Has anyone had tumor makers rise while on treatment

dixie46 · 10-23-2008, 05:01 PM

I started treatment in August tch and 8/15 my ca 15-3 was 4.7. 9-25 was 7.7 and today was 8.2. Slowly creeping up. I mentioned this to the chemo nurse and she said the onc was keeping tract of all stats and I have an appt with him next thurs so will ask.

I never had any baseline scans before treatment. Understood I was to have one after. Have had some headaches but they may be a treatment se.

Some say don't pay much attention to the tumor markers but I was just wondering if anyone in treatment has their rise.

10-23-2008, 05:09 PM

Markers fluctuate up and down, as long as they are in the normal range, don't pay too much attention to them. Even if they go above normal, a doctor might not get too excited unless they continue to rise. Like anything else in your blood work, the numbers change each time the labs are run.

Becky · 10-23-2008, 05:15 PM

And they are sooooo low. I am well done with treatment and mine are always in the high teens or low 20s. Statistically, 4 and 8 are the same number. If they were rising 4, 15, 28, 41 - I would ask questions loudly although during treatment they do rise (I can't remember where I read that - maybe on this board a few years ago).

DON'T worry about this. It's nothing!