CEA

Over the past few years I have developed a close relationship with CEA, but it is a very volatile relationship.

CEA is carcinoembryonic antigen and is produced when colon cancer is established outside the colon through a process called Metastasis.  Before my colon resection my CEA level was less than one which typically means that the cancer had not spread even though it was well established at the original site.  Generally any level below 5 can be caused a number of fairly normal conditions.  Between 5 and 10 would indicate some form of lesion or colon related trouble, but not necessarily malignant cancer.  A CEA of over 10 indicates that colon cancer has almost certainly spread and over 20 would indicate the presence of many small or few large metastatic tumors.