Hi Lyn; The CA 15-3 isn't accurate for me, when I had the first recurrence in 2001 the CEA was the only marker elevated (to 10) so that is what we look at. It only went up 1/10th a point this time, but it had stayed rock steady for 3 years so I knew something was up.
It's interesting your lump is going away while the marker is rising, because I remember some discussion on the board about markers rising during treatment because the tumor being destroyed causes debris in the system which registers as rising markers...
Love, Lolly