How has Serum Her2 test worked for you??

al from Canada · 09-04-2006, 06:58 PM

Bonnie, if tests are looking out of whack, you are getting concerned and the onc appears to be sitting on his hands....maybe it's time to get a second opinion, just a thought.
Al

Julie2 · 09-04-2006, 08:06 PM

I am getting my Her2 serum test done since nine months and the result varies from 6 to 8. The range is from 5 to 13.8

Julie

newgg · 09-05-2006, 09:46 AM

Thanks Al....for your suggestion.

The onc and I are both looking at all this stuff and he is more than willing to get some test done. This is one of several that we will be looking at when I see him again in a couple of weeks. As we all know.....we are our own best advocates. The tumor marker is the most worrisome to me.....after 9 months on herceptin....dang thing still doing a steady climb.
Hugs, Bonnie

StephN · 09-05-2006, 09:37 PM

Hi Cathy and All -

I also had a HER2 serum test earlier in this year. It came back 8. something. Don't have it right in front of me.
With my CEA under ONE and the CA27-29 steady and well in normal range, my med onc did not see that I needed to repeat that test until some reason to check again.
Often a test is run two times if it is new, just to get a baseline. We did that with the CA125 for ovarian.

I now have a new med onc as the "old" one is leaving this area. I know she (the new one) is a big proponent of this test so I may be getting it more often. I don't see her for about a month.

Hope you can get this test. I also know that some clinical trials with stage IV HER2 positive patients are utilizing this trial far early information as to treatment working or not.

Cathya · 09-07-2006, 04:34 PM

Hi all;

Just got my Serum Her2 test results.....7.3. I'm pretty happy as these are smack in the middle of normal. I had been off herceptin for four months when this test was done so I'm feeling happy. I am ER/PR+ so it is possible that hormones could be feeding something I suppose and it is also possible that I have a pre-existing tumor and not many circulating her2's (? or whatever's) in the blood. BUT......I think these results are great. I'm going to have another test in a month or two to see if I have reacted to being back on herceptin and then if all is well it is recommended to do this test (as my results are in the normal range) four times a year. As an aside, I do find everything on the site (food rec's, tests, etc.) confusing as some things are good for hormone negatives but not recommended for hormone positives. In any case, a good day today!!!

Cathy

Cathya · 09-10-2006, 11:33 AM

I spoke to Gina about the results of my test....7.3 with the Serum her2. Her comments were very interesting and I thought I should pass them along to everyone. She is ER- and strongly Her2+++. She has had mets for 7 years and has used this test during that period along with other tumor markers and CT's scans, etc. to monitor her disease while using herceptin alone to fight her cancer. Her Serum her2 numbers are higher than mine. She commented:

"Keep in mind that this number does not guarantee that you do not have anything brewing 100 per cent, but it is a VERY good indication that you most likely are quite stable. If I were you, though, especially now that you are off herceptin, I would monitor that number at least once every 6 to 12 weeks, just to be on the safe side. Remember that years ago, after I first went off herceptin, it would take nearly a year off treatment before the numbers would go back up.... I know this is sombering, but with this illness, we can NOT afford to let down our guard...smile."

Best regards,

Cathy

newgg · 09-21-2006, 09:13 AM

Finally got the results ....... The level is 8.3. Thank you one and all for sharing the info on this. After taking the doc and the lab specialist the info from this site and the lab site the test was done and sent to Quest lab......it was a first for this office. Will repeat in a couple of months and use this as a bench mark. Dang, it was so easy....why the heck did I not do it before??
Hugs, Bonnie