Elevated CEA

Hi..my sister has stage 3c colon cancer.  she had surgery and starts chemo next week.   I'm very concerned because she was just told her cea level is 18 post surgery.  they did not take it before surgery.   i know that is elevated.  my question is...does that suggest metastasis?  Or can it also mean that there are cancer cells floating around that haven't found a home?  it's been 6 weeks since her surgery so i'm also curious if it might take longer than 6 weeks for cea levels to return to normal after surgery.   and--can a person have an elevated cea post surgery of 18 and still beat this with chemo?   your thoughts are appreciated.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

CEA by itself does not look at metastasis.  A CT scan would be needed, and if inconclusive, a PET scan can be done.  

The CEA make take some time to normalize - and may differ from patient to patient.  It is normally recommended to be done at regular intervals after surgery to ensure the cancer did not return.

I would discuss this question with your sister's oncologist.  

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin Pho, M.D.
www.kevinmd.com
www.twitter.com/kevinmd