CEA Levels on follow ups post diagnosis

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Five years later - following on from my Bowel cancer diagnosis in 2019 - then mets. to Lung in 2020 - which was a left hemicolectomy, followed by 5 mths of Chemo & , lung ablation, the following year.

Follow ups are yearly CT scans & 6 monthly blood CEA levels.

My CT scan was clear back in Jan. this year, & I have just received a phone call from my colorectal nurse - telling me that my CEA results are also normal.

I often see here that people are worried about 'numbers' of CEA levels. However - When I was diagnosed, my results were 10. Following treatment - my levels have been from 4 - 6. consistently. My Colorectal nurse assures me that those numbers are personal to me - despite the fact that CEA Levels 'should' be under 3 according to guidelines.

I'm not sure that CEA Levels in bloods are an accurate indication of Bowel Cancer.....

Five years later - I am still alive!

Best

Marianne

court 4 months ago

Great news Marianne26 . That’s the thing with CEA . With time you get to know what is within the range of normal for you .

Delighted for you . Hope you are still enjoying life .

Court

Helpline Number 0808 808 0000

Kareno62 4 months ago

Fabulous news Marianne26 and as Court says, you get to know what’s normal for you

Lovely to hear from you and take care

Karen x

Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

Betty Bottom 4 months ago

I just got my results yesterday, I had major surgery to remove the tumour and then 6 months of chemo. The result was 3.3 a rise from 2,8Just read up anything above 2.9, the nurse didn’t seem concerned?

court 4 months ago in reply to Betty Bottom

https://www.exeterlaboratory.com/test/carcinoembryonic-antigen-cea/#:~:text=Approximately%2085%25%20of%20adults%20have,levels%20above%2010%20ng%2FmL.

You might find this a reassuring read . My mum has had her CEA read for 15 years and it would bounce around a little when she was having clear scans . They only start to worry when it tracks upwards more than once . This article seems to suggest they would look more carefully if there was a twenty percent increase twice . In hindsight that’s when they would scan my mum .
But most of the time the next time she has it drawn it was back down again .

Take care ,

Court

Helpline Number 0808 808 0000

Kareno62 4 months ago in reply to Betty Bottom

Hi Betty Bottom Although this post is a couple of years old it gives a good explanation about CEA increases

Managing your follow up & CEA

Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

Marianne26 4 months ago in reply to Kareno62

Thank you Karen & court Very useful information! x