I had some blood work done which will chart my tumor markers, specifically something called CEA… My last oncologist never did this test, so I have idea what my baseline was, but Burzynski Clinic uses them, as does MD Anderson, so I have to hope they mean Something.
From what I’ve found online, it appears that some Drs find Tumor Markers a good resource, while others don’t place much weight on such tests as a diagnosing tool.
My EGFR (Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor, aka HER1) is 86, reference range is 67-87, so it appears that I am “borderline”.
EGFR: The protein found on the surface of some cells and to which the epidermal growth factor binds, causing the cells to divide. This epidermal growth factor receptor is found at abnormally high levels on the surface of many types of cancer cells, and may be why these cells divide as actively as they do. Also known as EGFR or ErbB1.
My HER2 (Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor) is 2.8, reference range is <11.5, so it appears that I am good on that one…
HER2: A gene that helps control how cells grow, divide, and repair themselves, important in the control of abnormal or defective cells that could become cancerous.
My CEA as of April 15 2009 is 63.1 ng/mL
I’m told that is high…
The cost is pretty expense, I’ll look around at other labs and see if I can get a break…
What is a Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) Tumor Marker Test?
“Question: What is a Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) Tumor Marker Test?
A carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) tumor marker test is a blood test that is done during treatment to monitor your progress. The results of this test may show how effective your treatment is on your cancer.
Answer:
About Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)
The carcinoembryonic antigen is a protein that shows up in your blood, and is normally found in the tissue of a developing fetus. After birth, the mother’s blood levels of CEA should disappear. Smoking produces higher than normal levels of CEA, so you should abstain from smoking for several days prior to your test.
Normal and Abnormal Results of Your CEA Test
A normal value of CEA is a range from 0 to 2.5 micrograms per liter (mcg/L). For a smoker, expected levels of CEA range from 0 to 5.0 micrograms per liter (mcg/L). High levels of CEA may be an indication of cancer, but some people will test high, even though they do not have cancer. The results of a CEA test must be considered along with your symptoms, general health, lifestyle factors and the results of other tests.
Uses For the CEA Blood Test
Doctors may use the CEA blood test for a variety of reasons:
Other Tumor Marker Info:
“Tumor Markers; AFP, HCG, CA-125
Tumor markers are molecules occurring in blood or tissue that are associated with cancer and whose measurement or identification is useful in patient diagnosis or clinical management. The ideal marker would be a “blood test” for cancer in wich a positive result would occur only in patients with malignancy, one that would correlate with stage and response to treatment and that was easily and reproducibly measured. No tumor marker now available has met this ideal.
Tumor markers can be used for one of four purposes: (1) screening a healthy population or a high risk population for the presence of cancer; (2) making a diagnosis of cancer or of a specific type of cancer; (3) determining the prognosis in a patient; (4) monitoring the course in a patient in remission or while receiving surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy.
No test meets all of those requirements. Specifically, no marker has been established as a pratical cancer screening tool either in a general healthy population or in most high risk poulations. The reason for this is the relative lack of sensitivity and specificity of the available tests, given the low prevalence of cancers in most population groups. Given the low prevalence of cancer in general, even tests that are highly sensitive and specific may have low predictive values.
Tumor markers include many substances that are not readily systematically organized.Those discussed here are generally products or the cancer cell, although none is unique to cancer cells; they represent aberrant tumor production of a normal element. Some markers are produced by the organism in response to the cancer’s presence.“
