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MemaGrandma
MemaGrandma Member Posts: 5
edited March 2015 in Just Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastasis

In January a x-Ray suggested a 1cm tumor on my lung. My oncologist said it could be mets to the lung since my CA27-29 marker was elevating, now 58. She scheduled a PET/CT scan. I was going crazy waiting. The PET scan results came back clear, even better than before. I am still worried based on the tumor marker. My oncologist does not seem concerned enough. She does not want to treat and just wait. My feelings are that we should be looking for what is causing the tumor marker to elevate. Does Anyone else have or have had a similar situations

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  • sandilee
    sandilee Member Posts: 1,843
    edited February 2015

    Tumor markers are notorious for being unreliable. A lot of things can cause elevation, including infection and inflammation. Also, X-rays are not definitive either, which is why you had the PET scan. I am like you, though, and worry if something is amiss or different.

    When I had a small nodule on my lung (CT scan) my onc also wanted to wait. He suggested rescanning in three months, as it takes about that long for changes to become visible on scans. Might you suggest that you have another scan, maybe a CT, in three months time to see if there are any changes?

    My three month re-scan came back negative. Nodule had disappeared, and onc said it was probably picked up from the first scan because I'd had a bad chest infection that required antibiotics to get rid of. Sometimes scans can't tell the difference between scar tissue and something worrisome. Good luck!

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  • MemaGrandma
    MemaGrandma Member Posts: 5
    edited March 2015

    thanks for that encouraging post. My PET came back clear, but my recent TM came back 104. Now I have something else to worry about. This cancer is like a vicious circle

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