HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Normal tumor marker results, while Stage 4?? Anybody else?

Gina · 02-26-2006, 08:13 PM

adding one or two caveats to this marker discussion. I personally think that the normal for the CA 27/29 needs to be dropped to 12 or less...as if you measure both the CA 27/29 with the serum her-2, you will many times note that the serum her-2 will not fall below 15 to what is considered a more normal range-- until the CA 27/29 is consistently under 12 or so....MORE research needs to be done in this area.

Also, where the markers are concerned TIMING of the blood test and Studying the MOVEMENT of the numbers OVER TIME is crucial. One reason many girls numbers stay "within" the CA 27/29 "supposedly normal" range, is that they are on herceptin--which is a good thing. In the old days when I would go off my herceptin for up to a year at a time, my numbers would progressively rise...and little nasties would start breaking out all over the place. Secondly, you need to take your tumor markers and serum her-2's and CEA's and CA 125's and any other number you wish to follow at the same blood draw and ideally, this draw should happen JUST before you get your next dose of herceptin....If you are on the every three week plan, you can chart the numbers on a graph (Labcorb does this for you) and see the interplay of them over time...a very valuable tool for us all, even though we still need to learn so much more about what they mean.

Collect the data now regardless of your situation bad or good--at some point in your her-2 future, you may be very glad you did...

Take care,
Gina

02-26-2006, 08:13 PM	#8
Gina Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 197	Can't resist... adding one or two caveats to this marker discussion. I personally think that the normal for the CA 27/29 needs to be dropped to 12 or less...as if you measure both the CA 27/29 with the serum her-2, you will many times note that the serum her-2 will not fall below 15 to what is considered a more normal range-- until the CA 27/29 is consistently under 12 or so....MORE research needs to be done in this area. Also, where the markers are concerned TIMING of the blood test and Studying the MOVEMENT of the numbers OVER TIME is crucial. One reason many girls numbers stay "within" the CA 27/29 "supposedly normal" range, is that they are on herceptin--which is a good thing. In the old days when I would go off my herceptin for up to a year at a time, my numbers would progressively rise...and little nasties would start breaking out all over the place. Secondly, you need to take your tumor markers and serum her-2's and CEA's and CA 125's and any other number you wish to follow at the same blood draw and ideally, this draw should happen JUST before you get your next dose of herceptin....If you are on the every three week plan, you can chart the numbers on a graph (Labcorb does this for you) and see the interplay of them over time...a very valuable tool for us all, even though we still need to learn so much more about what they mean. Collect the data now regardless of your situation bad or good--at some point in your her-2 future, you may be very glad you did... Take care, Gina