Post-treatment blood tests: Fluctuating CEA and CA 15-3

VicZen

I've been having these two tests about once a year and they seem to fluctuate just enough to cause me anxiety and concern. Do any of you have some experience with this? I'd love to hear from you.

Here's an example:  My most recent CA 15-3 was 38 (lab report says <35 is normal). Last Oct., 2007, it was 34 and in April, 2007 it was 39. So, it's always hovering at these numbers.

My most recent CEA was 3.0 (nonsmokers normal range on my lab report shows: 0 - 3.1), so this was normal, but when I compared it to my last Oct., 2007 blood tests, my CEA was 1.9, so it had gone up 1.1 pts. in one year.

Coincidentally, I was diagnosed with a small melanoma in situ on my arm and it was surgically excised two weeks ago and the margins are clear as I saw my dermatologist yesterday and got my final report on it (yea!), but I don't think that would have anything to do with these other markers.

I read on another her2 site somewhere (http://www.her2support.org/) that her2 circulates in our bodies and for some it may run higher. My onc. said we could repeat these tests in six to 10 weeks and I will. She said if there was another increase, she would do a clinical evaluation (I guess that means an office visit). I just get anxious and concerned and would love to hear from some of you.

Thanks for responding and Happy Halloween,

Vicki Z

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Diagnosed 12/03 at age 53
1.5cm tumor, ER-PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
Stage 1B, Three negative nodes from Sentinel Node Biopsy
Paget's of the nipple, Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma and DCIS of the rt breast
Bloom-Richardson score 8/9, P53+ 60-70%, Ki-67+ 30-40%
Skin-sparing mastectomy with immediate lat-flap reconstruction and saline implants, 1/04
Chemo: FAC, five sessions every three weeks Feb.-May 04, then switched to HTC weekly for 12 weeks, June-Aug 04