carcinoembryonic antigen

pathology

Also known as: CEA

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Last updated

July 20, 2026

Quick Summary

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a glycoprotein found in fetal digestive-tract tissues. It can also be present in the blood of individuals with certain types of cancer. CEA is considered a tumor-associated antigen, meaning it appears on both normal and cancer cells but in significantly greater amounts on cancer cells.12

Elevated levels of CEA in the blood can serve as a tumor marker, indicating the presence of cancer. These elevated levels are most commonly associated with cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, but can also be found in patients with breast, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, and stomach cancers. The detection of such markers is part of the diagnostic process for cancer.32

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cancer
Molecular evaluation
…diagnostically useful tumor markers include carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), which is an indicator of carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract, lung, and breast; CA 125, which is produced by ovarian cancers; CA 19-9, which is an indicator of pancreatic or gastrointestinal cancers; and alpha-fetoprotein and chorionic
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…diagnostically useful tumor markers include carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), which is an indicator of carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract, lung, and breast; CA 125, which is produced by ovarian cancers; CA 19-9, which is an indicator of pancreatic or gastrointestinal cancers; and alpha-fetoprotein and chorionic
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