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StephN · 07-14-2005, 12:01 AM

First on the question of why and when to have a brain MRI.
Her2 positive BC patients seem to have a higher incidence of brain mets. These can come as either the first metasteses or follow mets to organs and bones. Since there have been a few women post here who had the mets to their brain prior to any place else, it seems a good idea to keep an eye on any changes in vision, balance or any other unusual symptom such as numbness in arm or hand. If you have any of this, whether stage IV or not, get your med onc to order a brain MRI. PRONTO!

Stage IV patients should find a way to get themselves a brain MRI at least as a screening once a year. I have been doing that and sure enough, three years after discovery of my liver mets there were 2 tumors in my cerebellum. AND I had NO symptoms. One was 3cm in diameter - a bit over 1 inch. Gamma Knife seems to have taken care of them.

Tumor markers. We started drawing CEA (along with CA27-29, which was in indicator for my other mets) a year before my brain mets were caught. This was at my suggestion when I learned from this board that some brain mets made CEA. Sure enough that marker started edging up last summer and by the start of winter was at the high range. I had a PET scan and other tests - nothing else turned up other than the 2 brain mets.
Now my CEA is holding steady at POINT 8, and this gives me a lot of confidence that my brain mets are truly dead now.

I talked to my med onc this week about continuing with both these markers and he is wanting to check the CEA every 6 weeks and the CA27-29 every 12 weeks. This would naturally change if any sign of cancer activity presented itself.

Hope this helps.

07-14-2005, 12:01 AM	#6
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	First on the question of why and when to have a brain MRI. Her2 positive BC patients seem to have a higher incidence of brain mets. These can come as either the first metasteses or follow mets to organs and bones. Since there have been a few women post here who had the mets to their brain prior to any place else, it seems a good idea to keep an eye on any changes in vision, balance or any other unusual symptom such as numbness in arm or hand. If you have any of this, whether stage IV or not, get your med onc to order a brain MRI. PRONTO! Stage IV patients should find a way to get themselves a brain MRI at least as a screening once a year. I have been doing that and sure enough, three years after discovery of my liver mets there were 2 tumors in my cerebellum. AND I had NO symptoms. One was 3cm in diameter - a bit over 1 inch. Gamma Knife seems to have taken care of them. Tumor markers. We started drawing CEA (along with CA27-29, which was in indicator for my other mets) a year before my brain mets were caught. This was at my suggestion when I learned from this board that some brain mets made CEA. Sure enough that marker started edging up last summer and by the start of winter was at the high range. I had a PET scan and other tests - nothing else turned up other than the 2 brain mets. Now my CEA is holding steady at POINT 8, and this gives me a lot of confidence that my brain mets are truly dead now. I talked to my med onc this week about continuing with both these markers and he is wanting to check the CEA every 6 weeks and the CA27-29 every 12 weeks. This would naturally change if any sign of cancer activity presented itself. Hope this helps.