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CEA, Carcinoembryonic Antigen, Pancreatic Cyst Fluid
Test CodeCEAPC
Alias/See Also
91930
CPT Codes
82378
Preferred Specimen
1 mL pancreatic cyst fluid submitted in a plastic, leak-proof container
Minimum Volume
0.3 mL
Transport Temperature
Frozen
Specimen Stability
Room temperature: 6 hours
Refrigerated: 7 days
Frozen: 30 days
Refrigerated: 7 days
Frozen: 30 days
Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)
Received room temperature • Gross hemolysis • Turbid sample
Methodology
Immunochemiluminometric Assay (ICMA)
FDA Status
This test was developed and its analytical performance characteristics have been determined by Pan Laboratories, Irvine, CA. This assay has been validated pursuant to the CLIA regulations. It has not been cleared or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Setup Schedule
Set up: Tues, Fri; Report available: 2-5 days
Reference Range
0-5.0 ng/mL
Clinical Significance
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a 180 kD intracellular adhesion molecule expressed in high concentrations in the fetus but normally not found in adult serum because the synthesis of this protein ceases after birth. However, it reappears in a high concentration in the sera of patients with colorectal (57%), gastric(41%), hepatocellular(45%), pancreatic(59%) and biliary(59%) carcinoma. Pancreatic cysts are increasingly recognized as a dilemma in clinical practice because of their uncertain risk of malignancy. Various tumor markers (i.e. CA 19-9, amylase) have been evaluated to distinguish nonmucinous, nonmalignant pancreatic cysts from mucinous cysts, which have a high likelihood of malignancy. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) has been found to be the most reliable tumor marker for identifying those pancreatic cysts that are likely mucinous. In cyst aspirates, CEA concentrations > or =200 ng/mL are highly suspicious for mucinous cysts. When the concentration of CEA in cyst fluid is higher, there is a greater chance that the mucinous cyst is malignant. However, CEA testing does not reliably distinguish between benign, premalignant, or malignant mucinous cysts. CEA test results should be therefore correlated with the results of imaging studies, cytology, other cyst fluid tumor markers (i.e, amylase, lipase, CA 15-3, CA 72-4 and CA 19-9), and clinical findings for diagnosis.
Performing Laboratory
Pan Laboratories, LLC
15375 Barranca Pkw, E101
Irvine, CA 92618
Last Updated: May 4, 2023