Has Anyone had a Carcinoembryonic Antigen Test? Is <0.5ng/ml a good score?

[Shorehousejam]

This is the result of my Carcinoembryonic Antigen

Your Value

<0.5 ng/mL

Standard Range

<=3.0 ng/mL

Non-Smoker: <= 3.0

Smoker: <= 5.0

As of February 2017, this test is performed on the Siemens Centaur using Chemiluminescent Immunoassay. Values obtained with different assay methods or kits cannot be used interchangeably. The results cannot be interpreted as absolute evidence of the presence or absence of malignant disease.

[Don_1213]

Not having a clue (clew for the UK people?).. I googled it, and the Google AI engine came back with:

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a protein that is normally found in very low levels in the blood of adults. CEA is a type of "tumor marker" and is most commonly used for colorectal cancer. CEA levels may be increased in certain types of cancer and non-cancerous conditions.

The normal range for CEA is 0 to 2.5 nanograms per milliliter of blood (ng/mL). Levels greater than 10 ng/mL suggest extensive disease, and levels greater than 20 ng/mL suggest the cancer may be spreading.

Doctors don't use the CEA test to make a first-time diagnosis of cancer because many other diseases can cause the levels of this protein to rise. And some people with cancer don't have high CEA levels.

This is for informational purposes only. This information does not constitute medical advice or diagnosis.

Reading this - if the AI engine gave a reasonable result, it sounds like a decent test to have done, but you can't say that it's a for-sure indication of cancer or not "And some people with cancer don't have high CEA levels. "

I'll be interested to hear if anyone else has had it done. Did insurance cover it? If so, I'll ask my medical oncologist if he sees value in it.

[Don_1213]

I'll just add having read your extensive reports on your cancer - since your cancer is one that can express little PSA - this test may be the best test you can get to determine if there is still active cancer cells in your body.

[Shorehousejam in reply to Don_1213]

According to my MO I express a lot of PSA I am a Gleason 9 5+4

After my radical prostatectomy with limited lymph node removal I was upgraded to a 9 from an 8, and no seminal vessel invasion, nodes negative for PCA, perhaps because of successful docetaxel chemotherapy

[Don_1213 in reply to Shorehousejam]

I realize that - but the type of cancer you have listed in your bio is one that "typically" doesn't express a lot of PSA. And I think I have you beat - Epstein upped me from a 9 to a 10 - I rang the bell so to speak.. 😁 (kidding.. it is serious stuff..)

[Shorehousejam in reply to Don_1213]

It all absolutely sucks, 4 is related to Ductal and to me Ductal is not a good thing

[Medline]

Chromogranin A (CgA), Neuron specific enolase (NSE), Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) are biomarkers that can be used to evaluate patients with neuroendocrine tumors. The sensitivity and specificity of each biomarker varies, and their diagnostic value depends on the type and extent of the disease.

[Shorehousejam]

Tall_Allen Do you if My result of my Carcinoembryonic Antigen

My Value <0.5 ng/mL is a good value or Low?

Standard Range

<=3.0 ng/mL

Non-Smoker: <= 3.0

Smoker: <= 5.0

[Benkaymel in reply to Shorehousejam]

If the normal range is 0 to 3.0 and you are 0.5, that sounds good to me.

[Shorehousejam in reply to Benkaymel]

I hope so, thank you

[Justfor_]

I had the CEA test prior to biopsy. Result 0.5 with normal ranges 4.8 for non-smokers and 5.6 smokers. The doc said that it didn't mean anything at that point. It's prognostic value is minimal. When it goes north, everything else has been in the red zone way long before it.