CEA (Carcino Embryonic Antigen) Test

What is the purpose of the CEA test?

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.

How does the CEA blood test procedure happen?

The entire blood test should take just 5 minutes in total and requires very little to no problems and issues at all.

What are the steps required for this test?

• Once you have ordered the blood test, a highly-skilled phlebotomist will arrive either at your doorstep or you will have to arrive at the healthcare center and take a sample of your blood from your arm vein.
• Unless you own personal family doctor advises otherwise, there is no fasting that is necessary for this test to happen.
• After the samples have been taken and wrapped, it is then sent towards the laboratory where the testing processes can begin for the blood sample.
• You will be able to get your results as soon as 24 to 48 hours after the blood test was taken, ensuring efficient time management for the blood test as a whole, as well as how versatile as well as practical it can be.

How much would a CEA blood test cost in India?

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.

•  New Delhi/NCR has quality tests that would cost Rs. 800 to at most Rs. 1,500.
• Mumbai has labs that are able to ensure that every patient that enters their healthcare centers are capable of providing the best services to them. The tests will cost roughly between Rs. 900 and Rs. 1,600.
• Bangalore's blood tests for CEA measurements will cost right between Rs. 850 to Rs. 1,400.
• Hyderabad is another major Indian city where the prices are comfortably cheap for what is provided, being between Rs. 800 to Rs. 1,300.

What are the different ranges that can be used for understanding the CEA blood test?

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.

What do high levels of CEA indicate?

• You are having Pancreatic Cancer.
• You are experiencing the start of lung cancer.
• You are having a lot of signs that point to either breast cancer or ovarian cancer.
• You find yourself suffering from various forms of inflammatory conditions that are quite relentless.

What are some follow-ups that are required for the blood test?

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.

Are there any risks that come from the tests?

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.