Data Last Updated: Dec. 17, 2025

CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen) Pretreatment Lab Value

Description

CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen) Pretreatment Lab Value records the CEA value prior to treatment. CEA is a nonspecific tumor marker that has prognostic significance for colon and rectum cancer. CEA is **1)** A protein molecule found in many different cells of the body but associated with certain tumors and with the developing fetus. **2)** CEA is used as a tumor marker especially for gastrointestinal cancers, as colorectal cancer is the most frequent cause for an increased/elevated CEA. **3)** CEA is also elevated by biliary obstruction, alcoholic hepatitis, and heavy smoking. **4)** CEA level is most frequently tested on blood serum, but it may be tested in body fluids and/or biopsy tissue. **5)** An abnormally high CEA level prior to tumor resection is expected to fall following successful removal of the cancer. **6)** An increasing value indicates possible recurrence. There are 2 related data items that record information on CEA for Colon and Rectum. * 3820: CEA Pretreatment Lab Value * 3819: CEA Pretreatment Interpretation

Rationale

CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen) Pretreatment Lab Value is a Registry Data Collection Variable in AJCC. It was previously collected as Colon and Rectum, CS SSF #3.

Additional Info

**Source documents:** clinical laboratory report, sometimes pathology or cytology report; H&P, operative report; consultant report; discharge summary **Other names include** Carcinoembryonic antigen **Reference ranges** * Nonsmoker: < 2.5 ng/ml (SI: < 2.5 mg/L) SI Conversion: 1 mg/L = 1 ng/ml * Smoker: < 5 ng/ml (SI: < 5 mg/L) SI Conversion: 1 mg/mL = 1 ng/L

Notes

**Note 1:** **Physician Statement** * Physician statement of CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen) Pretreatment Lab Value can be used to code this data item when no other information is available. **Note 2:** **Pretreatment results only** * Record the interpretation of the highest CEA test result documented in the medical record **prior to treatment or a polypectomy**. **Note 3:** **Related data item**. * The same laboratory test should be used to record information in the related data item 3819: CEA Pretreatment Interpretation

Coding Guidelines

**1)** Record the highest value prior to treatment in nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) in the range 0.1 (1 ng/ml) to 9999.9 (9999 ng/ml) in the Lab Value data item and the **2)** Record to the nearest tenth in nanograms/milliliter (ng/ml) the highest CEA lab value documented in the medical record **prior to treatment or polypectomy**. (Code a pretreatment CEA of 7 ng/ml as 7.0). **3)** Record 0.1 when the lab results are stated as less than 0.1 ng/ml with no exact value. ***Examples of CEA Lab Values*** * CEA Lab Value 0 ng/ml - Code 0.0 * CEA Lab Value 23.6 ng/ml- Code 23.6 * CEA Lab Value 11,000-Code XXXX.1 * CEA Lab Value = Test ordered, results not in chart- Code XXXX7 * CEA Lab Value = Not documented in medical record, CEA test not done, unknown if CEA test done - Code XXXX.9
Code Description
0.0 0.0 nanograms/milliliter (ng/ml) exactly
0.1-9999.9 0.1-9999.9 ng/ml
(Exact value to nearest tenth in ng/ml)
XXXX.1 10,000 ng/ml or greater
XXXX.7 Test ordered, results not in chart
XXXX.8 Not applicable: Information not collected for this case
(If this information is required by your standard setter, use of code XXXX.8 may result in an edit error.)
XXXX.9 Not documented in medical record
CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen) Pretreatment Lab Value not assessed or unknown if assessed