Beverly Hills, CA
A 30-year-old female asked:
Colon cancer stage 3b but after surgery cea level dropped from 13 to 1.8 what does it mean?
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

Dr. Kenneth Smithanswered
Internal Medicine 34 years experience
Tumor markers: Cea is a tumor marker it does not occur with all colon cancers but the fact that it dropped so abruptly is a positive sign. The marker has the ability to be used to monitor for recurrence. This does by no means indicates you are done. There are a number of treatments for colon cancer and you should recruit the serviceces of a board certified medical oncologist for an opinion on tx options.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Allen Kamravaanswered
Colon and Rectal Surgery 17 years experience
That is good: That is a good thing. We use CEA for surveillance. 1.8 is a very good number. Your docs will follow the CEA now to see if it rises as a way to detect recurrence.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Feb 13, 2015
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