What is a CEA blood test?
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Whenever the doctor sees symptoms of cancer in the patient, he gets the CEA test done.
Apart from this, the use of the CEA test to find out whether the treatment of cancer is going well. Or after being treated, it is done to find out if the cancer has come back. Let’s know about CEA in detail
What is the CEA Test? What Is the CEA Blood Test?
CEA stands for Carcino Embryonic Antigen and is a protein made by normal cells. It is made till we are born and it stops after we are born.
That is why it is found in very small amounts in our blood. If this is more in our body. So it means that cancer is developing or has happened in your body.
Which cancer indicates an increased CEA?
Elevated CEA level mainly indicates colorectal cancer but it is also a marker of many other cancers like
- Breast Cancer
- lung cancer
- Pancreas cancer
- Colon cancer
- Liver Cancer
- Ovarian cancer
Apart from these cancers, CEA also shows some other diseases like
- peptic ulcer
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Rectal Polyps
- Emphysema (a lung disease)
- Breast disease
- Pancreatitis
- Cholecystitis
What is the normal range of CEA Levels?
The normal range of CEA in our blood is 3 ng/mL. If the CEA value is coming to more than 3. So it means that cancer or other diseases have started in your body.
People who smoke cigarettes regularly have CEA levels up to 5 ng/mL.
If someone’s CEA is more than 20 ng/mL then it is cancer. However, this test fails to catch the early stage of cancer.
Cost of CEA blood test
The cost of a CEA goes up to Rs 1500. This price may vary from city to lab.
What other tests should be done with CEA?
A CT scan must be done with CEA so that the exact status of the disease can be detected.
Sometimes doctors also prescribe colonoscopies.
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