Table of Contents
What is considered a high CEA level?
Levels of CEA higher than 20 ng/mL are considered very high. If you have CEA levels this high and you also have symptoms of cancer, it strongly suggests the cancer has not been removed successfully after treatment. It may also suggest that the cancer has metastasized, or spread, to other parts of your body.
What is a bad CEA level?
Compared to the median level of 26.8 ng/mL, patients with CEA levels of >69 ng/mL were at a significantly elevated risk for progression. 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.
What is a CEA level in colon cancer?
A CEA value of greater than 8 ng/ml was highly suggestive of residual disease or recurrence, even when no clinical evidence was present. Approximately 90% of the patients dying from colorectal cancer showed an increase in CEA to greater than 8 ng/ml during the course of the disease.
What is a good CEA result?
The CEA is measured in the blood and the normal range is <2.5 ng/ml in an adult non-smoker and <5.0 ng/ml in a smoker. The most common cancers that elevate CEA are in the colon and rectum but it can be elevated with gastric, ovarian and other cancers.
What happens if CEA is high?
A high level of CEA can be a sign of certain types of cancers. These include cancers of the colon and rectum, prostate, ovary, lung, thyroid, or liver. High CEA levels may also be a sign of some noncancerous conditions, such as cirrhosis, noncancerous breast disease, and emphysema.
What is considered a CEA flare?
For the study, a CEA flare was defined as a ≥ 15% rise from baseline (at least 4 ug/L), followed by a subsequent ≥ 15% decrease from baseline in CEA level within four to six weeks of initial treatment.
Can chemo cause CEA to rise?
An initial rise of CEA during chemotherapy in colorectal cancer patients may therefore not always indicate progression of disease but may be a transient CEA surge in patients responding to chemotherapy.
What is a high CEA level for Stage 4 colon cancer?
Conclusions Patients with stage IV colon and rectal cancer with a CEA level greater than or equal to 275 ng/mL and an ALB level less than 2.7g/dL had a significantly shorter survival time.
Does high CEA always mean cancer?
A higher-than-normal CEA level that increases over time might signal that your cancer has grown or has come back after treatment. But high levels of CEA do not always mean you have cancer. These other conditions can also increase levels: Breast cysts.
What does a CEA level of 5 mean?
A normal result is less than 5 nanograms per milliliter. Results might vary between labs. A higher-than-normal CEA level that increases over time might signal that your cancer has grown or has come back after treatment. But high levels of CEA do not always mean you have cancer.
What is normal range for CEA marker?
Normal Results The normal range is 0 to 2.5 ng/mL (0 to 2.5 µg/L). In smokers, slightly higher values may be considered normal (0 to 5 ng/mL, or 0 to 5 µg/L).
What does a low level of CEA mean?
A low level of CEA. This may mean your tumor is small and the cancer has not spread to other parts of your body. A high level of CEA. This may mean you have a larger tumor and/or your cancer may have spread.
What do you need to know about the CEA test?
It is a protein found in the tissues of a developing baby. CEA levels normally become very low or disappear after birth. Healthy adults should have very little or no CEA in their body. This test measures the amount of CEA in the blood, and sometimes in other body fluids. CEA is a type of tumor marker.
What does a high CEA test mean for cancer?
A normal result is less than 5 nanograms per milliliter. Results might vary between labs. A higher-than-normal CEA level that increases over time might signal that your cancer has grown or has come back after treatment. But high levels of CEA do not always mean you have cancer.
What happens to your CEA levels after birth?
CEA levels normally become very low or disappear after birth. Healthy adults should have very little or no CEA in their body. This test measures the amount of CEA in the blood, and sometimes in other body fluids. CEA is a type of tumor marker.