What Causes Rise In CEA Level After A Surgery?

Posted on Thu, 3 Jul 2014

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

Thu, 3 Jul 2014 Answered on

Thu, 24 Jul 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : If the cea value has risen from 3 to 4 in 1 month is this possibly a re occurence ?

My father had surgery in march to remove a tumor in colon . He was a dukes c1.

Answered by Dr. Ashish Verma (44 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
yes it mostly is a recurrence

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX

Welcome to HealthcareMagic.

Rise in cea levels after surgery is a maker of tumor recurrence. And he will now need to undergo repeat scans to locate that point and after that further management will be planned.

You need to revisit his treating doctor for the same.

Regards,
Dr. Ashish Verma

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ashish Verma (36 minutes later)

He never had a cea test before so we do not know previous results.

Would a rise in 1 point from 3 in may to 4 in XXXXXXX not b normal?

Answered by Dr. Ashish Verma (12 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
no its not normal

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX

Cea is a tumor marker, it has no business to be present in body in absence of cancer.

An a rising levels is almost diagnotic of a recurrence.

And one point rise in just one month is a little serious issue. So don't ignore it.

Regards,
Dr. Ashish Verma

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar