CEACarcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)
What it shows
A marker mainly used to follow treatment of bowel tumours; slightly higher in smokers.
Your doctor reads the result: the laboratory does not diagnose or prescribe. The result sheet gives the reference range beside each value.
Sample
- Short code
- CEA
- What is taken
- Blood from a vein
- Container
- Yellow-top gel serum tube
- Turnaround
- 1 working days for samples taken by 12:00; result at 18:00
- At home
- Yes, a nurse comes to your home
Preparation
- 8 hours after your last meal, on an empty stomach. Water is fine.
- No smoking for 1 hour before the sample.
Reference ranges
| For | Range |
|---|---|
| Everyone | below 5.0 ng/mL |
These ranges are for Damla’s analysers and methods; another laboratory’s ranges may differ slightly.
From the same section
- PSAProstate-specific antigen (total PSA)₼30
- CA-125CA-125₼34
- CA 15-3CA 15-3₼34
- CA 19-9CA 19-9₼34
- AFPAlpha-fetoprotein (AFP)₼24