Tumor Marker blood test , anyone?

Wouldn't it have been better if the onc just kept his mouth shut...and said to come back next week to redo?

I'm so sorry about this stress. I'm not familiar at all with how sensitive these tests are.

I'm at my 3 month checks and I never ask about them because of just this....up and down results. It could be this ..it could be that..BLA****

I think all you can do is go next week and see from there. I know easy said than done...and try not to stress. I know you have finished the chemo and you just want to move forward now..and this has set you back.

Do try to enjoy the fact that you have finished...and remember it can be many things, but we always go to the worse. Ahhhhh cancer the gift that keeps on givin.....

Sue - Mine fluctuated all through chemo - started in the 40's - up and down somewhat . . . I got to be like Lexi - it caused me too much anxiety to even find out, so I stopped asking! Scared the crap out of me about a month and a half ago - my onc's PA left a message on my cell to to call her re test results. The only thing it could have been was tumor markers - and I couldn't get ahold of her ALL day. So all day, of course, in my mind, my markers had skyrocketed. When she finally did call me back, it was because they had DROPPED into the 20s and she wanted me to know. Great, but a very anxiety-filled day!

My point is - I finished chemo in July and have been getting Herceptin every 3 weeks. Mine dropped 7 months after finishing chemo. It seems like this test is not extremely reliable - I wouldn't stress if I were you (but of course you will - like Lexi said, the gift that keeps on giving!)

Best wishes - Sue

I realized as I was reading this thread that I haven't a clue what my tumor markers were ever. I have one more cycle of chemo to go (SQUEEL, SHREEK, Happy dance) and it's never come up. Nor before my bi-lateral mx in November. Part of me thinks now, "Geeze, this is stuff I should know." And then with reading all the apparent unreliability, I think that it's one less number I need to concern myself with. UGH!

Peace-

Ellen

Swim Angel- Congrats on 2 more Herceptin! I cannot wait to be you! Since you are ahead of me, maybe somehow you can let me know what up with these #'s. I do remember my friend telling me that her Mom who had cancer years ago always has high tumor market #'s and has stayed cancer free.

Ellen

susan13:

Here is some info on CEA.

"CEA is used mainly to monitor the treatment of cancer patients, especially those with colon cancer. Following surgery, CEA values are helpful in monitoring the response to therapy and in determining whether the disease has recurred. CEA is also used as a markerfor other forms of cancer, including cancers of the rectum, lung, breast, liver, pancreas, stomach, and ovary. Not all cancers produce CEA, and a positive CEA test is not always due to cancer. Therefore, CEA is not used for screening the general population.

When is it ordered?A CEA test may be ordered when your symptoms suggest the possibility of cancer. In patients who have been diagnosed with certain types of cancer, a CEA level is also measured before and after therapy, to evaluate the success of treatment.

What does the test result mean?

On initial testing, patients with smaller and early-stage tumorsare likely to have normal or only slightly elevated CEA values. Patients with more advanced tumors or tumors that have spread throughout the body are more likely to have high CEA values. When CEA levels decrease after therapy, it means that most or all of the CEA-producing tumor has been removed. A steadily rising CEA level is often the first sign of tumor recurrence.

Increased CEA levels can indicate some non-cancer-related conditions, such as inflammation, cirrhosis, peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis, rectal polyps, emphysema, and benign breast disease.

Since not all cancers produce CEA, it is possible to have cancer but also have a normal CEA level."

The CA27.29 was 5.53 with the tumor in me and yes it did not  indicate I had cancer. It still doesn't. That's why I don't trust these markers. It become elevated after the biopsy, but still no cancer. My surgeon said not to go by the markers in early stage. If the markers are elevated then it is a sign you should check yourself but if the markers are not up you should still check yourself if you are a high risk person or already have a lump. I waited until August to investigate the "cyst" and I ended up with a 4 cm tumor instead of 1.5 cm  which put me in stage 2. Thank God my daughter hit me by mistake and the tumor got big and swollen and bruised and ..... the rest is history.

I'm in central NJ-Union county. Where are you? 

Just an FYI, I have worked for a lab for 16 years and TM's are not the most reliable in Cancer detection. And as a footnote it is a known fact that the TAXANE group of chemo's make TM's go higer during treatment. Many ONC's don't test these during active treatment.

I had an 18 prior to chemo then 35 after first taxotere treatment, now several months done with chemo and back down to 17.

Do not panic while on Taxanes, wait for a few months after treatment!

Swimangel, I so agree with you my ONC is the number one rated ONC in SW and I call it a Cancer factory it is just take a number and one size fits all, it causes me the greatest angst in all of this!