Hi,

I am not sure if this is the right place to post, but I hope someone can help or point me in the right direction.

At the start of 2019 I was diagnosed with bowel cancer and my bowel tumour was initially graded at 4a. I went throught 8 cycles of chemo and two bowel operations. The tumour when removed showed evidence of vascular invasion but apart from that all seemed good.

A scan December 2019 showed no sign of cancer, but a small blood clot. I was put on blood thinning medication for 3 months. A scan in July 2020 showed no sign of cancer, no blood clots and CEA was stable.

Fast forward to December 2020 and I have built my fitness back up and I am running/spnning 6 times a week when I am hit by what I think is a chest infection. I wake up in agony Saturday night and I go to the doctor's Monday who diagnoses pleurisy and I am referred for an emergency chest scan this shows blunting to the lung, I am referred for another CT scan of the chest and they discover two blood clots on my lungs. The doctor then tells me that my blood tests have shown that my CEA has risen and combined with the blood clots it looks like my cancer has returned. I am then referred for an emergency bowel/abdomen scan. However, the scan comes back clear, but another blood clot is discovered. The doctor is shocked and we are all intially delighted, but confused.

We are now waiting for the cancer team to ring. I have been told that I will need more tests. Does anyone else have experience of this? I have asked for a PET scan. Is there anything else I should ask for. It's all a bit baffling and I am not sure what to think.I never had blood clots before all of this. I never had blood clots when I was going through treatment. Could this be a long term side effect of cancer treatment? But would this cause CEA to rise?

Thanks

court over 4 years ago

Hi @JerseyEM ,

It is absolutely fine to raise your questions here . I think you have done the correct thing in asking for a PET scan . That would give you another mechanism .

Has your CEA been rising for a while and established an upward trend ?

My mum’s CEA has become unreliable after ten years as something else is influencing it . It can rise for a few months . They scan , nothing is found and it drops again . I think they refer to them as false positives . Inflammation in the digestive tract can cause them to rise along with other things . However it does always drop back down again . It’s done it twice .

I think getting thoroughly scanned is very important and asking for the PET a good move .

It is very stressful but better to check thoroughly.

Take care ,

Court

Helpline Number 0808 808 0000

FormerMember over 4 years ago in reply to court

Hi Court,

Thank you so much for your reply.

This is the first time my CEA has risen since finishing cancer treatment. I'm going to push for PET scan and I guess another blood test to check CEA would be good too.

court over 4 years ago in reply to FormerMember

Think they get more concerned if it continues on an upward trajectory. I guess they will also want to exclude any other reason for the blood clots . They sound thorough .

Hopefully it will be nothing but good on you for being proactive . My mum always is and it’s stood her in good stead .

My mum has an embolism in her abdomen and we wonder if it plays a part in her new CEA issue as they arrived around the same time . But only a guess !
Take care ,

Court

Helpline Number 0808 808 0000

Gemmary over 4 years ago

Hi, , just a thought , have they ruled out covid? I went through various tests to rule out blood clots as a result of long covid, as that can cause blood clots. Not saying you've got itis now, but may have had it?

Take care, anyhow.

FormerMember over 4 years ago in reply to Gemmary

Hi,

Thanks for your reply,

Yes, when I thought it was a chest infection I went for a COVID test and it came back negative.