Tumor marker tests

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NancyHB
NancyHB Member Posts: 1,512
edited April 2017 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

I'm newly diagnosed with bone mets (ogliomets in two ribs) via bone scan and confirmed by progressive CTs and MRI over the last several months. Due to the location my MO suggests active surveillance instead of biopsy right now, which requires a rib resection (or, as she put it, "like taking a sledgehammer to a hangnail"). I'll be having another bone scan and CT in three weeks (3 months after my last scans) to check for progression. MO will biopsy when a lesion becomes more accessible. I have minimal pain at this point so she's suggested an active surveillance approach for the moment, and I feel comfortable with that.


She completed some bloodwork the other day and as I see the results on my patient portal I note she performed a CEA and CA 15-3. Both are well within the normal range. I know these blood tests aren't always accurate, but I wonder if anyone else has them regularly, has faith in them, has seen progression, etc. I expect these will become routine tests for my MO, so I wonder what to watch for.

Thanks.
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  • susan_02143
    susan_02143 Member Posts: 7,209
    edited April 2017

    They are very accurate for me, but not as a raw number. I would ask that they use this test every month or every two months, and track their direction. One person's normal is some other person's "we had better pay attention." When my Markers jump more than 30%, the new progression does not yet show on the scans, but they will three months later.

    Hope that this helps.

    *susan

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  • cive
    cive Member Posts: 709
    edited April 2017

    My tumor markers, ca27.29, is very predictive of what is going on with me.  But not small changes, when something is happening with me, they will go up double or triple in a month.  So we watch them and when they go up dramatically, I get a CT scan.

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  • teacher911
    teacher911 Member Posts: 853
    edited April 2017

    I had my rib met treated successfully with radiation and not surgery. Tomotherapy machine was used. Has your doctor ever suggested that as a possibility? The surgery scared me because of the possibility of phantom pain. Good luck. My tumor markers are predictive but also not small changes.

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  • Goodie16
    Goodie16 Member Posts: 446
    edited April 2017

    The ca27.29 has been accurate for me. Much like cive, they will spike to 3x the level they were previous draw when something is up.

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  • NancyHB
    NancyHB Member Posts: 1,512
    edited April 2017

    Thank you all for your input, I'm learning so darned much on this new wild ride. I have a feeling there's a lot of monthly tracking in this active surveillance approach, so I'll be interested to see how things change over time and whether these tests are predictive for me.

    Teacher, my previous MO wanted to go directly to radiation but since I've had both ER+ and TNBC, the tumor board insists on biopsy to determine receptor status prior to treatment. My current MO prefers to wait until a met pops up in a place more easily accessible to biopsy.

    Right now I feel pretty good and am not eager to jump back on the treatment bandwagon so I'm perfectly fine with waiting a little while longer

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  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited April 2017

    I have never had tumor markers taken. I did have a bone biopsy, femur, and then rads to eradicate the met. I get a PET scan every 6 months.

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  • Chantal10
    Chantal10 Member Posts: 105
    edited April 2017

    hi ex brnxgrl, I'm so happy you are here! I'm in such a panic. Im a newbie to IV and I'm trying to get a feel for it all. Treatments and such. I followed one thread and found that she had passed. I just am so tired of this ride, how did I get here?! Currently doing rads on my spine. Femara injection and letrozole for past 2 months since mets dx but onc not happy about tumor marker rising and wants to potential switch to falsodex and ibrance. Side effects seem horrid. I'm not sure I can do it!


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  • DivineMrsM
    DivineMrsM Member Posts: 9,620
    edited April 2017

    Chantal, try to take this one day at a time. Thats all you need to do for now. Be as good to yourself as you possibly can. There are a number of us women who have been on the boards dealing with stage iv for a number of years. But I feel like I got here just one day at a time. Try not to project yourself into the fear of an unknown future. It helps to learn to be more present in the moment. The first months seem to be some of the hardest. Hang in there.

    Best wishes to you, too, Nancy.


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