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Bev & Becky, thanks for your replies. My onc was at first disregarding my tumor marker #s coz so low until I pointed out the trend, so I'm glad he is taking this seriously and acting on it. I was able to get in for PET/CT yesterday, so I'm trying to decide if I'm going to try to get results myself tomorrow or just wait til Monday appt w/ my onc.
Rinaina - tumor markers are blood tests. To my understanding, they measure proteins or other substances that cancer cells give off in greater quantity than normal cells. There are different tests for different kinds of cancers, and they are not definitive. Some docs don't believe in using them. The ones for breast cancer are CEA, CA15-3 and 27.29. I've only ever had the 27.29 done, not really sure why that is actually. Supposedly a value of 38 and below for the 27.29 test is considered "normal" which is why it's not necessarily the #value itself but the trends over time that they look at. I would ask your doc his/her opinion on having that done. In my mind, anything so un-intrusive that can give us more info on what may be happening in our bodies is a good thing! Good luck
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Liz
3/05 Initial dx invasive dc 2 cm lump, age 39
lumpectomy & 3 of 5 nodes +, ER+/PR+, Her2+++
alternative chemo 5/05-7/05, rad 8/05-10/05
7/06 dx mets to vertebrae, pelvis & chest lymph nodes
8/06 - 10/06 tamoxifen, herceptin, oophorectomy & zometa
11/06 PET/CT showed continued bone mets, new spot on liver
12/06 began taxotere/herceptin 1x/3 weeks,
2/07 - 2-08 NED!
3/08 progression, start taxol/herceptin weekly, monthly zometa
8/08 start ai & herceptin
12/08 - progression, start weekly navelbine/herceptin thru 6/09 & monthly zometa
7/09 - PET/CT showed improvement in spine, but 2-3 lymph nodes in chest became active
9/09 - 11/09 - weekly abraxane/herceptin
12/09 - PET/CT - chest lymph nodes resolved, progression in spine & pelvis
2/10 - 6/10 - start tykerb/xeloda, progession in spine & pelvis
7/10 - start taxotere/carboplatin/herceptin
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