CEA/ CA 19-9

Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #84453
    marions
    Moderator

    jessrose…….agree with your attitude. On it’s own these markers are not given much credence but are taking in account with supporting scans, patient symptoms, etc. Glad to are stepping back a bit and allow yourself to relax.
    Hugs,
    Marion

    #84452
    jessrose
    Spectator

    Thanks Marion. I’m trying not to read into it too much. I have read that the CA 19-9 is actually a better marker anyway and that CEA can be influenced by liver irritations (which happens while on Xeloda). I haven’t heard back from my doc yet about another scan though. He will probably just want me to wait until September. My CA 19-9 and CEA were both normal when I had my recurrence (or they just didn’t get it all) in January, so who knows.

    #84451
    marions
    Moderator

    Jess….I recall similar stories in where the CEA markers went on an upward trend and then (for no explainable reason) went in the opposite direction again. Perhaps the upcoming blood tests will show a clearer picture as well.
    Hugs,
    Marion

    #10470
    jessrose
    Spectator

    Hi all,

    I’m on Xeloda since my last resection in February. I had a clean scan in June. However, today I got back some upsetting blood test results. My CEA number, which has bobbing along at different levels below normal made a fairly big jump from 2.3 to 3.8 ng/ml in three weeks (according to my hospital, normal is 3.7 or below). The weird thing is that my CA 19-9 number, which usually fluctuates up and down in lock step with my CEA has stayed almost exactly the same since April. My doc tells me that Xeloda has a bigger impact on CEA than CA 19-9. I’m obviously not happy about this. All my other blood work looks great, with the exception of my RDW, which is 24%.

    I emailed my doc to see if I should have another scan. I am scheduled to have another in September anyway.

    Any thoughts?

Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • The forum ‘Chemotherapy & More’ is closed to new topics and replies.