Hi Sue,
I think it probably varies depending on the marker used, how advanced the cancer is, whether there are other medical conditions contributing possibly contributing to an elevated count; in other words there's no right answer...My onc uses the CEA on me, it's the only one which was elevated when I recurred the first time, and within 3 months of starting Navelbine/Herceptin it was normal.
I tried to find some studies that would show a recommended length of time to use as a gage, but didn't find anything useful. I think most of the ladies have noted that their oncs use clinical observation, scans and markers to watch for response. Hope this helps.
Love, Lolly
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