When do you check tumor markers after starting a new treatment.

Anonymous
Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
edited February 2020 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY
When do you check tumor markers after starting a new treatment.
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  • Partyoffive
    Partyoffive Member Posts: 188
    edited February 2020

    I had stable tumor markers for 6 years-last year my markers started going up and took a year for the radiologist to see that my bone tumors had gotten bigger. I started letrozale/ibrance two months ago and had my tumor markers checked this week and they had gone up 5 points but my dr is calling them stable and is happy with that. I thought if it was working that they would start going down or is it still a little early to see that? How long were you into a new treatment before you saw a change in markers?

    Kristin

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  • Husband11
    Husband11 Member Posts: 2,264
    edited February 2020

    My wife's first check of tumor markers after switching from xeloda to ibrance / letrozole showed a small rise. I can't remember what time frame that was exactly, but I would say it was one cycle.

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  • Partyoffive
    Partyoffive Member Posts: 188
    edited February 2020

    thank you! It’s my first change of meds and wasn’t sure when they typically check. My scans are due in a couple weeks and those are usually more concrete then the markers

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  • bydand
    bydand Member Posts: 17
    edited February 2020

    My mom’s CA15-3 jumped from 21 to 37 after three cycles of Kisqali/Arimidex. She also had 1 month of RT to her breast, lymph nodes and bones during this time. Not sure if the rise was due to Kisqali/Arimidex or the radiation.

    Her PET scan still shows NED! She also had a similar jump during AC-T which then normalized.

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  • Sadiesservant
    Sadiesservant Member Posts: 1,995
    edited February 2020

    My tumor markers are not particularly effective so we generally don't bother measuring them. I had similar numbers as bydand but the change wasn't statistically significant. I have widespread bone mets and pleural mets so would have expected higher numbers if the markers were going to be predictive. (My MO indicated that other patients with a similar burden of disease would be in the 100's.)

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  • Partyoffive
    Partyoffive Member Posts: 188
    edited February 2020

    thanks for your reponses-my tm’s weren’t very accurate the first 6 years but over the last year have been more predictive of activity. I have innumerable bone mets no new ones but the ones I have are getting bigger.


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