Bayer serum test

I just got my 2nd Bayer serum test results and my reading is 7.1. The first one 2 months ago was 6.3 (Normal is below 12.8 in my lab)eventhough it is in the normal range I am feeling anxious becuase it increased. In proportion to this result my CA27.29 is also up form 6.3 to 8.4. Do I need to worry about the Bayer serum result? Anybody had any experience with this? I know that Christine and Gina are doing it regularly. Any input from them would be appreciated.

thanks,
Julie

Julie
It is not time to worry yet, 'cause all tests are still normal values. Some rests fluctuate for various reasons,such as an infection or a cold that you may have going on. Don't get concerned unless you have a more significant inrease over the next 2 seum tests.
Please let is know how long you habeen on chemotherapy and what drugs you are taking. Also indicate your Stage and hormone ER/PR status. Are you taking hormone inhibitors. Your age will help to assess you ER status also.
Hugs
Christine

Christine,

I was diagnosed in sept 2004 with stage 3b. Had dose dense AC and Taxol. I am continuing on a year of Herceptin since March 2005. I am 37 and Her2+++ with FISH 9.4. and ER-,PR- .

regards,
Julie

YEAH!!! JULIE!!!

First of all, congratulations on taking a big step!!! I hope you did not have a difficult time procuring the Serum Her-2 but I am glad you did! I completely agree with Christine that these are excellent numbers and no need to worry. As you may recall, I've been dancing with these numbers for years now with very beneficial results, and try as I might, I have NEVER achieved the superb results you displayed here. But, of course, remember that I have had mets for a very long time and I have a very aggressive cancer, in general. That said, I think the actual test you got is one that may be from QUEST's lab, as it has a range of less than 12.8. The other more common serum her-2 test, the one with which I am most familiar, has a range of 0 to 15. What I tell most folks is to try to keep either serum her-2 marker under 12. It is perfectly normal for this number to fluctuate. Mine, for instance, goes from 12 to 17 then back then up and then back...blah, blah..but if it jumps into the 50 or 60 range and you will see it go like a line straight up from say, 12 to 17 to 24 to 58, etc...that is when you will KNOW that it is time either to return to Herceptin if you go off of it or to take a bit more or take it more frequently. Given your history, though, I think you should take the number with some regularity--at least once a month for now, maybe once every 3 months later on. Also keep in mind that it will vary if you take it near the herceptin so it is always best to have the blood drawn JUST prior to your herceptin infusion to get the highest possible range. Also, never have it drawn after just receiving the infusion as sometimes the test picks up herceptin as though it were her-2 and can lead to a truly SCARY false positive...smile...been there...done that...wink. Keep up the good work...please share what else you are doing to stay so healthy. Best regards, Gina

Christine and Gina,

Thank you very much for your input. I feel I am not alone in fighting this disease. Gina, thank you for making me a healthy person, hope I am and I will remain healthy. I am taking the same suppliments as other people in this group like COQ10,olive oil,shark liver oil,Shaitake,selineum etc...
The one thing I don't understand is what is will here serum test also is sensitive to cold or any infections? ideally it shouldn't right?


Thanks,
Julie

I am sorry my above question is whether the Her2 serum test also is sensitive to cold or any infections like CA27-29

Hi, again..smile.

Julie, yours is a REALLY good question that alas...I can NOT answer. In my experience, most of the CA marker series can be quite commonly elevated due to infection. This is probably one reason many oncs just can't trust them when used alone. This is especially true of the CA 125...which, though used sometimes in ovarian cancer and/or mets..can often simply be signalling infection like a serious PID or an intestinal infection --especially in the mucosal linings. Infection is more often cited if the CA 125 is only slightly elevated...say between 40 and 100...if the CA 125 exceeds 200, though, ovarian involvement is usually considered or at least checked out.

Best educated guess...I would surmise that the her-2 could not be elevated by common infections and certainly NOT by viral infections such as the common cold...but as there are at least a few specialized bacteria out there that are at least proven to raise cox-2 and her-2 levels among other things...such as when H. pylori causes stomach and other digestive tract cancers, it is conceivable, at least, that it could raise the her-2 serum markers. Whether this can also relate to the over-expression of her-2 in breast cancers has not been proven, though it has been quietedly suggested in a paper from a German lab and at least one division of the NIH eye institute is looking into whether H. pylori can cause eye tumors outside the digestive tract...which, oddly enough, may be caused in some women by the simple act of licking their finger to remove a smudge of mascara, near the eye membrane...thus, transmitting the H. pylori bacteria from the saliva to the eye where eventually a ulcer-like lesion or even tumor can erupt.

The serum her-2 test is supposed to be measuring ONLY the nanoliters (..?? I think) of her-2 protein in the blood that is being pumped out by the protein making factories in your cells that are over-producing her-2 neu. It is supposedly the over-abundance of this protein in our bio-chemistries that we tend to think fuels certain breast cancers the way ER+ can. I have a friend who is a researcher familiar with this test at Quest Labs. I can call him to get the scoop.

The other time when serum her-2 levels can possibly be falsely elevated though, is when you take your blood work RIGHT after having the herceptin infusion. This can cause a false positive or false level HIGHER than a normal reading. Best to consistently take your markers just BEFORE your next Herceptin infusion so as to chart them at their highest...smile..better to know a dark and terrible truth...smile..than not to know it...there's TONS of hope for us all!!! Do not despair. Best regards, Gina