Measures carcinoembryonic antigen used in selected cancer follow-up and GI context.
Download Carcino Embryonic Antigen (cea) Test Visual Guide infographic (PNG)
| Result context | Guide |
|---|---|
| Non-smokers | often below 3 |
| Smokers | higher cut-off may apply |
| Raised | needs context |
CEA is not cancer-specific and can rise with smoking, inflammation and liver disease.
Carcino Embryonic Antigen (cea) is a laboratory test that measures a result in a Blood (Serum) sample. It may be ordered to investigate symptoms, support a diagnosis or monitor a condition, depending on your clinician's advice.
The current booking price is shown at Rs. 696 against an MRP of Rs. 820, inclusive of taxes where applicable.
No fasting is required for this test alone. If another test in the same order requires fasting, follow its preparation instructions. Home sample collection is available in serviceable cities. A trained phlebotomist collects the sample using sterile equipment, and the report is shared online after processing.
This test is mainly used to monitor and maintain the status of cancer cells located in the body, as well as to keep track if these cancer cells make a return.
This test can also be used as a means of making sure the chemotherapy and radiation are doing what it is meant to do and killing cancer cells.
It has also been of great use whenever an oncologist takes the test simply to determine if the body has been affected by other types of cancers, such as lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer and even ovarian and breast cancer.
This test can also be referred to whenever a cancer survivor is asked to take it as a follow-up to see if there are any traces of cancerous cells left in their bodies.
The entire blood test should take just 5 minutes in total and requires very little to no problems and issues at all.
The prices and costs would all depend on the city the test is based in, along with the various facilities and capabilities of what the lab is capable of doing.
CEA Blood Test Normal Ranges
This level is what is considered safe to be in once you have been tested for your current CEA range. For regular people who are not smoking, their ranges should comfortably stay beneath 3 nanograms per milliliter or ng/mL.
Individuals who are confirmed to be extremely heavy smokers are stated to have their CEA blood range be up to 5 ng/mL after consistently smoking for quite a long period of time.
In case you find that your results have been elevated, it would be a good time to consult a family doctor of the same. They will let you know on what exactly you are required to do as well as how to do said instructions. Some of those will have to be retests taken by MRIs, CT Scans, and even PET scans that are meant to see if there is any condition that was previously missed to prevent any further complications from arising again.
There might also be some extra amounts of blood work that are required for you to complete. This might also extend to a full-on biopsy if the doctor asks you to take one. Also, in case you are already undergoing some intense treatment, your doctor may ask you to have your CEA levels tracked within your body within the next couple of days, frequently, in order to ensure that the blood tests are working as intended without any potential hiccups that can mess it up.
The test itself can bring very minimal amounts of pain and discomfort. The only pain you might feel at all is the prick of the needle into your skin and some mild amounts of numbness and soreness around the area of extraction before it all vanishes just a couple of days later. The chances of you actually receiving some type of dizziness and even an infection from the jab wound is a very rare chance of it happening.
CONCLUSION
The CEA Blood Test is one of the most crucial tests that can be taken for tracking the progression of cancer within the human body. It can also be used for providing some of the most accurate details for the CEA Test for the ensuring that the treatment plans are going well. Now, although it is still technically a tool used for diagnostics in its own right, it is able to provide some much-needed support for many other blood tests that are provided by the medical healthcare center.
*Medical Disclaimer - The information that has been written is only to be used for educational purposes. There has been no information presented by this website, be it test, images and graphics, which should be taken as professional medical advice. Always consult with your own doctor regarding any medical advice that may relate to your condition.
Reference ranges vary by laboratory and method. Use the range printed on your final report. The information below is educational only.
| Measure | Typical guide | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Result unit | ng/mL | Use the reference range printed on your final report. |
| High CEA | Above lab range | May occur with cancer or non-cancer conditions. |
| Trend use | Serial CEA | Trend is often more useful than one result. |
| Reason | Description |
|---|---|
| Tumor marker | Often used in colorectal cancer monitoring. |
| Treatment follow-up | May help track response or recurrence risk. |
| Not screening alone | Not used by itself to diagnose cancer. |
| Situation | Description |
|---|---|
| Clinical context | Usually ordered after diagnosis or when doctor suspects relevant cancer. |
| Non-cancer factors | Smoking, inflammation or liver disease may affect CEA. |
| Follow-up users | People under oncology monitoring. |
| Topic | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Fasting | No fasting is required for this test alone. If another test in the same order requires fasting, follow its preparation instructions. |
| Smoking note | Smoking may raise CEA. |
| Interpretation | Always read with imaging, history and clinical findings. |
The CEA test is not capable of detecting cancer, and is definitely not used as a simple screening test for finding potential medical conditions. It is only used to keep track and monitor already existing forms of cancer in the body, as well as keep them from returning.
The CEA Blood Test is not exactly 100% certain and specific when it comes to finding out the reasons for the higher levels, as these levels can reach this high even without the existence of cancer in the body.
Smoking can most definitely increase the levels of an individual suffering from excess CEA, and it is also able to affect individuals who have not even smoked throughout their entire lives through smoke inhalation from smokers.
Although fasting is not necessary for the CEA Blood Test, you should still consult your own personal doctor regarding what is required for your body and if you must take the test with or without a fast. Your doctor may also ask you to take several other tests before attempting the CEA Blood Test for good measure.
Home sample collection for Carcino Embryonic Antigen (cea) is available in the cities below, subject to confirmation of your pincode at booking.
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General testing guide 
General testing guide 
General testing guide 
General testing guide Your sample is collected by a trained phlebotomist and sent to the partner laboratory for analysis. The laboratory processes the sample using its validated procedures and quality controls. Your final report shows the result, unit and reference range used for that test. Discuss an unexpected or abnormal result with your clinician.
