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Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)
MessagePerforming Lab: Central Lab
Test Code
0442
Alias/See Also
Sunquest: CEA
CPT Codes
82378
Preferred Specimen
150 uL Lithium Heparin Plasma (light green-top) tube
Minimum Volume
60 uL (does not include dead volume)
Other Acceptable Specimens
Serum separator (gold-top), red-top
Transport Temperature
Refrigerated
Specimen Stability
Room Temperature: < 24 hours
Refrigerated: < 7 days
Frozen: > 7 days
Refrigerated: < 7 days
Frozen: > 7 days
Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)
Hemolysis
Methodology
Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA)
Setup Schedule
Monday - Friday
Report Available
Same day.
Reference Range
0.0 - 5.0 ng/mL
Clinical Significance
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is present in normal serum at low concentrations. Originally thought to be specific for digestive tract cancers it may also be elevated in other malignancies as well as in some nonmalignant disorders and behaviors. CEA testing has become widely accepted in the management of cancer patients. A CEA concentration which falls steadily to reach normal concentrations suggests a good prognosis while an increasing concentration is indicative of treatment failure and a poor prognosis. Clinical relevance has been shown in the follow-up management of patients with colorectal, breast, lung, prostatic, pancreatic and ovarian carcinoma. Prognostic significance has been suggested for preoperative CEA concentrations in patients with colorectal, breast and lung carcinoma. The CEA test is not recommended as a screening procedure for detection of cancer in the general population or in an otherwise asymptomatic patient but rather as an adjunctive test to aid in predicting prognosis and in management of cancer patients.
