Blood work showed ca 15-3 high

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caall1234
caall1234 Member Posts: 214
edited June 2016 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

I am on Ibrance and letrozole. The monitor my blood word every week. WBC was good but the ca 15-3 went up to 72 from 52 and the cea was 3.54. I thought the cea was more important then the ca 15-3. I have to get a pet scran next month. Is this bad I am really worried

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  • zarovka
    zarovka Member Posts: 3,607
    edited June 2016

    I don't know what cycle you are on or what your exact protocol is ... you might update your Dx and Tx in your profile. It gives us critical context for your question. However, letrozol often causes a flare reaction in the first few months that presents as elevated cancer markers. My cancer markers doubled in the first two months on letrozol and ibrance and have remained at that level. In early studies of just letrozol the flare response corresponded with the patient responding to the hormone therapy.

    And then, on top of that, tumor markers are simply not reliable in certain people or at certain phases in treatment.

    You can choose to see it as a random response or as a sign the letrozol is working.

    Palbociclib and letrozol on average take 4 months to produce an objective response. This is different than the IV chemo drugs we are used to. Be patient and hang in there.

    Tribe Ibrance hangs out on Ibrance 2015 (Palbociclib) where we analyze our diagnostics and side effects at length.

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  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited June 2016

    I am going through the high markers out of no where too. I have had normal numbers for a couple years then at the beginning of the month they went up to 78 and 80. I have since had a pet scan and a blockage was found in my ureter. I knew before they told me from the horrible pain and blood in my urine. Both pain and a ton of blood have cleared up on their own. Sent me for a ct scan and the dye could not pass through the blockages. Put me on my stomach and it finally worked. Not sure what is going on yet. Won't know until Friday. All stressful.

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  • caall1234
    caall1234 Member Posts: 214
    edited June 2016

    I update it

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  • car2tenn
    car2tenn Member Posts: 515
    edited June 2016

    Dear Call,

    I went to Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Fl at U . of Florida yesterday for a second opinion from a breast cancer specialist and researcher. Boy did she set me straight on tumor markers. She said forget them for breast cancer. They are excellent for many other cancers but she wanted to hear nothing from me on tumor markers . So there you go. I for one and going to believe her and chill on that parameter. Carolyn from Music City

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  • Goodie16
    Goodie16 Member Posts: 446
    edited June 2016

    Caall, As Z said, inflammation can cause tumor markers to rise too. Have the markers always been reliable for you? If so, continue to monitor. I've seen spikes from time to time in my markers. The last one was because I had Lyme disease and the inflammation caused a spike.

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  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited June 2016

    goodie16- how long after your inflammation did it take for your markers to come down. I had a blocked ureter at the time of the test so hoping that is why mine rose

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  • Goodie16
    Goodie16 Member Posts: 446
    edited June 2016

    Dianarose, mine were back down the next month. I hope yours come down quickly too!

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  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited June 2016

    Goodie- I knew whatever I was passing in my urine wasn't stones because they were white and soft. They sent the specimen to the Mayo clinic. The report came back and all it said was , Not a kidney stone. Foreign material. What the hell. We already knew that!

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  • Goodie16
    Goodie16 Member Posts: 446
    edited June 2016

    How frustrating!

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