Tumor Markers, Accurracy

Very Curious!

[StephN]

Kristen -
The way this poll is set up I cannot add CEA, as I have been having BOTH the CA27-29 and CEA drawn regularly for some time now. The CA27-29 rose with my liver mets and the CEA rose with my brain mets.
Go figure!
In my case there has been a good use for both those markers.
The poll only lets us choose one answer, which may not be exactly right for the one answering, as in my case.

I also had some symptoms with the liver mets, but not with the brain mets. Could not check that answer on the poll either.

But thanks for asking the questions.

[Lolly]

Good question, but I couldn't answer accurately within the poll criteria, so I'll fill in:

In both recurrences, it was appx. 4 weeks to dx. I had an increase in my CEA levels before both recurrences. First recurrence level went up to 20, second recurrence level went from <.3 to >.5. Not a very large increase the second time, but as my level had been rock steady at <.3 for over 2 years, I was immediatly suspicious.

My recurrences have been to lymph nodes, and each recurrence was signalled by enlarged and tender or painful nodes.

Yes, both times.

My onc currently only runs the CEA, as when I had my first recurrence the CEA was the only one elevated. It has continued to prove accurate, but if I show symptoms and the CEA doesn't show a rise, we'll look at other markers, as intuition and clinical signs/symptoms are a valuable tool also.

thanks for answering the poll, I am sorry, I don't know how to set them up. so thanks for the extra info, i appreciate it. you guys are great as always. take care k

I have mets to the lungs. My onc never tests for tumor markers. She feels it's too unreliable. Is this something I should request?

San

San,
This is my understanding of TM's. They are an option. They are not recommended my ASCO. My onc. doesn't believe in TM"s. She thinks that you will present symptoms before they will tell you anything. I requested them for some control. Control over something I have no control over. I feel like I am being active in my NED state.

Since you have mets, I really don't know. As you can see by Lolly's and Sandy's post they did rise when new tumors were present. I personally feel that they can't hurt, they are drawing blood anyway.

Alot of onc's feel the same as yours, but if you want them and insurance will pay for them, than why not. It's your body and your peace of mind. Best to you. K

Steph and Lolly,
I think it is interesting that CEA picked them up at some point. Most onc's want to run the CA27-29 and CA15-3, I only had the CEA run by accident. Since it was my first time for that test I really don't have a base line. The test did come back .3 above the normal range. Now before I heard from my nurse the ranges, I had looked them up on Lolly's site she provided and that site said the range could be something like 2.5-3.5. Mine came back at 2.8, which my nurse told me was above normal, she had CEA at 2.5 for normal. Can you clarify what you have for normal ranges?

Lolly, you said the increase was slight, but since you were rock steady, the slight increase was a warning sign to you. Since I don't have a base line, I am not really worried about it or should I be? I know it would just be your opinion, but I value that. So if you don't mind sharing what you think I would appreciate it. Thank you ever so much. Take Care, K

No tumor markers followed then or now......

Janelle

[StephN]

On my lab reports <5 (less than 5) is normal range. I don't know where 3.5 comes from - this is well into normal according to my reports. Mine came down from 6.7 in Feb to 3.6 3 weeks ago. I will have it checked again on Tues when I get my Herceptin. It is good to see my CEA back in the normal area, as it had gotten up to about 19 with the brain mets.

My med onc started taking tumor markers when I was on my adjuvent treatment in 2001 to see if they might be reliable in my case. The markers were up even then and came down to normal range a few weeks after I finished the Taxotere. We decided then that they would be taken at least every 3 months, since I had an aggressive type of disease. That was fine with me and - lo and behold - the next time marker was up and liver mets were on the rampage.

It is my understanding from my med onc that this has to be tried with each patient to see if markers can be an indicator of trouble brewing. I do know that some patients do not have as clear an indication as I do, but a false positive is at least worth checking out in anyone who has cancer, NO?

And there are some new tests on the horizon that the med oncs who don't like the current markers may feel better about trying.

[Isabelle]

Kristen,
I tried to do your poll but it would not let me click more than item and I needed to.

I have had my CA 27/29 and CEA checked every 3 months since I was first diagnosed six years ago. My decision. After 2 years I could have done it less frequently. In my case they DID reflect whether my cancer was in remission, progressing, or stable. They were actually a predictor for me. First I might have a symptom. Then the rise in markers. Then months later the met was in the cat scan. So, they have helped me. But, for many people they are irrelevant and you just have to learn what diagnostic tools are useful in your case by trial and error.

I was having back pain in weird places after 3 years in remission. It was months before my markers went up. When markers did suddenly double my onc at the time started scanning me for mets and continued to do so every 8 weeks until she found them in exterior ribs in the back. She saw the enlargement not the radiologist by the way. This is the downside of doing frequent tumor marker tests. They make some doctors jump up and down and start subjecting you to a lot of unneeded tests and the anxiety that goes with it.

I am proactive and prefer to find out and prepare, though.

My current oncologists (head of breast oncology at a major cancer center) considers the tumor markers the least important piece of data when diagnosing.

Tumor markers are only useful for seeing a trend. A single tumor marker test means nothing. They jump up and down all the time. I know because I have had mine done as frequent as monthly (I was in a study) .


Good luck. I hope you get the information you are looking for.
Isabelle