elevated CA 15-5 level equals metastasis???

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shipsong
shipsong Member Posts: 5
edited January 2017 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

Hello

I'm new to the forum. Although I am still waiting for my biopsy (Bi-Rad 5), my GP sent me for blood tests which came back with a MASSIVELY elevated CA 15-3 level - 1460 (should be less than 23); and a CA 125 of 65 (should be less than 36). The tumor size on left breast US was around 2,5 cm, with five other suspicious areas, all less than a cm in size. Now since my GP will be away until Tuesday, I've been googling away and it seems that the likelihood of having metastatic cancer to bones and /or liver is a very real possibility. Does anyone have any info on this? I am petrified as the score seems off the charts.Thank you !!!

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  • ErenTo
    ErenTo Member Posts: 343
    edited January 2017

    Hi Jem, have you had surgery yet? If not I wonder if elevated levels could be because of the primary tumour in the breast and/or axila

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  • shipsong
    shipsong Member Posts: 5
    edited January 2017

    Hi ErenTo,

    Thanks for your reply! I haven't had any surgery, the biopsy hasn't even been done yet (it's scheduled for next week) and I think my GP jumped the gun a bit by sending me for the marker tests. It would be great if the levels relate to the tumour and not necessarily the possibility of it having spread.

    I'm new to all of this, so not sure if my interpretation is correct.

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  • dtad
    dtad Member Posts: 2,323
    edited January 2017

    Hi Jem. Please try not to panic. We all know how hard that is though. My MO at a major NYC teaching hospital puts no validity in CA levels. I also agree that your primary doc jumped the gun by ordering the test. You really won't know anything substantial until you get the biopsy done. Try to take one step at a time. Good luck and keep us posted...

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited January 2017

    Most oncologists do not order that test routinely because so many things (ex. Inflammation) can cause it to rise. The time period you are in now is very stressful because you have a million questions and no answers. Hoping the cancer is confined to the breast and that your treatment plan is in place soon

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  • shipsong
    shipsong Member Posts: 5
    edited January 2017

    Thank you all for the words of reason (and comfort), it means so so much to me. Will report back on how it pans out

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  • Cubbie2015
    Cubbie2015 Member Posts: 875
    edited January 2017

    Jem, I don't think the test is valid at all in someone who hasn't yet had surgery. If you do have cancer, the tumor is going to throw the level off so much the test is useless. This test is normally used after treatment for long term follow up in patients at high risk for recurrence. I suspect your GP is out of his depth here.

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  • shipsong
    shipsong Member Posts: 5
    edited January 2017

    Thank you Cubbie for this info. My biopsy is on Thursday, and in the meantime I'm going through the motions of work and young kids while trying to stay off the Internet. I'll be 43 this year, we just bought our first house, kids in a new school, a three year old at home - cancer was the furthest thing from my mind.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited January 2017

    Jem - all my docs said the cancer antigen tests are ONLY an indicator of change - many kinds of change. They are not definitive for diagnosis. Hope the week goes quicker than you think and you get good news Thursday.

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  • ErenTo
    ErenTo Member Posts: 343
    edited January 2017

    I think your GP jumped the gun on doing this test, It's usually the MOs who do it and not even all of them do this and definitely not at this stage of the game. There are more critical tests for you to focus on right now, and this shouldn't be one of them.

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  • shipsong
    shipsong Member Posts: 5
    edited January 2017

    Hi all,

    I thought I'd post an update as I got my results back two days ago - Invasive Carcinoma, Ductal NOS type. Had a bone scan that said my sternum on the left was 'suspicious for early metastasis' !!! But my family doctor said it's probably infection or inflammation as it is right at the spot of the tumor - for once I am praying he is right. Otherwise waiting on the results of an x-ray and slated to have a CT scan. Have consulted with a surgeon and seeing the oncologist on Wednesday - hoping I'd have a clearer idea of what I'm dealing with then. Question: Has anyone had a bone scan that turned out to be a false positive or are those things pretty accurate????

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  • cive
    cive Member Posts: 709
    edited January 2017

    Bone scans definitely give false positives sometimes.  A CT scan with dye or PET scan is usually more accurate.

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