tumor marker

tibet
tibet Member Posts: 545
edited June 2014 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

My tumor marker was normal at the time of dx and surgery. But it went up slightly during chemo, and after chemo, it came down to normal again.

Is this normal? Is tumor marker reliable?

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  • defeatbc
    defeatbc Member Posts: 53
    edited April 2009

    Hi newalex.

    My tumor markers had the same pattern as yours:  normal at dx, up after chemo, and down to normal afterwards.

    I read on various forums that it is normal for it to be up during and right after chemo.  It's questionable whether the markers are reliable because they can fluctuate due to various things (e.g. inflammation).

    Hoa (defeatbc

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  • tibet
    tibet Member Posts: 545
    edited April 2009

    Hoa

    Your TM went up during chemo or after chemo?

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  • defeatbc
    defeatbc Member Posts: 53
    edited April 2009

    Alex,

    My TM went up during and after.  I was tested immediately before chemo, near the end of chemo, immediately after chemo, then 3+ months after chemo.

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  • slanderson
    slanderson Member Posts: 152
    edited May 2009

    Mine did exactly the same thing and has been normal ever since....

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  • janinvan
    janinvan Member Posts: 83
    edited May 2009

    re tumor marker.....what  NUMBER do you consider normal?

    In Canada this  CA15-3  has an approximate "'average" of   29  !!

    12 years ago I was about 60 at time of diagnosis.....THEN 17 after surgery and treatment...

    1 year ago I was the same - ( jumped from 35 to 45....then--60) at time of recurrence  of some microscopic cells on my masectomy site (near/on pectoral muscle and near collar bone

    During middle of chemo it got "stuck" -and even went up 1/2 points....then went down

    It gradually went down to 26/27, etc.

    It correlates to the condition....

    WHY aren't healthy women checked once in a while re this blood test?

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  • pocogirl
    pocogirl Member Posts: 6
    edited May 2009

    Hello Ladies, please do not think me to be a total dolt, but what are tumor markers?.and where would I find this information?  I have a copy of my pathology report but this information was not listed. I was never informed if I had been tested prior to my surgery (bi-lat mast) or before I started chemo,  Is this something I should ask my onocologist about at this time? I still have second half of chemo to complete, but I am concerned about not knowing anything about these numbers. Thanks for any help!

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  • LRM216
    LRM216 Member Posts: 2,115
    edited May 2009

    Pocogirl - I didn't know what it was either, but prior to the start of my chemo, my onc took all sorts of blood testing and she ran a C-25-29 (or something like that) and set my marker.  All I know is that she said it was "good" and my blood work was all perfect.  (So why do I have cancer?).

    Linda

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  • pocogirl
    pocogirl Member Posts: 6
    edited May 2009

    LRM216,  thanks for your reply and this information.  I do not think that I had this blood work done, but I will inquire about it toward the end of my treatment.  I am so glad to hear that your marker levels are "good" and that your blood work was perfect!  Your comment, "So why do I have cancer?" made me think of a line from the movie "The Bucket List."

    Nurse: "Is there anything else I can get for you Carter?"

    Carter: " A Clean Bill of Health if you've got one."

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