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What Causes Increased CEA Level Following Colon Cancer Surgery?
Question: Is it a worry if cea level has increased by 1 point following colon cancer surgery. My dad had surgery march to remove tumor_ was a dukes c1.
He is refusing chemo- but cea was 3 in may and was 4 in june?
He is refusing chemo- but cea was 3 in may and was 4 in june?
Brief Answer:
nothing to worry
Detailed Answer:
Though there is a rise in CEA, it is still within normal limits and not of concern. Only concern is your father refusing therapy. If there is clear cut indication for chemotherapy and if your father is refusing chemotherapy then it is of concern as colon cancer is one with excellent survival rates and outcome depends on proper plan of therapy including timely chemotherapy.
CEA is usually done every 3 months in the first two years of follow up and if there is increase then scans are done to look for disease recurrence. Treatment decisions are never based on CEA alone and in certain people CEA never rises. Hence do not give too much credence to CEA value and look if there are new symptoms. Also it is not necessary to repeat the test every month.
Take care
nothing to worry
Detailed Answer:
Though there is a rise in CEA, it is still within normal limits and not of concern. Only concern is your father refusing therapy. If there is clear cut indication for chemotherapy and if your father is refusing chemotherapy then it is of concern as colon cancer is one with excellent survival rates and outcome depends on proper plan of therapy including timely chemotherapy.
CEA is usually done every 3 months in the first two years of follow up and if there is increase then scans are done to look for disease recurrence. Treatment decisions are never based on CEA alone and in certain people CEA never rises. Hence do not give too much credence to CEA value and look if there are new symptoms. Also it is not necessary to repeat the test every month.
Take care
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Although in normal limits still in normal ppl it should not rise by 1 point right ?
Are survival rates good for stage c?
Are survival rates good for stage c?
Brief Answer:
CEA within normal is acceptable
Detailed Answer:
nothing is absolute. CEA normal is mentioned in range which means anything below upper limit is normal. There can be fluctuations in value. if u repeat today value might be different. never expect same value always.
Prognosis for colon cancer is good only if complete treatment including chemotherapy is given and that too in proper time and dose. Hard to predict long term outcome without proper therapy
CEA within normal is acceptable
Detailed Answer:
nothing is absolute. CEA normal is mentioned in range which means anything below upper limit is normal. There can be fluctuations in value. if u repeat today value might be different. never expect same value always.
Prognosis for colon cancer is good only if complete treatment including chemotherapy is given and that too in proper time and dose. Hard to predict long term outcome without proper therapy
Note: For further queries related to kidney problems Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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