This might be a silly question...

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jennyboog
jennyboog Member Posts: 1,322
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

I had a CTC (circulating tumor cell) test done a few weeks ago and got the results a couple days ago.  I was negative and have no cancer cells at this time.  I was tickled to death of course, it's the first time in a year I've felt safe, if that makes sense.  But then I started wondering....can you be negative but still have a tumor (mets) somewhere? 

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  • bak94
    bak94 Member Posts: 1,846
    edited September 2011

    I think that is great news! Seems like, in my unprofessional opinion, if there is not anything circulating, then there would not be mets, as the mets have to get there somehow. Did you ask your doc? Did your insurance pay for this? I bet waiting for the results was tough! What happens if they find circulating cells? Is chemo recommended right away, or just sit and wait for something to show up on a scan?

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  • faithfulheart
    faithfulheart Member Posts: 544
    edited September 2011

    Jenny, that is awesome news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I want one. How did you get the test, what should I ask my doc. I have never heard of this test, is it new? I am so happy for you!!!!

    Hugs

    steph

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  • Yanyan
    Yanyan Member Posts: 38
    edited September 2011

    Great news Jenny!! I heard CTC is not a routine test but CEA seems to be. I am being tested for ca27-29 and CEA every 3 weeks since i am still on treatment.

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  • AgentMo
    AgentMo Member Posts: 72
    edited September 2011

    Jenny, lucky you! I have had the same test done, but in my blood they found CTCs twice. In retrospect, I should not have done the test, because now I am sitting here expecting mets to come up every minute. It is a really bad sign to have CTCs, but for you, it is a really good sign not to have them. Congratulations.

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  • LuvRVing
    LuvRVing Member Posts: 4,516
    edited September 2011

    Celebrate, celebrate!!!

    Michelle

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  • Pure
    Pure Member Posts: 1,796
    edited September 2011

    I didn't even know about that test? Is it standard? That is really cool!

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  • Mamita49
    Mamita49 Member Posts: 538
    edited September 2011

    Me too, I had no idea.......

    Its probably not standand, but if you did pay for it, how much to expect.

    Let us know......

    And does it just say

    positive-negative, or does it give some % or countings..........??????? 

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  • Maureen813
    Maureen813 Member Posts: 2,893
    edited September 2011

    Sounds interesting, what is it?

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  • jennyboog
    jennyboog Member Posts: 1,322
    edited September 2011

    Thanks ladies!  I'll see if I can answer you're questions....my onc said it was fairly new and we're military so mine was paid for with no probs, not sure about other insurances.  My dr said if I scored a 5 then she would watch more closely for symptoms and scan more.  If not then we would keep on on our current path, I did Google it and read up on it some.  My dr doesn't do or like tumor marker test but said she did like these and trusted them so we'd do them periodically as a back up.  The nurse gave me the results so I didn't get to talk to the dr and the nurse is not one of those you can talk to, if that makes sense (always seems annoyed by you) so I talk to her as little as possible and will ask more questions at my next dr's appt.  I was just wondering if any of you had and knew anything about this test.  Since many of you haven't had it, it makes me feel good about my dr now.  I was beginning to question should I switch again.  I hope ya'll are able to get it with no probs, let me know.  Thanks again.

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  • anonymice
    anonymice Member Posts: 532
    edited September 2011

    That's great news!  It sure seems that if there were no cancer in your blood, there is no cancer in your body, anyway!  When you learn more please let us know.

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  • slousha
    slousha Member Posts: 312
    edited September 2011

    Dear sherriG,

    Why  shouldn't you ask dr.Matic, what he means about CTC test?

    Greetings

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited September 2011

    jennyboog, there's a Research News article about these tests on the main Breastcancer.org site, as well as BCO's analysis (check the Breastcancer.org says column).

    Congratulations on your test result!

    Judith and the Mods

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited September 2011

    But I'm like Jennifer. Say I have mets in my sternum and all the cells are there. So when they check my bood, there's no cells circulating because they are all together at my sternum!! I've heard of the test and it's done at the time of surgery to a certain extent as I found out I have Isolated Tumour Cells in the breast tissue they took during my masts. So they check the tissue they take out, makes sense to check the tissue they leave! That means that I most likely have Isolated Tumour Cells circulating through all my tissue just waiting to find some new breasts. Good thing I didn't get any, eh?

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