Please help I am worried about my TM going up

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Margie7121
Margie7121 Member Posts: 19
edited June 2014 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

Hello there!

I am new to this forum and have been reading all the posts, your ladies are incredible with all the help, advise and positive thinking, it inspires me, thank you for that!!

I was diagnosed with HER2 +++ BC early this year, started chemo therapy on Feb7th, 3 weeks after the biopsy results came back

I have to do 6 chemo therapy sessions ( by session # 4 I was ready to die!!) but having my session # 6 tomorrow (May27th), never thought I would get this far!! MY Onc have been doing labwork since we started, he does CA15-3 and CA27-29 TM, I started off with CA15-3 being 74.6 and the CA 27-29 at 72, during the weeks and the past months after each chemo the numbers came down beautifully to CA15-3 to 30.7 and the CA27-29 to 32.6 which my Onc explained to me that the chemo is working because the TM are both in range.

I had new lab work done today as I normally do it the day before chemo and now the CA15-3 has gone up to 46.7, is this normal? I am super stressed and worried.

Did the chemo stop working or did the cancer just came back in full force overnight, or is it the medications?? Anybody else also had this problem??

Thanks in advance

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited May 2014

    Hello margie, welcome to the community. Sorry your here but we're glad you found us.

    Sometimes the responses can take some time. 

    sending you kind and good thoughts 

    from the Mods

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited May 2014

    Margie - this happened to me as well, pretty close to the same timing. The problem with CA27/29 is that inflammation can throw off those numbers pretty significantly. This is the reason a lot of docs don't use tumor markers. Chemo causes inflammation because it has an effect on all of your soft tissue. I wouldn't worry too much about an elevated number during chemo. Mine was 63, and my onc just kept repeating the TM every couple of weeks once chemo was over and it gradually returned to a normal range. It usually fell by 8-10 points each time. I know it is hard to be patient because your mind goes to the negative place, but try not to worry. 

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  • Margie7121
    Margie7121 Member Posts: 19
    edited May 2014

    Dear SpecialK

    Thank you SO MUCH for your reply, this put my mind at ease. 

    I noticed that you were HER2+ as well.. 

    Could I ask you for some more advise please?? My Onc told me that I have to receive the Hercepatin after my surgery and chemo for around 1 year every 3 weeks, did it affect you at all?? Does it make you feel sick, tired and nauseous as chemo does??

    The chemo is a real learning roller coaster as after each one I react different.... like a lucky packet always a surprise waiting...!!

    On my way to the Oncology center now to get my FINAL chemo infusion (YEAH!)

    Thanks a million for your reply I really really appreciate any advise!

    Have a superb day!

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  • Margie7121
    Margie7121 Member Posts: 19
    edited May 2014

    Dear Mods,

    Thank you for having me on this wonderful blog, I have read
    and learned a lot from all the ladies on here! You are doing a wonderful
    job, thank you SO MUCH!

    Margie

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