HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - TO KRISTEN

03-30-2005, 11:01 AM

THANK YOU, Irene...

I appreciate your bringing up this subject in the manner that you did -- very gently and respectful of other points of view. This subject has been controversial, partly because for some people any test results are terrifying, and partly because (as you clearly indicate) they may not be accurate for some people. Markers are only one tool that can be used. They are only an indicator, and are just a result of scientific efforts to try to find some indicators that could help is all in the darkness of the mysteries of cancer.

I happen to be hanging at the edge of stage 1/HER2+++ and so far NED. My onc and my internist and I all feel comfortable with doing the markers. My markers have been entirely consistent with my status.

In this last year, because I have some pains inside my head that worried me and made me wonder if they represented mets, my doctors and I considered various signs and symptoms and labs in deciding whether I should have any kind of scan of the brain. Some of the labs we took into consideration included the CA 15-3, the CA 27.29, and the CEA. I have kept my CA 27.29 results since diagnosis so have some history with that. Our local hospital no longer does the CA 27.29 and I still think this may be an economy measure more than a qualilty factor; therefore, while in Seattle overnight recently I had the CA 27.29 done. Because of Steph's comments here about the CEA being accurate for mets for her, my local doctor and I agreed that I could also have that done. All markers remain well within normal range. As you say, the markers are not a lone deciding factor that we use in deciding what to do next. They are simply one more tool for my doctors and I to be able to use because we have established a history over time with them.

Thanks again for bringing up this subject.

AlaskaAngel

03-30-2005, 11:01 AM	#10
_AlaskaAngel_ Guest Posts: n/a	THANK YOU, Irene... I appreciate your bringing up this subject in the manner that you did -- very gently and respectful of other points of view. This subject has been controversial, partly because for some people any test results are terrifying, and partly because (as you clearly indicate) they may not be accurate for some people. Markers are only one tool that can be used. They are only an indicator, and are just a result of scientific efforts to try to find some indicators that could help is all in the darkness of the mysteries of cancer. I happen to be hanging at the edge of stage 1/HER2+++ and so far NED. My onc and my internist and I all feel comfortable with doing the markers. My markers have been entirely consistent with my status. In this last year, because I have some pains inside my head that worried me and made me wonder if they represented mets, my doctors and I considered various signs and symptoms and labs in deciding whether I should have any kind of scan of the brain. Some of the labs we took into consideration included the CA 15-3, the CA 27.29, and the CEA. I have kept my CA 27.29 results since diagnosis so have some history with that. Our local hospital no longer does the CA 27.29 and I still think this may be an economy measure more than a qualilty factor; therefore, while in Seattle overnight recently I had the CA 27.29 done. Because of Steph's comments here about the CEA being accurate for mets for her, my local doctor and I agreed that I could also have that done. All markers remain well within normal range. As you say, the markers are not a lone deciding factor that we use in deciding what to do next. They are simply one more tool for my doctors and I to be able to use because we have established a history over time with them. Thanks again for bringing up this subject. AlaskaAngel