Mohamed Kamel Farha Munira, Muhammad Noor Azimah, Adenan Amir Zharif
Family Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, MYS.
Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) (UiTM), Sungai Buloh, MYS.
Cureus. 2025 May 8;17(5):e83751. doi: 10.7759/cureus.83751. eCollection 2025 May.
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a tumor marker most often associated with colorectal cancer, but elevated levels may also indicate other malignancies, including lung cancer. Although not recommended as a standalone screening or diagnostic tool, persistent elevation in CEA levels may warrant further investigation. This case report describes a 71-year-old woman who was found to have progressively rising CEA levels during routine private health screening despite being asymptomatic. Initial workup, including colonoscopy, revealed no evidence of colorectal malignancy. However, further evaluation prompted by new respiratory symptoms and imaging findings led to the diagnosis of Stage IVa lung adenocarcinoma. This case underscores the importance of a comprehensive diagnostic approach in patients with unexplained tumor marker elevation. It highlights the potential role of primary care in identifying atypical presentations of serious conditions.
癌胚抗原(CEA)是一种最常与结直肠癌相关的肿瘤标志物,但水平升高也可能提示其他恶性肿瘤,包括肺癌。虽然不建议将其作为独立的筛查或诊断工具,但CEA水平持续升高可能需要进一步检查。本病例报告描述了一名71岁女性,在常规私人健康筛查中发现其CEA水平逐渐升高,尽管她没有症状。初步检查,包括结肠镜检查,未发现结直肠恶性肿瘤的证据。然而,新出现的呼吸道症状和影像学检查结果促使进一步评估,最终诊断为IVa期肺腺癌。本病例强调了对肿瘤标志物不明原因升高的患者采用综合诊断方法的重要性。它突出了初级保健在识别严重疾病非典型表现方面的潜在作用。
Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2018-2-6
Ann Coloproctol. 2019-12
Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand). 2018-12-31
Lung Cancer. 2011-12-6