TO SMITH RE STILL NED

[IRENE FROM TAMPA]

Hi Smith -

So happy to hear your news and glad to hear that your RFA went well.I recall when you were preparing to have it done. I had mine last Sept. and also doing well. My question - what are your tumor marker count numbers? I seem to be sensitive to mine and my last counts were CEA -5.2 and 15-3 was 59. They consider me stable as all my scans (and I had a Pet, CT, Bone) were all clear a few weeks ago. I am on Herceptin weekly and Xeloda for maintenance. I just wanted to know what other counts look like after such surgery and NED.I was hoping they would come way down a little faster but understand other things can keep them up.

You keep up that good work girl.

[smith]

Hi, I had my surgery in Oct. You helped me a lot before my surgery. My tumor marker is 16. It has been bouncing around from 14 to 17 since surgery. The other you mentioned I'm not familiar with. I had to stop the navelbine due to problems with finger tips and feet, numb and tingling bad. They are still that way. I was a little nervous about not doing more chemo, but glad to give it up. Doc said I could stop the herceptin now if I wanted to, but I told him as long as it was working and not bothering me I was staying on it. When they prove that it's bad to be on it long term or that it's not beneficial long term, then I will stop it. He agreed.