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12-19-2010, 12:13 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 129
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Question about tumor markers
I am pretty sure it's the CA-27? I know so little about this, but my onc does draw them every 3 months, and has from the beginning. During chemo and even right before surgery (which pathology proved there was still alot of cancer left), my tumor markers were about 25. My last tumor marker test a few weeks ago showed them at 14. I know lower is good, but does that mean there is even less cancer in my body? Will it ever be 0? I am very happy with a drop since surgery because I hope that means the Herceptin is working and that we got the rest with surgery.
I know we can't put too much stock into 1 tumor marker test, but I thought some of you ladies who are educated about tumor markers could educate me a little. Are there an other tests I should be asking for regularly? Is every 3 months enough? I asked my onc if she would run them more often and she said she won't.
__________________
March 2010: Diagnosed with Stage IIIC IDC with axillary, mammary and suplaclavicular node involvement. ER/PR -, HER2+++. 7cm tumor in right breast.
April 2010: Started neoadjuvent chemo. 4 DD A/C every 2 weeks, 4 DD Taxotere every 3 weeks with Herceptin weekly.
August 2010: Finished chemo!
August 20, 2010: PET/CT showed no cancer in any nodes, and only a little uptake to the breast.
September 9, 2010: Bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction with implants and Alloderm.
September 16, 2010: Pathology report showed 18/51 positive axillary nodes, 3.2cm tumor. Granual sized cancer found in the fatty tissue between levels 1 and 2.
October 19, 2010: CT showed several spots on lungs and 1 spot on liver. Liver spot is 2mm, lung spots range from 2mm to 4mm. We don't know if they are cancer or not.
12/15/10: Brain MRI clear
1/7/11: PET/CT
1/13/11: Recurrence in lungs. Start Tykerb
5/13/11: Progression in lungs
6/3/11: Lung surgery to get tumors for chemosensitivity testing.
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12-19-2010, 02:57 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Southern, CA
Posts: 2,511
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Re: Question about tumor markers
DeenaH,
I have my CA27.29 ran every 3 months. Not all onc's run TMer tests because they aren't reliable for everyone--they are just one piece of the puzzle...a tool to be used. For some of us they are a really good indicator that our cancer is back. The first time my CA27.29 inched up over almost a yrs time we found my cancer had returned...so we know it works for me.
But there are alot of ppl that have had their cancer return and their CA27.29 will be in the normal range...so again...you can't just go by markers. After reading your post it sounds like they may work well for you? They dropped since you have had your surgery and started Herceptin. And it is the norm to run your CA27.29 every 3 months unless you recur then they might do them more frequently. For me I usually don't get caught up in the number...it's more they way they are trending. If mine just inch up and never drop back down...it means progression for me. Anything under 38 they say is good depending on your labs reference range? But for now if I was you I'd be very happy with 14.  I have added a link to Dr. Susan Loves site that might be helpful for you.
http://www.dslrf.org/mwh/content.asp?L2=2&L3=8&SID=132&CID=591&PID=0
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.
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12-19-2010, 03:15 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 98
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Re: Question about tumor markers
My onc doesn't run them either.
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12-20-2010, 10:15 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 56
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Re: Question about tumor markers
My TM's always run high normal (scares the heck out of me!) They were at 29 right before surgery, have gotten as high as 48, but usually they are right around 30. 3 months ago they were 34, now latest one came in at 28. Don't know why they bounce around. I am not currently on active treatment (finished chemo Dec 2009 and finished herceptin Oct 2010)--I hope it doesn't mean anything at all for me. My onc doesn't seem to be concerned. Everytime I ask her about them she says "Normal is normal." And she always adds, "As long as they aren't consistently climbing, it's nothing to worry about." Gee, I wish I could not worry. . .
__________________
Diagnosed 7/09 with 7mm IDC ER weakly +, PR -, Her2+
TCH chemo 8/09-12/09
Ooph/hysterectomy 4/10
Started Femara 6/10
Completed year of herceptin 10/11
Zometa 1/11 (2X/yr for 2yrs)
Hopefully nothing else!!!!
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12-20-2010, 01:01 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 1,580
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Re: Question about tumor markers
Tumor markers work as part of a larger part of determining the "success" of therapy. CEA (which is the cancer embryonic antigen test) is used where I am treated. While the numbers don't indicate whether there are still tumors, per se, they give a pretty good idea of the direction treatment is going. I will say however, that the Antigen 15-3 that some use had me in the normal range before I started treatment and I was considered Stage IV.
Rejoice in the decline of numbers, it does mean something, or it wouldn't be done. Scans are the real deal, though.
__________________
World Trade Center Survivor (56th Floor/North Tower): 14 years and still just like yesterday.
Graves Disease, became Euthyroid via Radioactive Iodine, June 2001.
Thyroid Eye Disease. 2003. Decompression surgery in 2009; eyelid lowering surgery in 2010.
Diagnosed: June 2010, liver mets. ER-/PR+10%; HER2+++.
July 2010: Begin Taxol/Herceptin. Eliminate sugar from diet. No surgery or radiation.
January 2011: NED
April 2011: Progression in liver only. Other previous affected areas eradicated. Stop Taxol/Herceptin after 32 infusions.
May 2011: Brain MRI: clear.
May 2011: Begin Tykerb daily, Xeloda twice per day for one week on, one week off, and Herceptin.
November 2011: Progression in liver. All other tumors remain eradicated.
December 2011: BEGIN TRIAL #09-093 Taxol, MCC-DM1 (T-DM1), Perjeta.
Trial requires scans every six weeks, bloodwork and infusions weekly.
Brain MRI: clear.
January 2012: NED. Liver mets, good riddance!
March 2012: NED. Developed SMA (rare blood clot) in intestinal artery and loss of sight in right eye due to optical nerve neuropathy. Resolved when Taxol removed this month.
Continue Protocol of T-DM1 weekly and Perjeta every 3 weeks.
May 2012: NED.
June 2012: Brain MRI: clear.
June-December 2012: NED.
December 2012: TRIAL CONCLUDED; ENTER TRIAL EXTENSION #09-037. CT, Brain MRI, bone scan: clear. NED.
January-March 2013: NED.
June 2013: Brain MRI: clear. CEA upticking; CT shows new met on liver.
July 3, 2013: DISASTER STRIKES during liver ablation: sloppy surgeon cuts intercostal artery and I bleed out, lose 3.5 liters of blood, have major hemothorax, and collapsed lung requiring emergency resuscitative thoracotomy, lung surgery, rib rearrangement and cutting deep connective tissue, transfusion. Ablation incomplete. This life-saving procedure would end up causing me unforgiving pain with every movement I make, permanently, otherwise known as forever.
July 26, 2013: Try Navelbine/Herceptin. Body too weak after surgery and transfusion. Fever. CEA: Normal.
August 16, 2016: second dose Navelbine/Herceptin; CEA: Normal. Will skip doses. Watching and waiting.
September 2013: NED, Herceptin only. CEA: Normal. Started Arimidex.
October-November 2013: NED. Herceptin and Arimidex. CEA, CA125, 15-3: Normal.
December 2013: Something brewing. PET lights up on little spot on liver; CEA upward trend, just outside normal. PET and triphasic liver scan confirm Little Met. Restart Perjeta with Herceptin, stay on Arimidex. Genomic sequencing completed for future treatments, if necessary.
January 2014: Ablate Little Met on the 6th. Happy New Year.
March 2014: Brain MRI: clear. PET/CT reveal liver mets return; new lung mets. This is not funny.
March 2014: BEGIN TRIAL #10-005 A(11)-Temsirolimus plus Neratinib.
April 2014: Genomic testing indicated they could work, they did not. Very strange drug combo for me, felt weird.
April 2014: Started Navelbine and Herceptin. Needed something tried and true, but had significant progression.
June 2014: Doxil and Herceptin.
July 2014: Progression. Got nothing out of it. Brain: NED.
July 2014: Add integrative medical hematologist-oncologist to my team. Begin supplements. These are tumor-busting, immune system boosters. Add glutathione, lysine and taurine IV infusions every three weeks.
July 2014: Begin Gemzar, Herceptin & Perjeta. Happy.
August 2014: ECHO perfect.
January 2015: Begin weekly Vitamin D Analog infusions. 25 mcg. via port.
February 2015: CT: stable.
April 2015: Gem working, but not 100%. Looking into immunotherapy. Finally, treatments for the 21st century!
April 2015: Penn Medicine. Dendritic cell immunotherapy.
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12-20-2010, 03:09 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Southern, CA
Posts: 2,511
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Re: Question about tumor markers
weety,
I agree with your onc...that boucing around wouldn't concern me...it's when they keep creeping up is when I'd get concerned.
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.
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12-20-2010, 03:29 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: "Love never fails."
Posts: 5,808
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Re: Question about tumor markers
__________________
Jackie07
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2011/06/doctors-letter-patient-newly-diagnosed-cancer.html
http://www.asco.org/ASCOv2/MultiMedi...=114&trackID=2
NICU 4.4 LB
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3 Infertility tmts 99 > 3 u. fibroids > Pills
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Exemestane 25 mg tab 102912 ~ 101016 stopped due to r. hip/l.thigh pain after long walk
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1-2016 lesions in liver largest 9mm & 1.3 cm onco. says not cancer.
3-11 Appendectomy - visually O.K., a lot of puss. Final path result - not cancer.
Start Vitamin D3 and Calcium supplement （600mg x2)
10-10 Stopped Exemestane due to r. hip/l.thigh pain OKed by Onco 11-08-2016
7-23-2018 9 mm groundglass nodule within the right lower lobe with indolent behavior. Due to possible adenocarcinoma, Recommend annual surveilence.
7-10-2019 CT to check lung nodule.
1-10-2020 8mm stable nodule on R Lung, two 6mm new ones on L Lung, a possible lymph node involvement in inter fissule.
"I WANT TO BE AN OUTRAGEOUS OLD WOMAN WHO NEVER GETS CALLED AN OLD LADY. I WANT TO GET SHARP EDGED & EARTH COLORED, TILL I FADE AWAY FROM PURE JOY." Irene from Tampa
Advocacy is a passion .. not a pastime - Joe
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