Comments on: CEA Flares During Chemo Don’t Mean Cancer Progression http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/research_news/2009/11/cea_flares_during_chemo_dont_mean_cancer_progression We envision victory over colorectal cancer Wed, 23 May 2012 21:37:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jennifer http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/research_news/2009/11/cea_flares_during_chemo_dont_mean_cancer_progression/comment-page-1#comment-2386 Jennifer Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:58:00 +0000 http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/?p=6392#comment-2386 I think this summary should also emphasize that patients who exhibit CEA "flares" during chemo look good ONLY compared to those whose CEA rises steadily. Their outcomes are still significantly worse than the other categories, i.e. those whose CEA decreases steadily throughout chemo, stays within normal range throughout chemo, or stays stable at an elevated level throughout chemo. Just as importantly, the fact that CEA flares are an index for initial response to chemo is no cause for great optimism. The authors conclude that "the high response associated with F (CEA flares) does not appear to correlate with a survival benefit and may even be associated with a poorer outcome." I think this summary should also emphasize that patients who exhibit CEA “flares” during chemo look good ONLY compared to those whose CEA rises steadily.

Their outcomes are still significantly worse than the other categories, i.e. those whose CEA decreases steadily throughout chemo, stays within normal range throughout chemo, or stays stable at an elevated level throughout chemo.

Just as importantly, the fact that CEA flares are an index for initial response to chemo is no cause for great optimism. The authors conclude that “the high response associated with F (CEA flares) does not appear to correlate with a survival benefit and may even be associated with a poorer outcome.”

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