What are the limitations of CEA as a tumor marker?
Although CEA is a useful marker, it has limitations. CEA levels can be elevated in non-cancerous conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and liver disease. Additionally, not all cancers produce CEA, and some cancers that do produce it may not do so consistently. Therefore, CEA is often used in conjunction with other diagnostic tests and clinical findings.
