tumor marker up DURING chemo

weety

I just accidentally posted this in the wrong place.  I'm reposting here where it belongs.

Yikes!  I just picked up the results of my ca 27 29 test and it's at 48.  I was at 27 at the beginning of chemo (2 months ago)  and now I am almost done now with my chemo treatments.  I only have one more left.  Has anyone else had their markers increase during chemo? 

nash

Yes, my TM went up during chemo. My CA 27.29 was 28 at diagnosis (before any treatment), 15 after surgery, then shot up to 35 while on chemo. Now that I'm done with chemo, it hovers between 24 and 30.

TriciaK

Hi, this is fairly normal. Just as infections can make the tumour markers rise so can chemo.

I would'nt worry.

Tricia 

sschmidt

I had a similar situation.  My Onc told me that it was a good sign and that he ahd written a paper on the subject...better outcome etc..  My oncologist was Dr. Barth in Newport.  So...that made me feel better and hope it does you too.

Shirley

Member_of_the_Club

I'm glad to hear it means a better outcome because mine went up to 70.  I was told they always go up during chemo and that oncs shouldn't do the test then.  It really traumatized me.

weety

Thanks ladies for the replies.  I hope you are all right!  My onc wants to retest next week (still during chemo) so she must not think chemo elevates the numbers.  Keeping my fingers crossed that it's the same or better yet, lower!

mmm5

Weety

I pmed you as well. But it is a known FACT that they go up especially on Taxanes and it has to do with Inflammation. I work for a lab and looked at my result before the Docs and freaked out big time started planning my funeral I was devastated.

Same thing happened with my ALT (liver counts) both returned to normal after chemo.

weety

mmm5, thanks for the PM and information.  I'm still freaking out, though!

I do remember my onc ordered a liver function panel test the same day as the CA27.29.  I didn't think about that till now.  I wonder if that was elevated as well.  I guess I'll have to wait till Friday when I see her next.

SL448

Hi, Weety,

I got the same experience.  Don't worry.  You will be OK.  I remember my onc told me that I am not saying you would not recurrence, but should not be ocurred during the chemo.  But I insisted to do a PET scan, the result, of course, NED.  After 4 months, my onc tested again.  It got back from 33 to 14.  I am sure that you will be the same.

weety

SL448,

I see from your post that you are HER2+ like me.  Did you happen to have taxotere as part of your chemo?  There are a couple of other women who have responded to my worries, and they both had taxotere.  Their tumor markers also went up during or shortly after chemo and then went down later.  I am hoping that is what is happening with mine as well!

tmccl

Did your doctor explain to you what he meant by it meaning a better outcome? My CA 27.29 went from 41(before treatment) to 64(checked after 3rd chemo) and my doctor also acted concerned. Needless to say, I have been very scared and not as optimistic as I was before.

weety

tmccl,

Did you ever get retested?  I got the results of my 2nd test and the numbers went down by 10 points.  Before surgery I was 27, then before chemo 29, halfway through chemo 48, and then back down to 38 right before my last treatment.  I have another test scheduled for the first week of Jan.  I hope it continues to go down even further. 

joannacco

hi Weety- you posted back in 2009. Did your CA-27 come down further? Did you ever have a breast cancer recurrence? I am freaking because mine was 21 before chemo and then 28 after first TCHP chemo and now 32.8 after 4th chemo. My doctor says she won't look again until after my double mastectomy is over and I am about 6 weeks Out fromthe TCHP.

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stephilosphy00

My CA 27.29 was 6.6 at dx and it jumped up to 8.8 after 5 rounds of Taxol (I do chemo first).

cinsby88

My tumor marker CA 27.29 when diagnosed in Aug was 20.9 now it is 36.4. This is after radiation. I did not have Chemo. I am worried but the nurse practitioner is not concerned. I posted about it on another thread and a few commented and said dont really worry as they fluctuate. I thought they would have gone down. The ref number is 0.0 to 38.6 so 36.4 is not to far from it so it really threw me for a loop.

joannacco

my doctor also doesn't put too much weight in them unless they get to above 50 or something... Ut I agree it is very unnerving! I hear new treatment like radiation or chemo can make them go up. But now that I am 11 weeks past chemo I thought it wouldn't continue to Rise.

I guess we just have to trust our docs!!!

MinusTwo

Tumor markers are just an indication. If they continue to go up after treatment is finished, there might be some problem. Many docs won't even do the tests since patients freak out.

lovetodance1

inflammation from radiation can lead to fluctuations to markers even a bit above normal..it happens a lot

KBeee

Most doctors do not do tumor markers unless there's metastasis because they are unreliable in so many people and fluctuate for so many non-cancer reasons. That being said, just keep an eye on them since your doctor does them and don't be concerned unless he/she is concerned. Radiation causes a lot of inflammation. Scar tissue from it will continue to form for the first 2 years, so perhaps that is influencing the numbers. Hoping you are recovering well from the treatments.

Les123

Yesterday I was excited that it's my last chemo treatment. However, prior to my last treatment my MO said on my blood work my tumor marker has started to climb. Anything below 38 considered normal. Before my surgery I was at 42. After my surgery I was at 32. And before chemo It was down to 22. However this last bloodwork the day before to my last chemo it went up to 62.4 yikes. A little teary-eyed and scared. She told me nothing to be alarmed about yet. Did this ever happened to anyone? I had PET Scan/Bone Scans and MRI done in Feb. prior to my surgery and all came back negative of any other cancer besides the lump in my right breast.

KBeee

It is common for these to rise during chemo since they are inflammatory markers. Most MOs actually do not check for them. Hopefully they'll recheck them in a few months and they'll decrease.

Les123

Thanks for the update! I was really getting scared and couldn't figure out why it would be increasing since it was declining in the beginning before chemo.

stephilosphy00

I am also scared now. I am over a month out from chemo, my tumor marker CA 27.29 actually goes down from the highest 21at the middle of chemo to now 15. But my bone pain especially the pain at my lower back does not seem getting better and I even start sciatia this weekend....Feeling like my whole body is falling apart.

Les123

I am sure that is still part of the chemo side effects lingering. I have that to throughout each chemo treatment and I think it will take a couple of months for that to go away. Mine sometimes gets to the point I can't stand up. I feel it's the side effect from the neulasta shot. I am hoping that is the reason my tumor marker has risen from normal range 22 the day before I started chemo treatment to 62 Yesterday!

trinigirl50

Hi

Tumour markers often elevate during or after chemo and/or radiation for up to as much as three months after treatment is completed. Neulasta can also cause really bad body aches. Many oncologists won't do tumour marker tests during chemo or rads for that reason.

Winters74

so I am just bumping this post as a 6mm(tiny) lung nodule was found on my last CT scan and then I called to follow up on my blood work today. It has always been under 12 even with cancer but now it is 12.4. Just a slight difference but that combined with the small nodule has me freaking out!!!!! Anyone similar to this and/or doing well despite scare

Winters74

I finished chemo during the middle of June last year and radiation in the middle of August last year