Makindo Medical Notes

Biological Background

• What CEA Is: A glycoprotein (~180–200 kDa) involved in cell adhesion during fetal development.
• Adult Levels: Typically low in healthy adults since production largely ceases after birth.

Reference Ranges

• Non-Smokers: 0–2.5 mcg/L
• Smokers: Can be slightly higher, up to ~5 mcg/L
• Elevated Threshold: Levels >5 mcg/L are generally considered raised

Interpretation of Elevated CEA

• Monitoring Role: Although not used for diagnosis, CEA is valuable for following patients with confirmed colorectal cancer after treatment or surgery.
• Cancer Associations: Colorectal is most commonly linked, but elevated CEA can occur in breast, lung, pancreatic, gastric, ovarian, liver, medullary thyroid, and prostate cancers.
• Non-Cancer Causes: Inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease, and heavy smoking can also raise CEA levels.

Prognostic Value

• While not a robust prognostic marker, markedly high pre-surgery levels may indicate a worse outlook in colorectal cancer.
• Postoperative rise in CEA can suggest recurrence or metastatic disease.

Important Considerations

Because various benign and malignant conditions can elevate CEA, test results must be interpreted in the context of clinical findings, imaging studies, and histopathology. Only a healthcare professional can determine the significance of an abnormal CEA reading and recommend further steps.

References

• What is a CEA test normal range?