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Chelee · 04-15-2010, 03:54 PM

CalGal,
After seeing all your TM'ers results I would not be concerned at all. Your markers were on the higher side to start with. I see the only time they had an upwards trend was during your chemo & that does happen. One thing I'd like you to note too is that TM'ers are not reliable for everyone. For some ppl they just do not work at all. But when they do work...you want to look for a slow or rapid increase. (Like mine climbed very slowly for a yr & not once did they go back down.) I see your TM'ers bounce around a bit. I wouldn't be worried at all if my markers were like yours...honestly I wouldn't. That seems to your "normal" range.

As long as your markers continue to bounce around in consistent range like they are...I would rest easy. Again, remember that TM's don't work for everyone. TM'ers can be stressful as you know...and since they aren't always reliable many onc's refuse to even use them. Why stress the patient out. I hope this helps.

Chelee

04-15-2010, 03:54 PM	#6
Chelee Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southern, CA Posts: 2,511	Re: Herceptin and CA 27.29 tumor marker CalGal, After seeing all your TM'ers results I would not be concerned at all. Your markers were on the higher side to start with. I see the only time they had an upwards trend was during your chemo & that does happen. One thing I'd like you to note too is that TM'ers are not reliable for everyone. For some ppl they just do not work at all. But when they do work...you want to look for a slow or rapid increase. (Like mine climbed very slowly for a yr & not once did they go back down.) I see your TM'ers bounce around a bit. I wouldn't be worried at all if my markers were like yours...honestly I wouldn't. That seems to your "normal" range. As long as your markers continue to bounce around in consistent range like they are...I would rest easy. Again, remember that TM's don't work for everyone. TM'ers can be stressful as you know...and since they aren't always reliable many onc's refuse to even use them. Why stress the patient out. I hope this helps. Chelee __________________ DX: 12-20-05 - Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu, 3+++,Er & Pr weakly positive, 5 of 16 pos nodes. Rt. MRM on 1-3-06 -- No Rads due to compromised lungs. Chemo started 2-7-06 -- TCH - - Finished 6-12-06 Finished yr of wkly herceptin 3-19-07 3-15-07 Lt side prophylactic simple mastectomy. -- Ooph 4-05-07 9-21-09 PET/CT "Recurrence" to Rt. axllia, Rt. femur, ilium. Possible Sacrum & liver? Now stage IV. 9-28-09 Loading dose of Herceptin & started Zometa 9-29-09 Power Port Placement 10-24-09 Mass 6.4 x 4.7 cm on Rt. femur head. 11-19-09 RT. Femur surgery - Rod placed 12-7-09 Navelbine added to Herceptin/Zometa. 3-23-10 Ten days of rads to RT femur. Completed. 4-05-10 Quit Navelbine--Herceptin/Zometa alone. 5-4-10 Appt. with Dr. Slamon to see what is next? Waiting on FISH results from femur biopsy. Results to FISH was unsuccessful--this happens less then 2% of the time. 7-7-10 Recurrence to RT axilla again. Back to UCLA for options.