How often are we getting tumor markers checked?

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Anonymous
Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
edited November 2016 in Stage III Breast Cancer

Hi everyone ! Just wanting to know how often after 5 years from DX are survivors getting TM level checked? Am 7 years out and the doc only wants to check once a year and mind you, they did not check TM's after my initial surgery, chemo or rads. Please post what you receive and how many years out. Thanks so much!

Shelly

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  • YATCOMW
    YATCOMW Member Posts: 664
    edited August 2016

    About twice a year when I see my oncologist..... I am 12 years out.

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  • Jenwith4kids
    Jenwith4kids Member Posts: 635
    edited August 2016

    I'm only two and a half years out but I'm not getting them checked at all. After one scare I asked my onc to stop running them - mine were not elevated when I HAD cancer. Too many false alarms with tumor markers.

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  • lovetodance1
    lovetodance1 Member Posts: 62
    edited August 2016

    Do you have CEA checked? If so, does it fluctuate within normal range

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  • NancyD
    NancyD Member Posts: 3,562
    edited August 2016

    I'm down to once a year on my annual onc visit. I also asked him to run the one for ovarian cancer (I think that's CA-125) since I have a previous history and two aunt's also developed it.

    Next visit in October, I'm going to start asking for copies of the results. He usually just looks over the numbers and says everything looks fine. I should really be keeping better records since I may not stay in this area more than a few more years. Having copies to hand to a new onc would save time.

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  • ErenTo
    ErenTo Member Posts: 343
    edited August 2016

    My MO doesn't check, it may not even be standard of care in my province with government health system. I'm ok with it, don't want to deal with additional anxiety.

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  • Grandi
    Grandi Member Posts: 23
    edited August 2016

    it is not standard of care according to Johns Hopkins where they do not check them. There are too many false positives which cause anxiety along with unnecessary further testing

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  • Jujube43
    Jujube43 Member Posts: 178
    edited August 2016

    I get them checked every six weeks when I see my oncologist. I was diagnosed three years ago. Chemo, surgery, and rads did not completely remove the cancer. I am happy to be stable.

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  • Kathleen26
    Kathleen26 Member Posts: 210
    edited August 2016

    I finished chemo about six years ago. To my knowledge, I have never had them checked. I haven't had blood drawn at the MO's office since I finished chemo, so I know they haven't been tested since then.

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  • pumela115
    pumela115 Member Posts: 231
    edited August 2016

    Twice a year and I'm 6 years out. Had a scare a couple months ago that turned out to be nothing. After pet, bone scan and lung biopsy. Not sure they are worth the anxiety. See my onc tomorrow, first blood work after they came back elevated.

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  • sbelizabeth
    sbelizabeth Member Posts: 2,889
    edited August 2016

    Three times a year, down from four. I keep a spreadsheet. I don't have to wait for the MO to call--I access my labs from a patient portal online.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited August 2016

    It looks like everyone has a different timeline on markers. I know there can be false positives but I still believe they can detect some abnormalities. Thanks

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  • jcpriest0469n
    jcpriest0469n Member Posts: 86
    edited August 2016

    I saw my oncology doc yesterday and he did the same thing he always does,draw blood and hands on Check. There's never been talk of markers or margins. I see him every 6 months.



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  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
    edited August 2016

    My original MO checked markers, but mine were normal when I was first dx'd. My new MO does not check them, not sure if that is because mine were low from the beginning or if he just doesn't check them at all.

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  • ml143333
    ml143333 Member Posts: 658
    edited August 2016

    My MO checks them every 4 months.

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  • Artista928
    Artista928 Member Posts: 2,753
    edited August 2016

    My first onc I had for one visit before sx last year did it. My current onc said too many false positives and doesn't do it. I'm being followed by a pulm for s/p bilateral partial collapse of lungs from back in May. Told him onc doesn't do this. He added it to his labs. So flippy floppy on tissue markers. I see so many times people get scans because of these inaccurate things. I'll do the labs but I'm going with what my onc who is tooted to be brilliant around here says.

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  • merscotland
    merscotland Member Posts: 26
    edited September 2016

    I'm in Scotland and I'm not sure if TMs are checked but can someone tell me what are the most commonly recognised tumour markers (they may be called something else here).

    X

    Maggie

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  • sbelizabeth
    sbelizabeth Member Posts: 2,889
    edited September 2016

    Hello, Merscotland, welcome to BCO! My husby and I are hoping to visit your beautiful country next year on our 40th. Ye ken?

    Down to business. The tumor markers that are discussed here are CA 15-3 and CA 27.29. I looked around the internet for "breast cancer tumor markers United Kingdom" and found references to 15-3 and 27.29, so most likely they're called the same thing across the pond where you live.

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  • MmeJ
    MmeJ Member Posts: 167
    edited September 2016

    My MO ran them when I was diagnosed, before treatment started. They have not been checked since.

    I continue to marvel at the regional (and national) variances in our treatments and follow-up.

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  • merscotland
    merscotland Member Posts: 26
    edited November 2016

    hi bselizabeth and Mmej

    Thank you for responding to my question way back. Sorry for not acknowledging your replies but I'm not very good with this form of communication and I'm still finding my way around! I've only just found out how to check my own postings- hence I've realised I hadn't checked since.

    Anyway - thanks again! Let me ken if you find yourself in Perth when you visit Scotland !

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  • peacestrength
    peacestrength Member Posts: 690
    edited November 2016

    Questions for you ladies...I have had my CA 15.3 and CA 27.29 tumor markers checked since 2013. I've had stage 1 and stage 2 breast (SGAP) reconstruction over the past 6 months. I just got the results of my tumor markers and they are in normal range but here's my question: can surgery cause an increase in tumor markers? Maybe an inflammatory response from the surgeries? Like I said, my results are still within the normal ranges but it's bugging me that they went up:( Thoughts?

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  • sbelizabeth
    sbelizabeth Member Posts: 2,889
    edited November 2016

    Peacestrength, yes, surgery can make your markers to up. My onc draws them quarterly and she doesn't do them right after any surgery. They bounce around a lot, I've noticed. If yours are still in the normal range that's great.

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited November 2016


    Have never had them done.

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  • YATCOMW
    YATCOMW Member Posts: 664
    edited November 2016

    Any kind of inflammation can cause your tumor markers to jump.......flu with inflammation in your lungs....surgery......chemo......so I try to make sure I don't have anything going on before I do my tumor markers otherwise I deal with an increase that creates chaos:) I have been doing tumor markers for over 12 years and they have jumped as much as 7 points.....but then go back down. It is the reason why many doctors don't do them......but I like knowing and so does my oncologist.


    Jacqueline

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  • Smurfette26
    Smurfette26 Member Posts: 730
    edited November 2016

    My Oncologist does them twice a year but he did say he doesn't put too much "faith" in them.

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  • sbelizabeth
    sbelizabeth Member Posts: 2,889
    edited November 2016

    There are a wide variety of opinions out there. I asked my onc last week about tumor markers specifically and she opined that with a long history of trending, they are 95% reliable if they skyrocket after being normal for a long time.

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  • Opt4Life
    Opt4Life Member Posts: 191
    edited November 2016

    I also checked with my MO about tumor markers as my lab results indicate every other test but these. She said she doesn't use them for early stage as they are not reliable. She does however track closely any new pain or symptoms and blood work. Therefore, it seems I have to trust her and pay close attention to any body signals too.

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  • pupfoster1
    pupfoster1 Member Posts: 1,484
    edited November 2016

    My doctor doesn't do them either. I'm glad because I'm one of those worry warts.

    Sharo

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  • SSInUK
    SSInUK Member Posts: 245
    edited November 2016

    my onc said unfortunately in some patients they can stay normal despite recurrence - They are much more indicative for stage 4. More interested I symptoms likewise

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