CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen) Pretreatment Lab Value
Description
CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen) Pretreatment Lab Value records the CEA value prior to treatment. CEA is a nonspecific tumor marker that has prognostic significance for colon and rectum cancer.
CEA is
**1).** A protein molecule found in many different cells of the body but associated with certain tumors and with the developing fetus.
**2).** CEA is used as a tumor marker especially for gastrointestinal cancers, as colorectal cancer is the most frequent cause for an increased/elevated CEA.
**3).** CEA is also elevated by biliary obstruction, alcoholic hepatitis, and heavy smoking.
**4).** CEA level is most frequently tested on blood serum, but it may be tested in body fluids and/or biopsy tissue.
**5).** An abnormally high CEA level prior to tumor resection is expected to fall following successful removal of the cancer.
**6).** An increasing value indicates possible recurrence.
There are 2 related data items that record information on CEA for Colon and Rectum.
* 3820: CEA Pretreatment Lab Value
* 3819: CEA Pretreatment Interpretation
Rationale
CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen) Pretreatment Lab Value is a Registry Data Collection Variable in AJCC. It was previously collected as Colon and Rectum, CS SSF #3.
Additional Info
**Source documents:** clinical laboratory report, sometimes pathology or cytology report; H&P, operative report; consultant report; discharge summary
**Other names include** Carcinoembryonic antigen
**Reference ranges**
* Nonsmoker: < 2.5 ng/ml (SI: < 2.5 mg/L) SI Conversion: 1 mg/L = 1 ng/ml.
* Smoker: < 5 ng/ml (SI: < 5 mg/L) SI Conversion: 1 mg/mL = 1 ng/L
Notes
**Note 1:** **Physician Statement**
* Physician statement of CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen) Pretreatment Lab Value can be used to code this data item when no other information is available.
**Note 2:** **Pretreatment results only**
* Record the interpretation of the highest CEA test result documented in the medical record **prior to treatment or a polypectomy**.
**Note 3:** **Related data item**.
* The same laboratory test should be used to record information in the related data item 3819: CEA Pretreatment Interpretation
Coding Guidelines
**1)** Record the highest value prior to treatment in nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) in the range 0.1 (1 ng/ml) to 9999.9 (9999 ng/ml) in the Lab Value data item and the
**2)** Record to the nearest tenth in nanograms/milliliter (ng/ml) the highest CEA lab value documented in the medical record **prior to treatment or polypectomy**. (Code a pretreatment CEA of 7 ng/ml as 7.0).
**3)** Record 0.1 when the lab results are stated as less than 0.1 ng/ml with no exact value.
***Examples of CEA Lab Values***
**a.** CEA Lab Value 0 ng/ml - Code 0.0
**b.** CEA Lab Value 23.6 ng/ml- Code 23.6
**c.** CEA Lab Value 11,000-Code XXXX.1
**d.** CEA Lab Value = Test ordered, results not in chart- Code XXXX7
**e.** CEA Lab Value = Not documented in medical record, CEA test not done, unknown if CEA test done - Code XXXX.9
Default
XXXX.8
Metadata
SSDI
| Code |
Description |
| 0.0 |
0.0 nanograms/milliliter (ng/ml) exactly |
| 0.1-9999.9 |
0.1-9999.9 ng/ml
(Exact value to nearest tenth in ng/ml) |
| XXXX.1 |
10,000 ng/ml or greater |
| XXXX.7 |
Test ordered, results not in chart |
| XXXX.8 |
Not applicable: Information not collected for this case
(If this information is required by your standard setter, use of code XXXX.8 may result in an edit error.) |
| XXXX.9 |
Not documented in medical record
CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen) Pretreatment Lab Value not assessed or unknown if assessed |
