* Carcinoembryonic antigen is known as one of the proteins in the tissues of the fetus and whose levels disappear or drop significantly after birth naturally, and it is considered one of the tumor markers (English: Tumor marker), which is one of the substances that are produced from cancer cells  Or from the cells of the body in response to the presence of cancerous cells in the body, and the level of this protein increases in many cancerous disorders, in addition to some non-cancerous disorders,

 * In fact, the level of this protein is usually examined in the blood, and sometimes in various body fluids such as: cerebrospinal fluid, peritoneal fluid (peritoneal fluid) lining the stomach wall, and pleural fluid (in English: pleural fluid) surrounding the lungs.

 * The embryonic carcinoma antigen test is not used to diagnose or detect cancers in the general population, nor for people who do not have any symptoms of the disease, but it is usually used after diagnosing one of the types of cancer producing this protein, including: lung, liver, ovarian, and prostate cancer  , And others,

 * The emergence of symptoms that indicate cancer.  Monitor the effectiveness of treatment used to eliminate cancer, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, or a combination of them.  Monitor the person after the end of treatment to check for recurrence of cancer.  Screening for cancer in people most at risk of developing it, such as people with a family and hereditary history of colon cancer,

 In fact, it is rarely used.  Analysis of results CEA analysis is used to help monitor people with many cancers, and in fact this analysis does not have any benefit in monitoring cancers that do not produce this protein, and the analysis of cancer antigen test results can be shown as follows:

 * Treatment monitoring test: Low levels of CEA protein after treatment indicate that the cancer has been successfully treated.  Cancer re-infection surveillance test: High levels of CEA after treatment is the first sign of a tumor recurrence.  Staging Test: A slightly elevated CEA level usually indicates early stages of the disease.

 * While its height indicates the advanced stages of the disease or its spread to other parts of the body.  Other results: In fact, a high level of CEA protein does not always indicate cancer, there are many non-cancerous disorders that cause high protein levels.

* pancreatitis.  Liver and lung diseases.  Infection.  Bedsores.  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.  Breast cysts.  Inflammatory bowel diseases.  Smoking.