how much do ca 27.29 tests bounce?

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gns
gns Member Posts: 5
edited June 2014 in Just Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastasis

Hi All, I have been lurking in this great forum for several weeks.

My mother had breast cancer twice and has been getting her CA 27.29 checked every 6 months. I know it is not a reliable test, and that you are supposed to look at the trend. I was just wondering how much your markers bounced around?

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  • marshakb
    marshakb Member Posts: 1,664
    edited October 2009

    gns, I think everyone is different.  Some can follow their cancer EXACTLY with tumor markers.  Others not so much.  My original dx was dec 06, mets dec 08.  I NEVER had elevated tumor markers, at all, until just recently.  My liver met started  growing on Femara, my liver enzymes went up for the first time ever as did my tumor marker.  Onc was surprised, had even started only running the marker every 3rd month since they never increased.  Still not sure we will be able to use them as anything reliable until we can see a "trend".   Hope this helps.

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  • KattyC
    KattyC Member Posts: 16
    edited November 2009

    GNS, I am 8 years out and recently diagnosed with mets to the liver.  My tumor marker numbers were never high, and actually had been trending down.  When I asked the Onc. about it, she said the markers do not always indicate the same way for each person.  My best advice is to follow one's progress closely, make sure scans are done as regulary as indicated, and monitor your health.  I complained in late August of chest soreness and breast lumps which happened to be associated with my period and benign, BUT it warranted a CT and bone scan which actually found my mets.  Best wishes to you and your Mom. 

       

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  • Duffymom
    Duffymom Member Posts: 179
    edited November 2009

    Mine were in the normal range when I had my initial diagnosis in July 06.  With my reoccurance they've still been low, mid 40's to 60.  For me, not a good indicator.

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  • Chelee
    Chelee Member Posts: 513
    edited November 2009

     My markers seem to be a good indicator for me.  They always ran around 15 to 18....then they slowly started inching up every 3 months when we checked them.  They finally got over the reference range of 38 and I put my foot down and told my onc to run a PET/CT.  We found out I did recur.  Tumor markers seem to either work really good for some...or not at all for the others.  TM'ers should be used as one piece of the puzzle.  If they start going up and NOT back down...it's time to have scans. 

    But they can go up for benign reasons too...thats why it's only one piece of the puzzle to be used as a tool with everything else.  But I will say they are dead on with me.  If yours go up and back down...I wouldn't worry too much...only if they keep climbing with no decrease.

     Chelee

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2009

      I would be happy if mine were 38,  Right now mine have gone to 73 and in Oct they were 52,  However, considering they were in the 300s before doing chemo in Feb, I consider myself to be in better shape now than I was then cancerwise.  So regarding the original question re  the CA 27/29, it all depends on the person.  Even though my onco has told me from the beginning that it is not a completely accurate test, it has always been a good indicator for me when something has been going on if the numbers went up.Cheele is absolutely correct in saying they are only one piece in the puzzle.  Even when the markers have gone up, sometimes my scans have shown no changes and my onco goes on the scans more than the CA27/29 results.  Sorry if I have only added to your confusion, but it is different for each person.  Antibiotics, infection, many things can affect them, but in my case as I said they have always been a good indicator that there is a change going on. 

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  • weety
    weety Member Posts: 1,163
    edited November 2009

    My markers were 27 at the beginning of chemo (2months ago) and are now elevated at 48 (I have only one more chemo to do.) I am, of course, very worried that I am out of the normal range, especially since I am currently on chemo.  Can chemo raise the numbers?  Did anyone else have elevated numbers during their chemo treatments?

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  • diana50
    diana50 Member Posts: 2,134
    edited November 2009

    in my case chemo did raise my CA27.29.  then it came back down. my oncologist continues to run CA27.29 every 6 months just to see what they are doing.

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  • weety
    weety Member Posts: 1,163
    edited November 2009

    Hi Diana50, thanks for your response.  I am hoping that it is just the chemo playing tricks, but it is quite nerve wracking.  Did your numbers jump up high all of a sudden, or were they more gradual?  What about when they went back down?

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  • Bugs
    Bugs Member Posts: 1,719
    edited November 2009

    My markers jumped during chemo, also.  I think 58 was the highest they went, but it was enough to send me here in a panic :)

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  • Chelee
    Chelee Member Posts: 513
    edited November 2009

    weety911,  It is very normal for tumor markers to jump right towards the end of chemo.  It has something to do with killing off all those nasty cancer cells.  I honestly believe you can relax...you will see your next tumor markers drop.   I look at it as a good sign that your treatment worked.  :)  My tumor markers did the EXACT same thing when I did my treatment...jumped just liked your's when I was doing my 2nd to last chemo...but then took a dive after that and continued to go down and stayed in the 15 to 19 range.  So hang in there!  Although I certainly understand the concern....things like that are so stressful when unexpected.  Enjoy your holidays.

     Chelee

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