Tumor Markers Elevated - Does Your Doc Monitor Them

jcp

mitziandbubba, The answer for the tumor markers from bloodwork is something you have to be comfortable with. If you are now, then that is a good feeling! If it ever starts to be a little much, you can always just talk to MO about doing things less frequently. I cant remember but I think it was just bloodwork you were referring to not regular scans? Yesterday I dod the CT scan. It was pretty quick w IV contrast. The radiology department said they send the ordering dr the report in two days. That looks like Monday. I'm always afraid to get a call and even more so if it's sooner than Monday bc it makes me think of not so good news. Hopefully, Desr God, it is a benign finding including if they find other things in my stomach etc.. Definitely worries but I have learned that the worry just runs the good times. I still do, though. Praying helps when I can concentrate enough. Hope all is well. You will do just fine! THANK YOU so much for the prayers. It means a lot to me, truly. Susan aka JCP

mitziandbubba

Thanks JCP! Let us know the results!

My tests are just bloodwork and then I have a mammo 1x a year and MRI 1x a year. I've had my mammo already. I'm kicking around asking the onc if I can do the tests every 6 vs every 3 months but if she has a good reason for wanting them every 3 months I can handle it. I'm feeling pretty darn good lately with my survivor status, a helluva lot less worried about recurrence than I was.

wallycat

I'm curious how old your doc is...how many years of experience. Maybe your doc has not seen many, many breast cancers so is being cautious not to miss anything. I used to think my oncologist (when I moved out here) was a little flippant about my cancer, not taking it too seriously. I've never had scans (except the two breast MRIs that found it and then needed to biopsy it since mammo and ultrasound could not detect it). I don't recall ever having labs done minus the wellness labs (CBC, metabolic panel, thyroid, etc.) that I ask for since I don't have a primary doc (long story). I've asked if I should go back on AIs, have scans, labs, etc. and I just thought she was not an alarmist. Fast forward to my DH's cancer DX (metastatic prostate cancer) and I cannot believe how many scans she's ordered for him, labs, blah, blah...so I think some docs have more experience and know when to do more things while others are maybe overly cautious.
I agree that you aren't required to go along with everything they say; at the least, have a discussion why.