Above the range
Common causes of a high Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)
- Colorectal cancer (monitoring)
- Other GI, lung, or breast cancers
- Smoking
- Inflammatory bowel disease
All tests · Tumor Markers · Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)
Above the range
What causes a high Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)?
Normal range < 3.0 nonsmoker (< 5.0 smoker) ng/mL (< 3.0 µg/L SI). Specimen: Serum. See the full Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) reference page for critical values and nursing considerations.
What is the normal range for Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)?
The standard teaching reference range for Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) is < 3.0 nonsmoker (< 5.0 smoker) ng/mL in conventional units, or < 3.0 µg/L in SI units. This value is measured in serum.
| Specimen | Serum |
|---|---|
| Conventional range | < 3.0 nonsmoker (< 5.0 smoker) ng/mL |
| SI range | < 3.0 µg/L |
| Panel | Tumor Markers |
Full details, including nursing considerations, on the Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) normal range page. Reference ranges vary by laboratory, method, age, sex, and population - always use the range printed on the actual result.
Same panel