Sign in →

Test Code CEA Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)

Additional Codes

  • Expanse Test Name: Carcinoembryonic Antigen
  • Medinet Ref Code:CEA
  • OV Code:CHEM*CEA

Performing Laboratory

St. Lukes Hospital Laboratory

Methodology

Chemiluminescent Immunometric

Specimen Requirements

Do not use samples that have been stored at room temperature for longer than 8 hours.

Tightly cap and refrigerate specimens at 2–8° up to 2 days.

Draw blood in a serum gel tube(s), preferred. Plasma from lithium heparin tube is accpetable. 

Spin down and send 1 mL of serum (or plasma) refrigerated. If there is a delay in transport of >48 hours, freeze specimen in plastic vial.

 

Unspun specimens must be transported at ambient temperature and arrive to the laboratory within one hour of draw.

Reference Values

0.0-3.0 ng/mL (non-smokers)

0.0-10 ng/mL (smokers)

Elevated CEA levels are seen in smokers, cancer patients, and patients with a variety of non-malignant diseases and inflammatory conditions. Therefore this assay should not be used as a cancer screening method.

Day(s) Test Set Up

Monday through Sunday

Test Classification and CPT Coding

CPT:  82378

LOINC: 2039-6

Additional Information

Specimen Stability:

Specimen can be refrigerated at 2° C to 8° C for 1 day, or frozen at -20° C for 2 months.