SENDOUT
PAGE EXPIRES: June 2000
SYNONYMS: CEA
COMPONENT TESTS: None (single test)
SCHEDULE: Reference lab turnaround time: 10 working days
SPECIMEN AND COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS:
CAUSES FOR REJECTION: Improperly labeled specimen; hemolysis
STORAGE AND SHIPPING: Freeze
USES: Primarily used to follow efficacy of therapy in those carcinomas found to be CEA positive; pre-therapy levels may also be of prognostic significance in patients with colorectal, breast, and lung carcinoma.
NORMAL VALUES:
< 5 ng/mL
5-10 ng/mL is a non-diagnostic border range
NOTE: 4.4% of "healthy" smokers have values between 5 and 10 ng/mL.
METHOD: Microparticle Enzyme Immunoassay (MEIA)
DESCRIPTION AND COMMENTS: There are limitations: Wide variation in results can result from different assay procedures. Therefore, CEA levels from this laboratory can only be compared directly with previous levels that have been determined by Abbott MEIA or EIA monoclonal techniques.