What kind of ongoing blood work are you getting?

KH17
KH17 Member Posts: 15
edited October 2017 in Stage I Breast Cancer

I'm curious whether your MOs are recommending any ongoing blood work, and if so for what and how often?Thank you!

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  • Peregrinelady
    Peregrinelady Member Posts: 1,019
    edited October 2017

    I just have a CBC and CMP when I see onc. I think he is looking for elevated liver enzymes or blood counts, but I have never really asked. I just switched from every 4 months to six, so will be a little nervous when I go in January.
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  • KH17
    KH17 Member Posts: 15
    edited October 2017

    Thank you for sharing that. And any hormone testing?

    Mine will do blood tests if I ask but not as part of routine. I feel like others do, and as yours clearly does.

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  • Jennie93
    Jennie93 Member Posts: 1,018
    edited October 2017

    My MO did absolutely NO blood tests of any kind, ever, once chemo was over. Zip zero zilch.

    My family doc, on the other hand, likes to do basic blood work and vitamin D levels every other year.




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  • sheila888
    sheila888 Member Posts: 25,634
    edited October 2017

    I see my MO every 4 months...

    He does Tumor Markers blood work..not many oncologist do the test or beleive in it.

    I get CBC ..liver enzymes and some other basic tests.

    I do ask also have Vitamin D levels checked...if I don't it's not done

    Good luck to you.

    Sheila ❤

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  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited October 2017

    No one on my cancer team has done any blood work, but primary care just did a CMP only because I hadn't had one in 5 years.

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  • Peregrinelady
    Peregrinelady Member Posts: 1,019
    edited October 2017


    I am going to my gyno next month and will ask about testing hormone levels. She checked them when I was first diagnosed and still having regular menstrual cycles at 53. She said that my number was what she aimed for when trying to help couples get pregnant. Since then, I have had my ovaries removed and been on an AI for over a year. Let 's hope the number is a lot lower this time.
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  • LeesaD
    LeesaD Member Posts: 383
    edited October 2017
    Every time I see my MO it's full workup CBC, CMP, CEA, CA27-29 and the past two times he's added estrogen levels to the mix. I see an endocrinologist as part of my care team and he checks vitamin D levels and thyroid levels. Just saw my primary for first time this past week since he gave me the clearance for my BMX and he did full cholesterol /cardio blood work just so we had a full picture. All the results come up on my app and I can see trends from beginning to now. Never wanted to know so much about my blood really.
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  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited October 2017

    I'm still getting Herceptin every 3 weeks so it will probably change later, but I get a CBC every 6 weeks and they add the CMP every 12 weeks.

    My MO is one of those that doesn't believe in testing for tumor markers.


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

    Hi everyone...My BS and MO at a major NYC university hospital do absolutely no bloodworm as a follow up. All most MOs do not do hormone testing either. Not comfortable with it.

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  • Bosombuddy101
    Bosombuddy101 Member Posts: 182
    edited October 2017

    dtad,

    That is so bizarre! I also asked my MO how she would be monitoring me when taking hormone therapy and she said: "I don't monitor for hormones!" and then I said, "Well,how do you know if it's working?" and she said, "If you have a recurrence, then we know it's not working!" I did not feel comfortable with the first appointment at all. I'm now in the process arranging to see a naturopathic oncologist and see what she has to offer. I have no desire to start hormone therapy given my very benign cancer and furthermore, it's a KNOWN FACT that patients develop a resistance to these hormones over time. If hormone levels are not being followed how would patients be alerted to a problem?

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  • Bosombuddy101
    Bosombuddy101 Member Posts: 182
    edited October 2017

    I understand and I appreciate that doctors are bound by the "standard of care" and they can be sued or else lose their license for not following these rules. However, who else determines the "STANDARD of CARE" besides the so-called studies which are biased and funded by the pharmaceutical industry in order to get FDA approval? This "one size fits all" hormone therapy leaves much to be desired.

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  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited October 2017

    I'm not sure that hormone levels would be helpful with Tamoxifen since it doesn't decrease Estrogen but suppresses the body's response to it - selectively. I don't completely understand it.

    There is a test that can be done that determines your body's ability to process and use Tamoxifen (and other drugs that use similar pathways). I have not been tested for that.


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  • SJI
    SJI Member Posts: 69
    edited October 2017

    I asked the nurse navigator about lack of blood work. She said if I was taking Tamoxifen, the MO would order metabolic blood work to check on liver enzymes... Since I am not taking anti-hormones, he isn't ordering anything. I've had my Vitamin D level checked through my PCP. I have friends who've gone to other MOs and they have blood work for tumor markers every three months.

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  • KH17
    KH17 Member Posts: 15
    edited October 2017

    @SJI your diagnosis (and timeline) appears very similar to mine. If you don't mind sharing I'm curious that tamoxifen is not part of your plan.

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  • swg
    swg Member Posts: 461
    edited October 2017

    Jeez, and I thought I was old to still be having menstrual cycles. I'm 50. I wonder if hitting menopause late has anything to do with us getting BC..

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