what do tumor markers really mean anyway?

I go to Cancer Tumor Marker test every 4 months. Week before and until i get the result i am a nervous wreck.

I don't know my numbers but my understanding after reading these boards are.......

As long as they stay steady its okay when the numbers suddenly start climbing lets say from 31 to 50 they might start doing some scans. they also say its not 100% reliable.

I'm sorry i wasn't much help, but thats all I know.

 Sheila

My onc said tumor marker tests are unreliable and doesn't use them.

Mine is young, female and does not rely on the tumor marker test.  Neither does her 60 something male partner.

My onc does them every visit which is now every 4 mos.  I have read also that they are not that reliable but it gives me some peace of mind anyhow.  My onc is 40ish, male, school in Saudi Arabia.

my oncologist uses them but also says that they aren't reliable.  i think they are just another tool to look at; gathering information.  i notice that she has them in the jacket of my medical file...that way she can see over a period of time (7 years...yeah) what they are doing.  they were only elevated over normal when i was on chemo which happens because the chemo stirs up the BC antigens...they will go up and down...within normal range which doesn't freak me out...i guess they they went WAY up....then i would be concerned.  at this point' all i do for followup is blood work...liver enzymes...TM and mammo and breast MRI.  for me; i like doing the markers...it makes me feel like that is one more possible way...they can moniter me. scans aren;t always reliable either....sometimes i think it is just a "crap shoot"  i actually rely more on how i feel then anything.  hang in there warriors**

diana50

Mine does them every visit, (every 3 months).  I asked him about their reliability and he said by itself, it's not a valuable test, but makes up one more piece of the puzzle when put together with symptoms and all the other data.  He is a well respected Onc, early 60 ish, here on Long Island, who is head of his oncology group.  He has suggested a few holistic remedies for some of my side effects.

My onc does them every visit, which for me right now (for the first year) is every 3 months.  He is 55-ish.

That is so interesting that SO many onc won't do the test for it's unreliabilty! I asked mine about it and his answer was that it is a GREAT test, but it's not its time yet so he doesn't do them.

My oncologist is a young female but in a large practice with about 20 other oncologists of both genders and ages range from late 30's to late 60's. They are all pro tumor markers but recognize the "unreliability" factors and use it more as a screening tool and look at consistancy with the results. I feel better having it done.

My onc told me that my tumor marker test didn't tell her much of anything and typically they are used in people with mets.

My Onc is young - well mid 30's and male.  I have had one test done and I whopped a score of 52 which freaked me out.  Turns out that you aren't supposed to do them when you have your period (which I was) and being premenopausal can stuff with the numbers as well.  I did another test a week later, as a matter of urgency on my part, and my score dropped down to 38.  Still not good but I think as a couple of ladies posted before it is just a screening tool and consistency is the important thing, consistently high, normal, low etc.  And as carol1949 said it is more commonly used for people with mets.

Great thread - this forum is just a minefield of information. Thank you ladies.

big hugs

Helena

My onco does the tumor marker test every 3 months and I surely hope it's not because I mets and she knows it but I don't.  I think she does it because my tumor showed lymphovascular involvement and she wants to make sure I don't develop mets.  The first time was after surgery, but before radiation began I believe to get a baseline.  At that time I also had a bone scan & a CT scan so she knew exactly what we were dealing with before treatment started.  She is about mid 30's and of Indian decent.

Sue

My oncologist is about 60 years old, and is in private practice.  I asked him about the blood tests for tumor markers.  I didn't want to do them.  He feels that they can indicate mets up to 6 months before any clinical signs appear.  I asked him why I would want to know early, if early intervention doesn't matter.  He said there are some instances where catching and treating earlier may lead to a better prognosis, not a cure, of course, but a little better prognosis.  I am prone to be very anxious about tumor markers, so I agreed to having them done, but I asked him not to tell me the results, good or bad.  I have left it in his hands to decide if/when to tell me.  I know this is "head-in-the-sand" thinking, but there it is.