My mom was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer 1 yr ago she had a whipple, chemo & !
Question: My mom was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer 1 yr ago she had a whipple, chemo & radiation!?
she has been clean since May!. Her first check up went great nothing new!. She just had her 3 mo!. checkup and had a CEA test FOR THE 1ST TIME!. (nothing to compare it to) and it came back a 6 does this mean her cancer is back!. Looking for honest answersWww@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
A CEA level of 6 is in a grey zone meaning it isn't elevated a great deal but it is a bit above normal!. This tells us very little since this is the first time it has been checked!. Comparisons are most important as others have said!.
It seems unusual to have the CEA checked only now!. Are you sure it was not checked a year ago with the initial evaluation of her pancreatic cancer!? Has she had a CA 19-9 blood test!? This is a better marker to follow if it is initially elevated in a patient with pancreatic cancer!.
Looking for a new colon cancer in someone who has done quite well for having pancreatic cancer is a bit unusual, but it is possible to have a second malignancy!.
Here's some info on the CEA test: [ Is your mom a smoker!?]
http://www!.tc-cancer!.com/tumormarkers!.ht!.!.!.
CEA is tested in blood!. The normal range is <2!.5 ng/ml in an adult non-smoker and <5!.0 ng/ml in a smoker!. Although CEA was first identified in colon cancer, an abnormal CEA blood level is specific neither for colon cancer nor for malignancy in general!. Elevated CEA levels are found in a variety of cancers other than colonic, including pancreatic, gastric, lung, and breast!. It is also detected in benign conditions including cirrhosis, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic lung disease, and pancreatitis!. The CEA was found to be elevated in up to 19 percent of smokers and in 3 percent of a healthy control population!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
It seems unusual to have the CEA checked only now!. Are you sure it was not checked a year ago with the initial evaluation of her pancreatic cancer!? Has she had a CA 19-9 blood test!? This is a better marker to follow if it is initially elevated in a patient with pancreatic cancer!.
Looking for a new colon cancer in someone who has done quite well for having pancreatic cancer is a bit unusual, but it is possible to have a second malignancy!.
Here's some info on the CEA test: [ Is your mom a smoker!?]
http://www!.tc-cancer!.com/tumormarkers!.ht!.!.!.
CEA is tested in blood!. The normal range is <2!.5 ng/ml in an adult non-smoker and <5!.0 ng/ml in a smoker!. Although CEA was first identified in colon cancer, an abnormal CEA blood level is specific neither for colon cancer nor for malignancy in general!. Elevated CEA levels are found in a variety of cancers other than colonic, including pancreatic, gastric, lung, and breast!. It is also detected in benign conditions including cirrhosis, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic lung disease, and pancreatitis!. The CEA was found to be elevated in up to 19 percent of smokers and in 3 percent of a healthy control population!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Since there was no previous test to compare the numbers against, it merely means the doctors are going to have to send her for more in depth tests to confirm if there is regrowth!.
Pancreatic tumors do have a nasty tendency to grow back, especially if she was diagnosed late!.
Speaking from my own experience, enjoy every day you have with your mom, because with this disease it's impossible to tell how long a patient has regardless of treatment!.
She has beaten the odds by surviving this long and responding to treatment, and fingers crossed she will beat the odds again!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Pancreatic tumors do have a nasty tendency to grow back, especially if she was diagnosed late!.
Speaking from my own experience, enjoy every day you have with your mom, because with this disease it's impossible to tell how long a patient has regardless of treatment!.
She has beaten the odds by surviving this long and responding to treatment, and fingers crossed she will beat the odds again!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
with the whipple!.!.!. was the cancer in the head or the tail!.!.!. that makes a big difference!.
i just lost my sister to this cancer on 4/20!.!.!. she only made it 9 months to the day!.!.!. it is good news that your mom is at the year mark!.!.!.!.!.!.
you and your family are in my prayers!. please keep us posted!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
i just lost my sister to this cancer on 4/20!.!.!. she only made it 9 months to the day!.!.!. it is good news that your mom is at the year mark!.!.!.!.!.!.
you and your family are in my prayers!. please keep us posted!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
without a previous test to compare it to, no one can say!.!.!.she will need to retest in three months or so!.Www@Answer-Health@Com