Elevated CA 15-3

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  • JoE777
    JoE777 Member Posts: 628
    edited March 2019

    Tell your oncologist and let him advise. I have them run occasionally but my onc says a tool not to be used without other monitoring. Hugs and peace.

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  • marianelizabeth
    marianelizabeth Member Posts: 1,735
    edited March 2019

    I agree with jo6359 not to panic. What does your integrative doctor say? Mine has been in that range with my MO saying not to worry. Do you think that it will be retested just to make your concerns lessen? Wishing you less stress until you can get some rationale on this little jump.

    Marian

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  • notmargaret
    notmargaret Member Posts: 28
    edited March 2019

    My oncologist was not happy that the integrative doc ran the tumor markers. She doesn’t believe they are appropriate in this context (no known Mets). The integrative doc wants me to have abdominal, pelvic and chest Cat scans.

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  • notmargaret
    notmargaret Member Posts: 28
    edited March 2019

    Hi All. Just wanted to check back to thank you for your support. I had the CAT scans (abdomen, pelvis and chest). All normal. Now I just need to hope that the darned tumor marker is not a sign of things to come. I think I will count today as a victory until I hear otherwise!

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  • jo6359
    jo6359 Member Posts: 2,279
    edited March 2019

    notmargaret- congrats on clean scans for something. What a relief for you.

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  • Imagine
    Imagine Member Posts: 165
    edited March 2019

    I am over 11 years out of my BC. Treatments included chemo lumpectomy and radiation. In 2015 I had reduction and scar tissue removal in breast's and found out I have atypical hyperplasia and have gone back on Evista. My onc has always tested tumor markers every 6 months ,always has been fine. The last 3 Ca15-3 results were 20,23 and this week 32!! I think it should not go over 25. I am so worried. I get my blood test results online and don't see my Onc until Wednesday. I have been reading that other things can elevate this test?? Has anyone experienced this before? Was it inflammation? I just got over the flu and have terrible arthritis in my foot could the cause the elevation.

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  • marianelizabeth
    marianelizabeth Member Posts: 1,735
    edited April 2019

    I have been having mine done every cycle so once a month or so. I must admit my memory is terrible because I did not remember posting here on March 19th. Since then my CA15-3 has been done twice. My lab work done Wednesday was very good pre chemo which was yesterday. The only thing that worries me is CA 15-3 which is done once a cycle. The last was 33 so barely above normal which is 30. When I saw my MO same day as blood work the tumour marker was not back yet. But yesterday I picked up my results just before chemo and noticed that it was 41.5. My MO was notified but said not to worry. I know that I should not worry but I still do because it has always been normal since August/2017. Does anyone have any comments?

    Marian

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  • 0hnonotagain
    0hnonotagain Member Posts: 7
    edited April 2019

    Barteeellis we have similar situation to yours, please let me know what was it in your case? My wife's CA 15-3 keeps going up like below, so worried... :(

    09/2017 - 20.94

    03/2018 - 23.53

    11/2018 - 26.77

    04/2019 - 33.53

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  • Angie823
    Angie823 Member Posts: 2
    edited April 2019

    As you can see, it’s been a while & my CA 15 3 continues to slowly rise. In July, 2017 it was 32. Now it is at 68. I have had 2 PET scans, CT of Pelvis, 2 MRI’s of pelvis, bone biopsy of pelvis. .. all negative for cancer. I am scheduled for a full body bone scan in May. Nightmare just continues. Can this tumor marker continue to rise and nothing is ever found to be causing this trend

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  • jo6359
    jo6359 Member Posts: 2,279
    edited April 2019

    angie- most oncologist do not use tumor markers due to the unreliability of the results. According to my former oncologist and my new oncologist it is mostly used in conjunction with other labs and scans. My former oncologist did 2 tumor markers on me but my new oncologist said she isn't doing any. I'm okay with that. One less thing to stress over.

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  • 0hnonotagain
    0hnonotagain Member Posts: 7
    edited April 2019

    Here we are with CA 15-3 at 33.53. We have had bilateral breast USG as well as full abdominal USG, all clean. Had PET/CT this morning, waiting for the dreaded PET/CT report...

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  • 0hnonotagain
    0hnonotagain Member Posts: 7
    edited May 2019

    PET/CT results came yesterday. Sternum lit up (SUVmax=2.9) with an extension to ribs 1-3, there is also a cortical irregularity in the same area. We are devastated. A biopsy will be done to get the ultimate answer, but I'm afraid we have been upgraded to stage IV :'(

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  • jo6359
    jo6359 Member Posts: 2,279
    edited May 2019

    ohnonotagain- what horrible news. Keeping you in my thoughts and hoping it isn't as bad as you think it is. I hate Fu**ing cancer. Hang in there.

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited May 2019

    I am so sorry to hear that. It just sucks. Hoping you have a plan in place soon.

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  • Imagine
    Imagine Member Posts: 165
    edited May 2019

    Have you gotten any resolution to the increase in CA 15-3. I’m in the same situation and they will retest May 21. All my scans were clear

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  • marianelizabeth
    marianelizabeth Member Posts: 1,735
    edited May 2019

    Mine has gone from 41.5 to 40.6 and bone scan this week was good. MRI and CT in June so we will see.

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  • Imagine
    Imagine Member Posts: 165
    edited May 2019

    Angie,

    My tumor marker CA 15-3 went from 31.2 to 38 the last 3 months. I had a bone scan 3 months ago in March along with a CT Scan and bone scan was clear but on the CT there is some intrapulmonary perifissual lymph nodes? I just heard today that the tumor marker went up to 38. They are repeating the ct to see what is going on with the right lung lymph nodes. What is happening with you? The testing and waiting are so hard. Did you get a Pet Scan? Do you know what is better at finding smaller cancers, PET or CT? Thanks for anyone's imput also. I am 12 years out of my originial treatments etc.

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  • 0hnonotagain
    0hnonotagain Member Posts: 7
    edited June 2019

    It's been a while since I wrote about positive finding in my wife's PET/CT between ribs and sternum, after elevated CA 15-3. (It turns out, no bones bones are involved) Recurrence is confined to internal mammary lymph nodes and surrounding soft tissue. Core needle biopsy material was taken from that area. Pathology reported ER-positive (100%), PR-negative and HER2-negative recurrence. So we are not at Stage IV just yet, we were told it is operable IIIC stage. We met thoracic surgeon, who's offering full-thickness chest wall resection of part of the ribs and sternum, and is pretty confident it can be safely accomplished. He insists that resection must be done ASAP while the tumor recurrence is resectable (with negative margins) So we're trying to focus on optimistic scenario. Anyone went through such surgery or knows of someone else who had it? Keen to know how "curative" such procedure is.

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  • 0hnonotagain
    0hnonotagain Member Posts: 7
    edited June 2019

    Hi Barteeellis sorry for late response, how are your workups? As I know, CT is better in finding smaller cancers, as the most modern PET/CT scanners have 4x4 mm minimum resolution.

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited June 2019

    Ohnonotagain, I am glad it has not spread beyond there. Hoping the surgery is successful. My recurrence was different, and they took a chunk of the pec muscle, but so far, so good.

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  • ladyolivia
    ladyolivia Member Posts: 10
    edited July 2019

    My number was over 110 when I was diagnosed with metastatic Brest cancer metastasis to bones. My doctor had never tested me for ca 15 markers before it beymetastatic. This was my baseline. Be glad your docs are using this test so they can find it earlier than mine did. L

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  • marianelizabeth
    marianelizabeth Member Posts: 1,735
    edited July 2019

    2 weeks ago went to 51.4, the highest yet but no one seems concerned I see my MO next week and will be adding that to my list. Pain is back to where it was year or so again but no progression seen on CT snd MRI. PET next or at least I will be asking for it.

    Marian

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  • marianelizabeth
    marianelizabeth Member Posts: 1,735
    edited August 2019

    There is concern and MO this week has stopped Paclitaxel and I start Gemcitabine next week. PET scan ordered but main problem is really bad pain. I can’t do anything for long before it is unbearable. Hydromorphone increased and team wants me using it often along with my Metadol.

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited August 2019

    I am sorry you are dealing with this. Hoping the new med kicks the cancer down.

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  • marianelizabeth
    marianelizabeth Member Posts: 1,735
    edited August 2019

    Iforgot to say that she is paying attention to the CA 15-3 and has added that to the symptoms probably contributing to a progression.

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  • LindaJeanne60
    LindaJeanne60 Member Posts: 3
    edited August 2021

    Just looking for others experiences regarding a slightly elevated CA15-3 result. Treated in 2018 for 35mm invasive lobular with 18/18 positive nodes. FEC/T, radiotherapy, 4 zometa infusions and currently taking Letrozole. My last CT scan was fine but I know lobular does not always show up on imaging, hence the advanced diagnosis. My CA15-3 levels have been as follows - April 19 20.3, Dec 19 20.1, Dec 20 23.4. My latest result is 34.5 - normal range up to 28.5. I am having a repeat test in two weeks time and feel it will lead to a further increase and investigations for mets. I know there are many factors that can cause fluctuations but on the whole I feel that I have been looking for hope that it will be OK. Trying to not get ahead of myself but it is not easy. I would be grateful if anyone could share their experiences of increases in CA15-3 and what the outcomes were. Thank you .

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  • notmargaret
    notmargaret Member Posts: 28
    edited August 2021

    I had a couple elevated ca 15-3 readings, in the low 30s, about 2.5 years ago. That triggered lots of scans, which found nothing, and still nothing. Thank heavens. I hope your experience is the same. Hugs.

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