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Tumor marker tests are not very reliable, especially when you are in active treatment. There are many things that can affect the results. When I was in neoadjunct chemo I had the test done several times and each time it came back with a different number -- always within the "normal range." Before surgery we knew that my axillary lymph nodes were involved but I had no idea that I would have 14 positive nodes!! Don't let the tumor marker test be your sole indicator of how your cancer is or is not progressing.
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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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