Special Precautions/Comments:

Additional Information:

Carcinogenic Embryonic Antigen (CEA) is a glycoprotein produced during embryonic and foetal development and is suppressed after birth. It is therefore not usually present in adults and is used as a tumour marker. CEA is associated with colorectal cancer and is primarily used for monitoring treatment and recurrence.  

CEA may also be elevated in benign conditions such as chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Smoking can also lead to mildly increased CEA levels. It should therefore be interpreted with caution in the clinical context and should not be used for screening in the general population.