Tumor Markers Elevated - Does Your Doc Monitor Them

Consider whether you want all the testing. It is your choice, even if you keep the same oncologist. What is the next step after having the blood test results? Is there something else to do, some other testing? And then what? If there is no change in treatment plan, it's possible there isn't much value in the testing.

My MO is a minimalist. I didn't have lots of scans or diagnostic tests. I am not having blood tests for tumor markers. When I asked him (at my 3-month follow-up after the end of chemo) about the schedule for appts with him, he said it was my choice. I could schedule to see him regularly, or not at all, or something in between. He said for a lot of people, their anxiety increases so much for each appointment, that unless they actually have symptoms or something wrong, it is not helpful to them to come in. So he and I agreed I won't see him anymore, unless needed.

So no, I don't have tumor marker testing. Good luck finding out what you need to from this round, and deciding what schedule you want for more testing.

Hey Mitzi. Me again! Was just taking a look at your post from earlier today. I also had Grade 1 ILC, less than 2 mm. and my doctors did nothing but the surgery. Now, these are some of the finest doctor's in the country since I'm lucky enough to live so close to Mass General, Dana, Brigham, etc. My oncologist even gave me the option of not taking an aromatase inhibitor because she thought it wouldn't make much of a difference in survival time. (Using charts, I think it would have given me maybe a month longer if I stayed on them for 5 years.) I had no tumor marker tests, no scans, no anything but surgery. Wait, I did have an MRI. Sure sounds like you'd like some solid answers to your question. I'm sure medical celebrity is something you never aspired to be.

Yes! Talk with your doc. That sounds great. Hang in there!

All my MOs have done tumor markers on me, past 7 years. Unless it jumped sky high in a short time*I* don’t have much faith in them. It didn’t catch my reoccurrence in January, only my symptoms clued MO. Current MO does test, guess he’s watching for trends.

My MO tests tumor markers once per year...

I don't think my tumor markers are tested. I do get chest, abdomen, and pelvic scans every four months, but that's because I had two kinds of cancer last year (and two previously). They're ordered by my urologist but scheduled by my oncologist. She stays on top of a lot of other bloodwork, mostly to do with kidney function, but she's mentioned a few things she's tracking that might require more testing next time I see her. She has me on an every three month schedule until I'm two years out from the surgeries, then I'll go to every four months - and the scans should go to twice a year. I had one wonky blood result that had me going in to get retested weekly for about a month, and it felt weird to be there so often when I'm technically healthy as a horse.

I don't get worried over scans or blood tests. I think of them as preventive maintenance. I did have to have a biopsy on my kidney ghost earlier this year, and I got pretty nervous waiting for the results. But the routine tests are no big deal to me.

I had my tumor markers tested when I was diagnosed. I also asked for a bone scan. I ended up with a CT and gut MRI because my liver had a lesion which was picked up on my breast MRI.

I also got a baseline DEXA.

I like to be proactive and I'd love an MO who tested lots of stuff.

I am happy that they now have a baseline of just about everything on me!

...my mo won’t do tumor markers for stage 1 bc with no nodes involved because she said that current guidelines don’t call for it and that insurance won’t pay for it...???

My prior oncologist checked tumor markers every visit. She didn't draw them soon after a surgery because she said they'd be wonky and worrisome, just due to the post-op inflammation. They rose a bit during chemo but have remained normal for many years.

After I moved a thousand miles away from my beloved onc, I found a new one that I like as much here. He said we could draw them once a year now, just to follow any trending.

I always found it a little stressful waiting for lab results, but reassurred when they came back normal every time.

Mitziandbubba,

I had the almost exact same features as you did and I have never been tested for tumor markers. In fact, my mom had br ca and she went through years

of that blood work testing and it is soo anxiety ridden. I asked my dr when I was diagnosed and he said my Mom had it because two of her nodes were positive out of 16.

Idk I would probably be going completely insane if I had been doing that these last 14 years. I'm not saying it is bad. IDK Maybe I should be doing the same. I see others on here

without node involvement or past Stage 1 that are getting regular tumor marker tests done. I think I read and saw two but I haven't been everywhere on this site.

Tomorrow I have a CT scan at 3:30 pm for chest b/c an area of calcifications was found on chest xray ordered by asthma and allergy dr. Then I had to see pulmonologist

in a televisit and they want to see it better. So....here I go. I'm pretty scared. She said if it's okay, then I'll probably be good but if not I will need a biopsy. There is a good chance it is okaybut I know that game. They never know really. I saw it with my Mom. Please if you think about it, say a prayer for me.

Thank you,

JCP