Sorted By Test Name - Mayo Medical Laboratories

CEA
8521
parapneumonic effusions and empyemas, and rarely with tuberculosis. CEA results should be used in
conjunction with cytological analysis of pleural fluid, imaging studies, and other clinical findings.
Useful For: An adjuvant to cytology and imaging studies to differentiate between nonmalignant and
malignant causes of pleural effusions
Interpretation: A pleural fluid carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) concentration of > or =3.5 ng/mL is
suspicious but not diagnostic of a malignant source of the effusion. This cutoff yielded a sensitivity of
52%, specificity of 95%, and part per volume of 93% in a study of 200 patients presenting with effusion.
CEA concentrations were significantly higher in effusions caused by CEA-secreting malignancies,
including lung, breast, ovarian, gastrointestinal, and colorectal cancers. However, effusions caused by
non-CEA-secreting malignancies, including lymphoma, mesothelioma, leukemia, and melanoma,
routinely had CEA concentrations 20 ng/mL) in a
patient with compatible symptoms are strongly suggestive of the presence of cancer and also suggest
metastasis. Most healthy subjects (97%) have values < or =3.0 ng/mL. After removal of a colorectal
tumor, the serum CEA concentration should return to normal by 6 weeks, unless there is residual tumor.
Increases in test values over time in a patient with a history of cancer suggest tumor recurrence.
Reference Values:
Nonsmokers: < or =3.0 ng/mL
Some smokers may have elevated CEA, usually