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Rinaina,
As long as you are on Herceptin I would recommend that you get the HER2 serum test done. Ask your oncologist about it. Also the CEA, or CA15-3 and 27.29 are blood tests also called "tumor marker tests." I believe it measures proteins that are greater in cancer cells than normal cells. I only get the CA27.29 and anything under 35 is considered normal. Some oncologists do not utilize the tumor marker tests at all. They are not extremely reliable and the results can be affected by many things such as a slight infection, low blood count, etc. With HER2 breast cancer the best test is the HER2 serum test. Hope this helps.
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Kate
Stage IIIC Diagnosed Oct 25, 2005 (age 58)
ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3, Ploidy/DNA index: Aneuploid/1.61, S-phase: 24.2%
Neoadjunct chemo: 4 A/C; 4 Taxatore
Bilateral mastectomy June 8, 2006
14 of 26 nodes positive
Herceptin June 22, 2006 - April 20, 2007
Radiation (X35) July 24-September 11, 2006
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
Stage IV lung mets July 13, 2007 - TCH
Single brain met - August 6, 2007 -CyberKnife
Oct 2007 - clear brain MRI and lung mets shrinking.
March 2008 lung met progression, brain still clear - begin Tykerb/Xeloda/Ixempra
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