The CEA-ScanŽ (arcitumomab) study was specifically developed to detect metastatic disease in patients with primary or recurrent colorectal cancer. In pivotal trials at major cancer centers around the U.S., it has proven capable of detecting metastatic disease earlier than the standard tests used to diagnose and monitor patients with colorectal cancer. Just two years after introduction in the U.S., CEA-Scan data is just now beginning to suggest that such detection can guide surgeons to more curative operations.

The CEA-Scan study is a nuclear medicine procedure — that is, it uses a small dose of radioactive isotope to image tumors sometimes   invisible to other diagnostic tests. That isotope is guided to tumors via antibody fragments engineered to seek out and attach to any tissue that expresses carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a protein found on virtually all colorectal tumors. CEA blood tests attempt to detect this same protein in blood, but often fail to do so, due to lack of sensitivity.

About three hours after injection of CEA-Scan, imaging begins, and takes two to three hours. CEA-Scan is very safe. In pivotal trials, only 8 of more than 300 patients developed minor, self-limiting adverse events. One severely hypertensive patient reported an apparent grand mal epileptic seizure. Fewer than 1% of patients experienced elevated HAMA (human antimurine antibodies). CEA-Scan is at least as safe as the other studies you will receive. Ask your nuclear medicine specialist about your CEA-Scan.