I was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009. J Clin Oncol. Last year, during my normal checkup, CEA was run again and to my surprise.9.7. And for some people, CEA isn't even a good indicator. I had a CT with contrast done a few weeks prior to meeting up with my oncologist and having the CEA done. Most healthy people have levels below this amount. Can CEA levels fluctuate during chemotherapy? I had melanoma on my right forearm, which resulted in a surgery leaving a 32 stitch scar. What is considered a high tumor marker number? I can certainly understand your concern about the increase in the CEA number. Why is the separation of executive legislative and judicial powers necessary? Elevated circulating CEA levels occur in patients with benign gastrointestinal and hepatic disorders. I just had my 1st year colonoscopy this morning, following a clean CT scan. Levels > 10 ng/ml suggest extensive disease and levels > 20 ng/ml suggest metastatic disease. The fact is that stress is bad for you. I am new to these discussion boards, and was diagnosed with stage 1 colon cancer in September 2016. Please enable it to take advantage of the complete set of features! In adults, an abnormal level of CEA may be a sign of cancer. You can return home the same day. If you have a blood test, you may have mild pain or bruising where your provider inserted the needle. Spinal cord (cerebrospinal fluid or CSF). Yes, CEA can increase due to many non-cancer factors including just being stressed/run-down. You may be asked to empty your bladder and bowels before a CSF or peritoneal fluid test. Less commonly, your provider may test fluid from your: In these cases, your provider takes a small fluid sample using a needle or syringe. Consistent with our finding, there are reports suggesting that stress can increase tumor growth and tumor marker expression . Use an X-ray image to guide the needle to the correct position. Thus, we suggest that exercise for 2-3 days per week decreases the expression of CEA and improves body condition, without loading fatigue or stress, which may contribute to preventing cancer in the elderly women. Expression levels and clinical significance of miR-203 and miR-133b in laryngeal carcinoma. Research indicates that false-positive results are reported with concentrations as high as 35 ng/mL. The doctor had my blood sent to the Mayo clinic for testing and genetic screening. Although I feel fortunate that my cancer was caught early, I still have worries about my CEA blood tests and it is causing me anxiety. Elevated serum CEA is not highly specific for colon cancer recurrence, while various other gastrointestinal disorders such as pancreatitis, peptic ulcer disease, biliary tract abnormalities (benign or malignant) and liver disorders may contribute to increased serum CEA and false-positive results . Normal range may vary somewhat depending on the brand of assay used. Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Consistent with . My doctors are not worried, but my next colonoscopy will be a year from my surgery date. Yes, CEA can increase due to many non-cancer factors including just being stressed/run-down. Tumor markers are substances that are either made by cancer or made by the body in response to cancer. You dont need any special preparations for a CEA blood test or a pleural fluid test. What is inflammation What are the symptoms and signs of inflammation? I can certainly understand your concern about the increase", "@spedteacher At the request of @hopeful33250 I am responding to you. I hope you get them sorted soon. 2022 Aug 25;9:945433. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.945433. I'm sorry to hear about the lung mets, Bill. In adults, an abnormal level of CEA may be a sign of cancer. Consistent with our finding, there are reports suggesting that stress can increase tumor growth and tumor marker expression. My perioperative CEA was 5.8 (August 2016, non-smoker). Is it easy to get an internship at Microsoft? All should be well. What are normal CEA levels. He prefers not to look at CEA at all for people like me, but the other oncologist is pushing for genetic tests, and suggested I do chemo even though it isn't protocol for my stage. Had a lymphedectomy(?) Serum CEA levels fluctuate over time in healthy individuals, and the intraindividual variation has been reported to be about 30% . These levels are considered abnormal. Anticancer Res. can stress raise cea levels. Symptoms of inflammation include: Redness. 2011 Jun;22 Suppl 2:S15-7. Lots of things can make it go up further than that - and still not be tumor growth. I am aware(via reading others' posts that in the scheme of things, my CEA number is not a huge "red flag or alarm" but it is to me. Accessed 4/11/2022. When do you have your next appointment? I have mets to only my bones and I have been on Femara and Xgeva for almost 2 years. Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 04/11/2022. At present, CA 125 is most commonly used in the diagnosis of epithelial non-mucinous ovarian . Everyone is born with high levels of this protein. Bevacizumab in metastatic colorectal cancer and carcino-embryonic antigen kinetics: case report and review of literature. CEA is a blood glycoprotein. Complete your request online or contact us by phone. In contrast, the progression risk appeared to be lower for patients with CEA levels lower than 26.8 ng/mL, but a significance level was not reached. Colonoscopy. A coordinator will follow up to see if Mayo Clinic is right for you. CT with contrast is now ordered. It is concluded that a rise in CEA to greater than 8 ng/ml indicates with high degree of certainty relapse or disease progression in colorectal cancer patients. This test isnt an accurate way to screen for it because many other diseases can cause the levels of this protein to rise. A carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) test measures a specific blood glycoprotein called CEA. Thank you for all the repsonses regarding CEA blood test. He said he's had patients which had CEAs as high as 20 end up not having any cancer recurrence. Elevated levels of CEA occur when the CEA is higher than 3 ng/mL. It instead should be used in people whove been previously diagnosed with certain types of cancer, most commonly colorectal cancer. My oncologist doesn't seem to worried and has said so. But one thing is for sure and I've seen a paper state this. Conditions that can cause an increase in CA 125 include many that aren't cancerous, such as menstruation and uterine fibroids. Others have used other blood tests to supplement CEA such as CA19-9 or CA125. The level of a tumor maker may not go up until after the cancer is advanced. Some medications can increase the level of creatinine on lab tests without actually hurting the kidneys. In remission, you may need regular CEA tests to watch for possible recurrences. 3. HHS Vulnerability Disclosure, Help Locker GY, Hamilton S, Harris J, Jessup JM, Kemeny N, Macdonald JS, Somerfield MR, Hayes DF, Bast RC Jr; ASCO. I am going to see my GP in an hour. I did read the article you mentioned above. False-positive CEA elevations have been reported to occur in smokers and in patients with nonmalignant conditions, including gastrointestinal disease (eg, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, liver disease, diverticulitis, hepatitis, peptic ulcers, biliary obstruction, cirrhosis), lung disease (eg, chronic Please take care of yourself and let us know how you are doingwe all care, My CEA went up a few points too. Bookshelf Benign conditions which can elevate CEA include smoking, infections, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, and some benign tumors in the same organs in which an elevated CEA level indicates cancer. The CEA test result can be elevated among patients with early-stage disease (stage II-III). Take a deep breath - you're okay! If your CEA results were normal, you may still have cancer. Hello, I am new to this group. Biotin can affect the results of the test. False-positive CEA test results in the range of 5 to 15 ng/mL are common. CA 15-3 levels can also be elevated in healthy people, as well as in people with other cancers such as lung, pancreas, colon, ovary, or prostate. So what's left? Your CEA levels are all low. This includes some antibiotics, antacids, and cholesterol medications. Now I'm not so worried, at least until June. At that time they removed 1/3 of my colon. Thank you for all the repsonses regarding CEA blood test. Our findings clearly indicated that immobilization stress results in enhanced serum CEA level whether the stress is acute or chronic. There were two masses, one larger then the other, but they were able to remove both. I would be surprised if that fact didn't send all your numbers soaring. But, with everything, we always advise you to talk to your Oncologist if your worries persest. I believe this is called cell apoptosis (sp?). Other than the appendicial cancer caught last year considered a new primary, I was thinking when I past 3 years I could start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. Tumor markers are substances that some cancer cells make and shed into bodily fluids at times. It is just one tool in the oncology toolbox. Dropped to 3.7 after sugery. A normal CEA level for an adult non-smoker is less than 2.5 and for a smoker less than 5. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. I've had the same issue with Bayer vs Roche CEA measurements - I wish I had a good charcterization of the differences. Some forms of CRC are unlikely to be associated with elevated CEA, and also those same types have poor prognosis, however in others types of CRC, elevated CEA does correlate with poorer outcomes and suggests metastitisis to liver or lung (primarily, but others ) . Its what happens when you have been diagnosed with Cancer; especially when it has been a recent diagnosis, like yours. The normal range for CEA in an adult non-smoker is <2.5 ng/ml and for a smoker <5.0 ng/ml. My oncology surgeon, on the other hand, said that I'm one of those people who won't be able to use a CEA for diagnosis - it was 2 ish prior to surgery and 2 ish after surgery. A CEA test measures your levels of CEA. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 FAQS Clear - All Rights Reserved I'm planning to stop seeing the oncologist all together and stick with my onc surgeon, gastroenterologist and family doctor because I can't live my life with no answers. This type of no-end-in-sight stress can weaken your immune system, leaving you prone to diseases like cancer. He recommended that I have the reminder of my colon removed and attache the small intestine to the rectum. Hung there for a couple of tests. Joint pain. Inform your doctor if you are pregnant at the time of the test. Thoughts? That is why I was questioning. All Rights Reserved. However, that information will still be included in details such as numbers of replies. Mine hadnt gone over 3 until I had the remaining colon removed. The blood level of this protein disappears or becomes very low after birth. Can stress cause an increase the CEA level? My follow up is every three months bloodwork and every six months CT scans. CEA Levels. Your email address will not be published. People with many types of cancers can have levels that are higher than 3 ng/mL. I've reviewed the stats for my situation. Inserts a small needle into one of your veins, usually in your arm. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition. And some people with cancer dont have high CEA levels. My CEA level on 7/11 was 5.1. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. I am really getting worried!! The study, which followed 96 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), found that those who felt more stress and anxiety about about their condition also had a higher volume of cancer cells in their blood and higher blood levels of markers for advanced disease. Our findings clearly indicated that immobilization stress results in enhanced serum CEA level whether the stress is acute or chronic. The following non-cancer conditions can result in increased CEA levels: Certain people exposed to therapeutics that are fully or partially derived from animals like monoclonal antibodies also have elevated CEA levels. No but his office called today. This does help make me feel better. ~Ellen. to remove more and search for cancer. This is my first contribution to CSN, of many i hope and prayer and just wanted to relate a part of my fight against this terrible killer. The oncologist told me that the CEA is the most unreliable tumor marker and many things. Depending on what the next reading says, my CRC surgeon is talking about doing exploratory surgery to see if there's something in my abdomen that isn't being picked up by scans. What is a high CEA level for stage 3 colon cancer? Advanced breast cancer support group and discussion community. A swollen joint that may be warm to the touch. I know that you and a lot of folks here have equal or worse odds & worse issues to face, but the picture isn't pretty even at my shallow end of this pool. Results: Primary resection was associated with significant CEA decline in patients with CRC but not in those with breast cancer. CEA tests are generally safe. Two Cases of Transiently Elevated Serum CEA Levels in Severe Hypothyroidism without Goiter.. PubMed. As with all tumor markers, trend over time is the more important factor than any single test. Welcome to Connect. What could be going on?? False-positive results greater than 15 ng/mL are rare, and all confirmed CEA levels greater than 35 ng/mL were associated with cancer recurrence. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". If you're a non-smoker, they consider your CEA normal until its above 3.0 I've heard of some Oncologistst say 5.0. Thanks for your help. A retest was ordered to make sure that number was real.came back at 11. Does anyone have a similar experience to this? Had a CEA of 2.89 in Feb and then in May it was 4.8, but as I found out, a different lab with a different method, so even though I can't compare the two - I am trying to deal with the stress. Will you come back and let me know how your appt goes, and how you are doing? I know that I am in a good place as far as cancer goes and I feel very lucky to be here. What is the normal range for CEA blood levels? So welcome to the forum. I am ER+, PR+ and HER2 Neg. None of the lymph nodes were involved. If your CEA is 30 or above, it's pretty much a certainty there is something going on. CEA is a type of tumor marker. Typically AFP increases by about 10% as the result of smoking tobacco. Some cancers dont make tumor markers that can be found with current tests. The first step in treatment is to increase the amount of fluid and . Use of this online service is subject to the disclaimer and the terms and conditions. Cases with CEA 5 ng/mL were majorly in Stage III, whereas those with CEA >5 ng/mL were predominantly in Stage IV. Exercise is known to contribute to increased levels of potassium, urea, creatinine, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, uric acid, as well as the white blood cell count. Similarly, cortisol can be elevated as training continues. Depending on the lab, the new normal CEA level is anywhere from 4 to 5. Cleveland Clinics Robert J. Tomsich Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Institute touches virtually every patient at Cleveland Clinic and thousands of patients across the world. This past April I was in to my oncologist for my check-up and my level has increased to 6.1. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The most common elevated liver enzymes found in bloodstreams are: Alanine transaminase. Our findings clearly indicated that immobilization stress results in enhanced serum CEA level whether the stress is acute or chronic. We all ride that roller coaster one way or another, but your numbers seem great to me, so try to relax..Dave. I've been off of chemo since December 15, 2016 and my CEA has gradually moved from 1.2 in December to 3.4 yesterday. It's like running a fever, or having a high white blood count, etc. Get useful, helpful and relevant health + wellness information. On top of that, stress also contains tumor-growth-promoting factors, which elevate cancer biomarkers like CEA. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. My CEA number from the recent blood test showed my CEA to be 4.9(which the company puts an average range of 0.2.5 or up to 3.0. Our findings clearly indicated that immobilization stress results in enhanced serum CEA level whether the stress is acute or chronic. I hope you are doing good. Elevated levels of CEA occur when the CEA is higher than 3 ng/mL. Here we go again. Sekizaki, Tomonori; Yamamoto, Chiho; Nomoto, Hiroshi. There are loads of studies looking for better markers, but sadly for us that's still a 'future'. The false-positive rates of CEA according to level were as follows: 5.110.0 ng/mL, 99.5%; 10.115.0 ng/mL, 87.2%; 15.120.0 ng/mL, 100.0%; >20.0 ng/mL, 33.3%. Its so hard to deal with these blood tests! Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Pneumonias (including COVID-19 pneumonia). Probably not until next week bc my doctor will be out of the office the rest of the week. Since then my blood work has been done with the Roche test which I only had one CEA test come in just below the normal limit. Caffeine, Alcohol, and Tobacco. CR.I'm so sorry about your Mom even if you didn't have cancer that would have been so stressful to go through but you have mets to cope with on top of losing one of the most important people in your life. But I've NEVER had a CEA below 1.0. An elevated CEA may indicate a recurrence of your cancer. A doctor will interpret the results of the test. If you have values that are that high, it doesnt mean you have cancer. In addition, people who smoke cigarettes often have higher than normal CEA levels. https://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/cea/tab/test/. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted The Onc wasn't worried, but then it's not his test score, so I was, like you, nervous until the Dec. test, when it finally bumped down to 2 again. Understandably, any rise in your CEA level can cause a. It's common for people to assume that their hemorrhoids are the cause of painful bowel movements. Since they say I am young (cannot believe mid 50s is young ), pretty active and healthy (other than this one little issue ) they tell me that the 10% is not what they feel is my prognosis. I go in and get CEA done. Can stress raise CEA levels? I have had my mammogram done and it is clear, I dont have any more colon so it cant be colon cancer, I had a hysterectomy when I was in my 20s so that rules out ovarian cancer. I continue to visit my dermatologist every 4-6 months, no additional melanoma has been found.in 11 years. Can stress raise CEA levels? From medline.com, here is an article about CEA and when it may be useful https://www.healthline.com/health/cea PMC The most frequent cancer which causes an increased CEA is cancer of the colon and rectum. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Providers also use CEA along with other tests as they diagnose, treat and follow-up on a range of cancers, including bladder, breast, lung, ovarian and thyroid cancer. Pathology comes back Stage 0 appendicial cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first published case of oxaliplatin-induced rising CEA level. Alternative Names. Accessed 4/11/2022. What happens to atoms during chemical reaction? Apparently, when the cancer cell dies, it gives off CEA into the bloodstream, which temporarily makes the measured CEA level rise. It does mention about smoking being a factor to raise a CEA level. A carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) test measures CEA, a specific blood protein. I have really been stressed out over my last CEA level and can't help but think there could be something brewing with the levels going up from after the surgery but I have to try to keep thinking positive thoughts. After completion of cancer treatment to check if cancer has returned (recurrence). Categories Oncologist. Increased during chemo (which happens) to around 8. Not every pancreatic cancer will cause elevated levels of CA 19-9, and some non-cancerous conditions (like pancreatitis and jaundice) can cause high levels of CA 19-9. On april 19th 2017, 5-FU was stopped, and just got erbitux. The study, which followed 96 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), found that those who felt more stress and anxiety about about their condition also had a higher volume of cancer cells in their blood and higher blood levels of markers for advanced disease. Certain cancers may also cause an increased level of CA 125, including . Connect with thousands of patients and caregivers for support and answers. Results come back at 15.6. Consistent with our finding, there are reports suggesting that stress can increase tumor growth and tumor marker expression [26, 27]. A rising CEA level indicates progression or recurrence of the cancer. That's a hard loss at any age. The cancer had not gotten out of the colon area. But then they turn around and say high CEA numbers prior to surgery is a prognostic indicator of higher chances of recurrence and lower 5 year survivability rates. A 2019 study, for example, showed that stress hormones can increase the number of pro-tumor immune cells in tumors. de Andrade DP, Lima JP, Lima AD, Sasse AD, dos Santos LV. Alkaline phosphatase. A carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) test measures CEA, a specific blood protein. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Background. There's lots of scientific research to prove it. After you have a diagnosis, and before you have treatment and/or surgery. During pregnancy, CEA levels tend to be high. They insert the needle or syringe into your chest or lower back. I received my first chemo therapy treatment on Oct 25th 2016 of 5-FU and oxyplatin with pump to take home with 46 hrs of 5-FU in it. Dianne, have you had an appointment with your oncologist since receiving the results of this latest test? Please meet @travelgirl @martid @ilene1 @soul @brglight @nannytart @bush @sallyg @starrlight and @joannem. A high level of CEA can be a sign Diabetes, smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and colonic polyps were considered as causes of false elevation. Copyright 2000-2022 Cancer Survivors Network. In contrast, the progression risk appeared to be lower for patients with CEA levels lower than 26.8 ng/mL, but a significance level was not reached. Also, high levels of CEA can be sign of a noncancerous health condition. 20% of recurrences have no elevated CEA, and at CEA of 10, 68% of recurrences are identified with a positive, while 97% of negatives are true. They are not very "specific," meaning non-cancer health issues can also cause these levels to be higher. All of my other blood and urine numbers came out within a normal range. It can cause you to overeat, overeat and drink, or over-compensate for the stress. However a steadily increasing trend does merit attention "Hi Dianne, Welcome to Connect. Hi Dianne, There was nothing to indicate the rise in CEA levels so I go back in 3 months for recheck. Fast forward to my recent check up just over a month ago. Hello Ginger, Your provider then tests it every one to three months during active treatment. I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem? My oncologist tends to rely more on scans and blood work and my overall well being and keep me grounded to not get too excited (CEA is elevated in 19% of smokers and only 3% of the non-smoking healthy population.) My mom passed away last week (July 19th) and the two weeks have been very stressful. What can you do about the kink in the intestine causing constipation and pain? Regarding CA 19-9, five patients had the . At this point I have a 10% chance of being here in three years based on stats. Many healthy people have normal level of tumor makers, which is called normal range, reference range or reference interval on lab reports. She is seeing a different oncologist and the same topic came up about CEA rise and when one should worry. High CEA levels may also be a sign of some noncancerous conditions, such as cirrhosis, noncancerous breast disease, and emphysema. And the cancerous polyp I had was in situ with only the surface of the polyp having cancerous cells. First, I'm not sure that 3 weeks is enough time to wait between tests to see if there is a trend. The recurrence of colorectal polyps was significantly associated with increased CEA and CA19-9 levels. and transmitted securely. It is a red flag if the CEA remains elevated after surgery, possibly indicating residual disease, ie, cancer that was not removed. Healthy cells also may make tumor markers in very low levels. But this test isnt used in isolation. Tumor marker levels may be higher when there is cancer in the body. On the same train of thought, well differentiated tumors are felt to be a better prognostic indicator over poorly differentiated tumor cells which they say express less CEA. The cancer had not gotten out of the colon area. When the body experiences high levels of chronic stress, it releases more cortisol, the primary stress hormone.A higher serum cortisol level causes the body to decrease insulin secretion. I also had routine colonoscopies when I turned 50(completely clear) and 60( removed benign polups. Anticancer Drugs. This changed the scale for what was considered normal. I continued with FOL-FOX and erbitux until April 5th 2017 when oxilplatin was stopped. An important study on stress and BPH (benign prostatic . Your provider will combine it with physical examination and imaging as needed. Frankly, I don't think doctors and medical scientists know everything around what CEA means to someone's prognosis. I hope you have someone in your life holding your hand right now and helping you get through this traumatic time. Epub 2020 Sep 8. I don't think your CEA's are anything to worry about. CEA is a protein normally found in the tissue of a developing baby in the womb. It wasnt out of the colon. Epub 2009 Oct 27. Everyone thinks, this was the cause of my CEA spike. Before I switched clinics, the lab at this clinic changed assay methods and went with the Roche test. I'm not in a position to second guess your Docs or mine, but colon cancer often metastesizes to lung, liver, peritoneum, pancreas, where it can still elevate CEA. 11. GI doc tells me there were some things found but nothing that points to any cancer issues in my small bowel. Worried about rising CEA levels. The reference range is 0-2.9 ng/mL of blood. This was in November of 2016. Key Takeaways: Tumor markers are substances found in the blood. What questions or next steps would be reasonable to ask her? You could test them twice a day and they would be different. I will keep everyone posted on the outcome of both the CT scan and my flexoidoscoy. My heart goes out to you and I am sending you a hug {{{{{{{{ }}}}}}}}. People with many types of cancers can have levels that are higher than 3 ng/mL. a signal of prostate disease, was three times higher for men with high levels of stress! What can cause CEA to be elevated? Talked to my CRC surgeon about what is going on. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the False-positive results greater than 15 ng/mL are rare, and all confirmed CEA levels greater than 35 ng/mL were associated with cancer recurrence. Stress hormones also induce the proliferation of . Sperling Prostate Center (877) 605-2737. Your healthcare provider may use a CEA test to guide cancer treatment or to see if treatment is working. Our findings clearly indicated that immobilization stress results in enhanced serum CEA level whether the stress is acute or chronic. For example, smoking cigarettes may increase your CEA levels. Reply. CEA levels that start low and later increase can point to cancer that has come back after a patient has completed treatment. Required fields are marked *. As stress related to workout frequency, intensity, and calorie demand increases throughout a season, cortisol levels slowly increase as well. CEA levels can be an indicator of how well cancer is responding to treatment.CEA levels can also rise even when there is no cancer present. Required fields are marked *. These are usually less than 10 ng/ml. This test isn't an accurate way to screen for it because many other diseases can cause the levels of this protein to rise .