СEA (intestine)
The cancer-embryonic antigen is a protein that is produced in the tissues of the gastrointestinal tract of the embryo. In the fetus, this substance plays the role of a stimulator of cell division. CEA is found in small amounts in the intestines of adults, however, its physiological function is still unknown.
In medical practice, determining the level of CEA in the blood is used for screening diagnosis of intestinal cancer. CEA is an oncomarker – a specific protein that is produced in large quantities by intestinal tumor cells. A sharp increase in the level of antigen in the blood alone cannot diagnose cancer but forces the patient to undergo a more detailed and thorough examination to confirm or deny such a diagnosis.
If the diagnosis is confirmed, then the test is used to monitor the effectiveness of the treatment of the disease: with positive dynamics, the concentration of CEA decreases, and, accordingly, vice versa. After successful surgery to remove the tumor, the CEA level drops to normal figures after about 2 months.
The amount of cancer-embryonic antigen in the blood may increase due to other diseases (but not as much as with rectal cancer): It can be tuberculosis, pneumonia, pancreatitis, Crohn's disease, hepatitis, or cirrhosis of the liver.
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