My oncologist uses the CA27-29 tumor marker. I had one upon initial diagnosis and then again halfway through my neoadjunct chemo. Needless to say, the marker had more than doubled but according to the onc it was nothing to worry about since it was still "within the normal range." I had it repeated last week and just got the result back today -- it is down again. Most oncologists don't even do tumor marker tests because too often they fluctuate -- infection, diet, etc.
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Kate
Stage IIIC Diagnosed Oct 25, 2005 (age 58)
ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3, Ploidy/DNA index: Aneuploid/1.61, S-phase: 24.2%
Neoadjunct chemo: 4 A/C; 4 Taxatore
Bilateral mastectomy June 8, 2006
14 of 26 nodes positive
Herceptin June 22, 2006 - April 20, 2007
Radiation (X35) July 24-September 11, 2006
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
Stage IV lung mets July 13, 2007 - TCH
Single brain met - August 6, 2007 -CyberKnife
Oct 2007 - clear brain MRI and lung mets shrinking.
March 2008 lung met progression, brain still clear - begin Tykerb/Xeloda/Ixempra
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