Confusing result

ABeautifulSunset

Ok. Two months ago I started doxil after my markers, always consistent with my disease, rose a bit and my PET showed three very small spots on liver.the next month my CEA quadrupled, to a number i had never seen before. Tumor flare? Maybe. Another month goes by. I'm completely asymptomatic. I feel great. I go for my third doxil cycle. CEA has doubled again. But I have no symptoms, no pain, my liver isnot enlarged and every single blood panel result is normal. I am doing another PET next week. Even my ONC Seems confused. Any thoughts?

Lauriesh

I had 2 very large liver tumors and bloodwork was normal, liver was not enlarged, had no pain or symptoms, so, the liver mets could be growing and that could be reason the cea is rising. I hope that is not the case and the doxil is working

ABeautifulSunset

thanks Laurie.

What treatment ended up helping to reduce those Mets?

Stefanie

ShetlandPony

A confused onc is better than an alarmed onc in this case. The PET should really help clarify. The immediate challenge is to get through the wait for the PET. Go after whatever de-stressing techniques, support, and distraction you can.

IF there are growing liver mets, the right treatment could put you back to NEAD. Was it in 2011 that you had TAC? If it has been a while I would think Taxol might be suggested. But also, there is Y90 as an alternative to chemo. And genomic testing of the tumor or via liquid biopsy-- what if the cancer flipped to Her2+? That would open up some really effective targeted therapies. Can they check CA 27.29 as well as CEA to get more info?

At mbc diagnosis, when my liver was really full of active tumors, my enzymes were still in normal range, but I noticed later, perusing my lab reports, that they had increased from my own personal baseline. But I had very definite pain when pressing near my liver and sometimes when not even pressing, and the liver was enlarged. CA 27.29 was very high. Taxol clobbered the mets.

ABeautifulSunset

thanks Shetland. My CA 27-29 doesn't move. It always reads normal. Only the CEA has been readable for me. My liver is not enlarged, nor does it hurt. My liver enzymes remain normal. I dont really understand what's going on. I'll just have to wait and see. I'm sure I have some sort of recourse....whatever it ends up being. Just don't like it.