Tumor Markers sky high

kalyla
kalyla Member Posts: 258
edited December 2017 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

I just found out what my actual tumor marker numbers were in December, when I was first diagnosed Stage IV, 2,892. They reran the markers and they're down 10%, but still sky high at 2612. My question is if anyone else has numbers as high as this? Most posts I read are from people who's numbers are up to 50 or 100. Does 2892 mean a severely aggressive cancer? How high can tumor markers go?

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Comments

  • JustJudi
    JustJudi Member Posts: 198
    edited March 2010

    My tumor markers were 1476 in Dec. I had just started Aromisin in Nov. my January markers were 476 , I am feeling positive. I don't know how long you have been fighting this , but they can come down. So talk to your onc. and don't think the worst.  Best Wishes.

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  • Alpal
    Alpal Member Posts: 1,785
    edited March 2010

    My tumor markers were in the 1500 range when first diagnosed. 700's after two chemo treatments. Have never been less than 300 and I'm doing great! Go figure.

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  • MJLToday
    MJLToday Member Posts: 2,068
    edited March 2010

    Tumor markers are so incredibly variable for everyone, it's hard to say what exactly they mean.  For some people they trend pretty well with disease activity, for others they are worthless.

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  • cancerkicker
    cancerkicker Member Posts: 99
    edited March 2010

    I agree with the post above me. 

    However, I did ask my doctor this exact question because mine were at 1300.  He said they could be in the 5000's or even higher.

    Mine have decreased from 1300 to 64 and trend with my cancer.

    Best of luck to you.

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  • Irina
    Irina Member Posts: 987
    edited March 2010
    When I was DX my TMs were 1000,then after chemo 6000. Chemo didn't help me. In December TMs were 2400, January 3050, March 2600. My TMs all ways very high.
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  • kalyla
    kalyla Member Posts: 258
    edited March 2010

    Wow, 6000 seems very high, but my onc told me that a higher number doesn't neccessarily mean that you have more cancer than if the numbers were lower. But why do they use them if they vary so much and are so unreliable?

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  • lillian194020
    lillian194020 Member Posts: 105
    edited March 2010

    Kayla,  In the spring of 2005, my CA 27.29 went as high as 1600.  In order to bring it down, I had to have chemo once per week for 3 months then once every 2 weeks for 3 months.  It worked for about 9 months (my numbers went down to 40).  For the past two years, after more chemo and more rads, it has begun creeping up again.  I'm now at 110.  Not happy about it, but at these numbers, I can keep the pain under control w/o chemo.  Please let us know how you're doing.

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  • kalyla
    kalyla Member Posts: 258
    edited March 2010

    lillian1, I'm glad chemo helped your numbers go down and I'm sorry they've been rising again. What kind of pain are you in? Where are your mets?

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  • lillian194020
    lillian194020 Member Posts: 105
    edited March 2010

    K - my mets are to my spine and liver.  Truthfully, my bone pain really makes itself known when I attempt to do any serious bending, lifting or exercise.  Since my tumor load has reached the symptomatic threshold, my liver pain is kicking in (nothing too terrible) but my cancer also secretes a hormone that interferes with my breathing and heart rate.  That's a serious pain in the butt.  I'm waiting on the results of a blood test to find out whether a drug called Sandostatin  might be effective in making my breathing a bit easier.  I wish us both luck!  How are you?  Any scans lately?

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  • Skullgirl66
    Skullgirl66 Member Posts: 1
    edited December 2017

    my husband has liver cancer his tumor marker went from 600 to 3747 now it is 23063.0 his new inc says his blood work looked fine his old onc was always worried when his numbers went up always thought there was a cancer we couldn't see on scans the new doctor is young the old doc had been in his field a long time I really liked him but don't take the insurance we have now he has been feeling worse too I think something is going on and they are not telling us everything

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