Hello. Just wondering about CEA blood tests. Have just had my latest 3 monthly result and noticed it was up by .8, from 1.1 to 1.9. I know that is well within the normal range, but does anything affect the readings? Like diet and so on? I'm not too worried, but don't want it to keep on rising. Recent colonoscopy was very reassuring. Next one in 3 years and nothing snipped out to examine. Best wishes to all.
Dont worry about the readings the most important thing is the colonosopy, if that is good in my opinion you will be OK. I had colon cancer 12 years ago Duke 3 I obsessed about the readings during the time I was having chemotherapy following surgery. The only thing I bother about now are the colonoscopies. As for diet I dont know but I used olive oil instead of any other fats for anything to do with cooking and ate very little sugar based products, red meat about every month and fish and veg a lot. I am not sure this helps but I hope it does as it is really worrying. Best wishes j
Hi don't know much about the cea readings ,but you said next colonoscopy was in 3 years ,I had a colonoscopy 2 years ago and it was squeaky clean my last one because of blood show showed cancer, so I will certainly be having a colonoscopy every year, I had surgery 7 weeks ago and they said I was dukes A and was now in the clear,but will certainly have the colonoscopy regular,
Thanks Eistevo. Any worries or symptoms and I must tell my Dr or colorectal specialist. Otherwise another routine one in 2017. A CT scan will be done next April, also routine 18 months after the surgery. My nurse assured me that a variation in CEA readings every 3 months is very common and as it is still well in the normal range, I am not to worry. So I'll try not to, but I do quite often. All the best for your progress.