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Breast Cancer (Expert Forum)
CEA tumor marker question
Questions posted in the Breast Cancer Forum are answered by medical professionals from The Cleveland Clinic. Topics include Breast Biopsy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, Lumps, Lumpectomy, Lymph node dissection, Lymphedema, Mammograms, Mastectomy, Radiation Therapy, Reconstruction, Self Breast Exam, and Surgery.
CEA tumor marker question
by saskia, Aug 22, 2004 12:00AM
Hello,
My mom was diagnosed with stage 111 estrogen positive breast cancer with some (I think 9) lymph node involvement in 2003. She has had a mastectomy followed by chemo, breast implant and radiation. Except for the Radiation burn side effects she feels fine, no pains or unusual symptoms in her body. Her oncologist recently did a blood test and found her tumor marker is 30 and is now wanting to follow up with a bone and cat scan. (She had scans in Dec 2003 prior to chemo/radiation and there was no mets to organs). My mom is distraught and very anxious about the scans. I am trying to be brave and ask the oncologist questions and do research. My mom is a non smoker, 57 and is also scheduled for a colonoscopy in October. What exactly does this CEA marker mean? Is it for sure a sign her cancer is back? Have you seen people with markers of 30? Thank you for all your answers.
My mom was diagnosed with stage 111 estrogen positive breast cancer with some (I think 9) lymph node involvement in 2003. She has had a mastectomy followed by chemo, breast implant and radiation. Except for the Radiation burn side effects she feels fine, no pains or unusual symptoms in her body. Her oncologist recently did a blood test and found her tumor marker is 30 and is now wanting to follow up with a bone and cat scan. (She had scans in Dec 2003 prior to chemo/radiation and there was no mets to organs). My mom is distraught and very anxious about the scans. I am trying to be brave and ask the oncologist questions and do research. My mom is a non smoker, 57 and is also scheduled for a colonoscopy in October. What exactly does this CEA marker mean? Is it for sure a sign her cancer is back? Have you seen people with markers of 30? Thank you for all your answers.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-RN,MSN-rf, Aug 23, 2004 12:00AM
Dear saskia: The CEA is a non specific (as far as breast cancer goes) tumor marker. It is used most commonly to follow known cancers of the colon. It does not mean that the cancer is back nor does it mean that she has colon cancer. We do not use such markers at our clinic because it creates worry and provides little information about the cancer. More investigation must be done to look for cancer. Now that she has this information, scans are necessary to be sure there is no cancer. Hopefully, these will be negative.
