Does Elevated CEA Levels Indicate Enlarged Prostate?

Posted on Wed, 17 Dec 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 17 Dec 2014 Answered on

Mon, 12 Jan 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : Had colon cancer surgery XXXXXXX 18, 2014. Findings revealed stage III with 2 lymphnodes. Decided against chemo, and opt for a plant based diet+alkaline diet. CEA levels increased to 6.2, but catscan does not reveal anything...could CEA be eleveted because of a enlarged prostate? I am taking tamsulosin hcl for my enlarged prostate - I am also an ex 37 years smoker - since surgery, CEA has fluxcuated between 3.1 and 6.2

Answered by Dr. Indu Kumar (57 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Increased CEA is not related to enlarged prostate.

Detailed Answer:

Hello XXXX,

Increased CEA may be due to small residual or recurrent tumour.
I suggest you to go for contrast MRI (Abdomen) or PET scan. It can exclude the possibility of residual/recurrent tumour. It is superior to CT scan.

You should also consider again for chemotherapy. It is the treatment protocol for stage 3 cancer.

CEA is not related to enlarge prostate. Estimation of PSA should be done for enlarged prostate. You are taking right medicines for enlarged prostate.

Get well soon.
Hope I have answered your query
Further queries are most welcome.

Take Care
Dr.Indu XXXXXXX

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju