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Kim -
I have only been dealing with known brain mets since the first week of January this year.
Just finally getting a little more strength back after the debilitating effects of the steroid anti-inflammitory pills. YECH!
Like Patty, my CA27-29 has been very steady throughout this brain mets episode. I have been having CEA drawn as another check for about 2 years now, so as it edged up late last summer and fall we started checking for the cause. My PET and other scans all came out negative. Turns out my brain tumors were producing the protein that shows on the CEA. Now my CEA is down to .8 and this is a god feeling and cuts my worry down to almost nothing. Good to know what your tumor markers are BEFORE you need them followed for mets. Anyway, my med onc thinks so and I am GLAD!
BTW - Christine Druther also had her CEA checked as a matter of course and this was also an indicator for her brain mets when that marker rose above normal.
Glad to help with your questions. Without this site I would have been rather lost myself!
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