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| Physiologic factors shown to be associated with elevated CEA level include older age, obesity, smoking cigarettes, alcohol consumption and poor work environment. A circadian rhythm in CEA levels has been described, with highest values in the late afternoon or early evening. |
| Inflammatory conditions that can elevate CEA values are lung disease (infections or emphysema), breast diseases, liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis, or biliary obstruction) and digestive diseases (peptic ulcers, pancreatitis, ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease). Moderate to significant elevations of CEA can also be seen in diabetes and collagen vascular diseases. |
| Malignancies in addition to colorectal cancer can produce significantly elevated CEA. The most common of these malignancies are lung, breast and other GI malignancies such as esphageal, gastric or pancreatic. Other tumors known to elevate CEA levels include medullary thyroid cancer, head and neck cancer, neuroblastomas, urothelial tumors, gynecologic tumors, lymphomas, sarcomas and cutaneous malignancies. |
