Synonyms |
|
|
Clinical
Indications |
|
CEA has
limited value in primary diagnosis of malignancy since it has
poor specificity and low sensitivity for early stage G.I.
carcinoma. CEA can be elevated in almost any advanced
adenocarcinoma where distant metastases are present and is
almost never elevated in early malignancy. Regular levels may have a role in the detection of
recurrent disease or in monitoring tumour therapy in
colorectal, gastric, breast, bronchial and some ovarian
carcinomas.
|
Request Form |
|
Combined Pathology Blood form
(Yellow/Black)
|
Availability |
|
Analysed by referral laboratory
if specific criteria met.
|
Specific
Criteria |
|
Monitoring of
therapy for colorectal, gastric, breast and bronchial
carcinomas. CEA should not be used in the initial
post-operative period.
|
Turnaround
Time |
|
Same
day (Monday to Friday)
|
Specimen |
|
Serum
|
Volume |
|
7 ml
|
Container |
|
Yellow
Top (SST) tube
|
Lab. Handling |
|
Analysed
from primary tube. (CEA & send; NOCEA & save)
|
Causes for
Rejection |
|
Not meeting specific criteria for
analysis.
|
Reference
Range |
|
Less than
4 ug/L
|
Half-life
in Serum |
|
Approx.
3 days but can vary from 1 to 5 days. Tumour
marker half-life calculator.
|
|
Interpretation |
|
Modest
elevations may be found in normal pregnancy, in smokers (up to
approx. 7 ug/L), in
certain inflammatory bowel disorders including ulcerative
colitis and Crohn's disease, in pancreatitis, gastric
ulceration and alcoholic infections.
|