help! tumor markers rising on xeloda -- what now?
I have been dealing with bone mets for about 4 yrs. I started xeloda 8/05. Then my ca2729 was about 150. PET showed lots of activity in ribs & vertebrae. By Dec. the PET was much improved, some spots gone, others much better. . My ca2729 has been rising the last couple months. In Dec. it was down to 42, then it was 50, then 55, now my tumor marker is up even from from 3 weeks ago -- now it's 64. I saw the doc yesterday. I am increasing my dosage of xeloda for one cycle to see if that makes a difference, will retest the marker again on 3/20, have scans on 3/23 & see the doc again on 3/27. Damn, if it's growing again & this drug is no longer useful, I dread what's next.
I know the ca2729 is not perfect, but here's a definite trend upward. I have felt so good on the xeloda - it's been such a manageable one for me unlike all the others I've been on (see below).
I'm so afraid again -- another chemo that's only working short term? where is the cancer now? what next?
Dx 6/13/01 – inflammatory bc
6-13-01 –mastectomy
7 – 12 /01 6 months of chemo: 4 treatments A/C; 4 treatments taxol
1/02 - 30 radiation treatments
2/02 – 9/02 – tomoxifen
9/02 – bone mets dx
9-12/02 – femara
1/03 – 6/03 – taxotere & herceptin & aredia
6/03-12/03 – faxlodex & zometa
1 – 04 - 12/04 - navelbine, herceptin, zometa
1-05 – 7-05 herceptin, zometa
8-05 – present – xeloda, zometa, herceptin
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