Laurie

[Guest guest]

Hi Laurie --

You had asked me what a " serial rise " in CEA is. It is a step-wise

rise over time. Last summer, my CEA was 1.5. At Christmas, it was

2.6, still below normal for a non-smoker. It March, it was 4.5, but

this was not reported to em. In May, it was 5.2, and my oncologist

mentioned it to me. Since I am a stage four colon cancer patient, I

have my CEA and CT done here in Saskatchewan about every 3 to 4

months, and more frequently if needed. At this point, I talked them

into sending me to Alberta for a PET scan at their cost. My CEA was

6.7 in July and the PET scan showed two spots of high glucose uptake

in the upper lobe of my right lung. Those spots are now gone thanks

to lung resection, and the pathology report showed them to be colon

cancer metastases. My CEA in Sept. had fallen to 1.6.

There are ways that CEAs, CTs, PETs and PET/CTs can all be

inaccurate. The CEA test is not specific to colon cancer, and can

be influenced by other things (chemo?). CTs are not too accurate on

finding mets outside the liver and lungs. PETs have false

positives. PET/CTs have the occasional false negative. In my case,

Alberta requested my latest CT scan (which was about 2 weeks old)

and compared it to their PET scan. Once I got back to Saskatchewan,

I had lung surgery within 3 days, due to a cancellation. I jumped

at the chance, although it was sudden.

Barry

[Guest guest]

Hi Barry,

You are so very right about different things showing a uptake on a

PET. The Oncologist told us a infection or inflamation will also

show dark. has had 4 PET's and the pelvic area showed dark

twice and then on the third one it had resolved itself. He had not

started the Xeloda on the first 3 so they decided that it must have

been a chronic inflamation that had somewhat healed itself. On his

last and 4th one the dark area was back so that's when we decided to

go for the Trans Rectal Ultrasound. The Surgeon that did the

ultrasound said it did not show any malignancy in his opinion, but

the only way to be 100% positive was to go in for a needle biopsy

thru a ultrasound. They could not do it Thursday because he was not

put to sleep.

As far as the CEA goes, the Oncologist makes a chart or graph and

said that a continual rise is what gets him concerned. As you know

's followed almost the same path as yours did and you both had

the reoccurance in the lung.

It's so good to see you posting again. Hope your recovery is moving

along nicely.

Best Wishes,

Joyce

> Hi Laurie --

>

> You had asked me what a " serial rise " in CEA is. It is a step-

wise

> rise over time. Last summer, my CEA was 1.5. At Christmas, it

was

> 2.6, still below normal for a non-smoker. It March, it was 4.5,

but

> this was not reported to em. In May, it was 5.2, and my

oncologist

> mentioned it to me. Since I am a stage four colon cancer patient,

I

> have my CEA and CT done here in Saskatchewan about every 3 to 4

> months, and more frequently if needed. At this point, I talked

them

> into sending me to Alberta for a PET scan at their cost. My CEA

was

> 6.7 in July and the PET scan showed two spots of high glucose

uptake

> in the upper lobe of my right lung. Those spots are now gone

thanks

> to lung resection, and the pathology report showed them to be

colon

> cancer metastases. My CEA in Sept. had fallen to 1.6.

>

> There are ways that CEAs, CTs, PETs and PET/CTs can all be

> inaccurate. The CEA test is not specific to colon cancer, and can

> be influenced by other things (chemo?). CTs are not too accurate

on

> finding mets outside the liver and lungs. PETs have false

> positives. PET/CTs have the occasional false negative. In my

case,

> Alberta requested my latest CT scan (which was about 2 weeks old)

> and compared it to their PET scan. Once I got back to

Saskatchewan,

> I had lung surgery within 3 days, due to a cancellation. I jumped

> at the chance, although it was sudden.

>

>

> Barry