A broad tumor marker linked to colorectal and other cancers.
Carcinoembryonic antigen, or CEA, is a protein normally made in large amounts before birth and only in tiny amounts in healthy adults. It is measured in the blood as a tumor marker.
Many healthy people have a small, detectable level. Smoking raises CEA, which is why smokers have a higher normal range than non-smokers.
CEA is mostly used to follow people already diagnosed with certain cancers, especially bowel (colorectal) cancer, to watch response to treatment and check for return. It is not a screening test for healthy people.
A mildly raised CEA is often benign. It can rise with smoking, inflammation of the gut, liver disease, and some infections. A high or rising level always needs a doctor to interpret it in the full clinical picture.
Aniva reads your result against research-backed ranges, not just the lab's wide normal. The reference shown below is specific to this biomarker.
Ranges are guidance only and are higher in smokers. CEA is an upper-cutoff marker.
| Group | Common upper guide (SI) |
|---|---|
| Non-smokers | up to about 3.0 to 5.0 µg/L |
| Smokers | up to about 5.0 µg/L or higher |
Aligned to German laboratory practice (DGKL). Always check your own lab's cutoff.
Smoking raises CEA. Benign conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease, pancreatitis, and some infections can also raise it. Results from different assays are not interchangeable, so trends should be followed on the same method.
Often read alongside other tumor markers such as CA 19-9 in the right clinical setting, and always with your medical history.
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