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06-05-2011, 03:16 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,778
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at ASCO meeting, poster presenter on measuring tumor markers in the CSF
(cerebral spinal fluid) in those with leptomeningeal metastasis
She had not looked at it in her2+ patients-- I suggested since there are now more patients receiving intrathecal herceptin, perhaps they should look at that as one way to monitor if it is working and see if efficacy and CSF biomarker are correlated.
Courtney--are they taking CSF samples and testing it for tumor cells or tumor markers to see how they are changing?
You are a pioneer and let's hope others can benefit from your experience
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06-05-2011, 06:17 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 260
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Re: at ASCO meeting, poster presenter on measuring tumor markers in the CSF
Thanks for the post, Lani.
I've had my CSF tested for the presence of cancer cells twice now. Both times have tested negative. However, because two of my most recent brain mets appear outside the brain tissue itself, we are doing the intrathecal Herceptin as a way to reach these tumors. We do monitor my tumor markers about once a month (CA 15-3). But interestingly, they don't seem to correlate with my brain mets. They are extremely accurate at indicating what is going on with my disease below the neck. Every time they are on the rise, I have had progression and vice versa, when they go down, the tumors regress. However, when I was first diagnosed with brain mets in December 2008, my tumor markers were the lowest they'd ever been. So at least for me, they don't tell the whole picture.
I do indeed hope that others may benefit from my experience. I've just had my third intrathecal treatment and things are going well. We'll scan my brain again soon and I hope to see more shrinkage. I will, of course, keep all of you updated.
__________________
4/17/08: Dx Stage IV at age 30 - extensive mets to liver, lungs, and bones. Er/Pr-, Her2+++
April 08-Aug 08:Taxotere, Cytoxan, Herceptin, Zometa - complete response!
Sept 08-Dec 08: Herceptin +Zometa for maintenance.
Jan 09-April 09: Brain mets. Add Tykerb. Watch and wait.
April 09: Gamma Knife 10 brain mets, add Xeloda.
Sept 09: Gamma Knife to 1 brain met.
Nov 09- April 10: Lung progression, add Gemzar to Herceptin, Zometa.
May 10- Sept 10: HER2 Vaccine Trial
Sept 10: Add Tykerb for more brain mets.
Oct 10: Gamma Knife to 7 brain mets.
Dec 10: Switch from Zometa to Denosumab.
Jan 11: Gamma Knife to 3 brain mets.
March 11: Gemzar/Herceptin for lung/bone progression.
April 11: More brain mets - Intrathecal Herceptin
June 11: Ixempra/Herceptin for lung, soft tissue progression.
Aug 11: Gamma Knife
Sep 11: Abraxane/Herceptin
Future: NED
Send me a PM if you'd like to follow my journey on Caringbridge.
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06-05-2011, 07:07 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,778
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Re: at ASCO meeting, poster presenter on measuring tumor markers in the CSF
Courtney what these French researchers were doing was measuring Ca 15-3 in the CSF fluid itself. They hadn't looked at which of the patients were her2+ or not. Don't know how Ca 15-3 in CSF correlates with that in blood.
Thanks for your reply.
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06-05-2011, 07:15 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 260
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Re: at ASCO meeting, poster presenter on measuring tumor markers in the CSF
Interesting. I'll ask my onc about this at my next appointment. However I would have no way of knowing what my baseline would be since I've had brain mets for years. If its elevated that won't really tell us much but perhaps we can look for trends down the road.
__________________
4/17/08: Dx Stage IV at age 30 - extensive mets to liver, lungs, and bones. Er/Pr-, Her2+++
April 08-Aug 08:Taxotere, Cytoxan, Herceptin, Zometa - complete response!
Sept 08-Dec 08: Herceptin +Zometa for maintenance.
Jan 09-April 09: Brain mets. Add Tykerb. Watch and wait.
April 09: Gamma Knife 10 brain mets, add Xeloda.
Sept 09: Gamma Knife to 1 brain met.
Nov 09- April 10: Lung progression, add Gemzar to Herceptin, Zometa.
May 10- Sept 10: HER2 Vaccine Trial
Sept 10: Add Tykerb for more brain mets.
Oct 10: Gamma Knife to 7 brain mets.
Dec 10: Switch from Zometa to Denosumab.
Jan 11: Gamma Knife to 3 brain mets.
March 11: Gemzar/Herceptin for lung/bone progression.
April 11: More brain mets - Intrathecal Herceptin
June 11: Ixempra/Herceptin for lung, soft tissue progression.
Aug 11: Gamma Knife
Sep 11: Abraxane/Herceptin
Future: NED
Send me a PM if you'd like to follow my journey on Caringbridge.
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06-05-2011, 11:22 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: "Love never fails."
Posts: 5,808
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Re: at ASCO meeting, poster presenter on measuring tumor markers in the CSF
The CSF circulates around the skull and lubricates the spinal cord. I would think the odds to find tumor cells in CSF is slim at an early stage. The brain is unique because of the 'blood-brain barrier' mechanism.
But this is how science progresses - looking for clues at the 'improbable' place.
__________________
Jackie07
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2011/06/doctors-letter-patient-newly-diagnosed-cancer.html
http://www.asco.org/ASCOv2/MultiMedi...=114&trackID=2
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