CA 15-3

[Evbr]

Hi ladies, my wife has MBC for 10 months now. She is on Ibrance 125mg, Faslodex and Xgeva. She has extensive bone mets, but PET-CTs are showing important reduction on SUV levels (From 16 to 3.5, for example).

My question here is about CA 15-3 levels. She started with 352 and gradually reduced to 86. Now she is 86/88 for 4 months in a row. Her oncologist said that may be a new basal level for her due to her bone "injuries/scars" and that we should not expect it to reduce any longer. Did it happen with any of you? Have you already heard that?

We are from Brazil and she do not speak English. I read your posts everyday to help her and I´m praying for you all to be stable until a cure is found.

Eduardo

[Hidden]

Hi Eduardo,

First, I'm so impressed that you are supporting your wife so well...She's very lucky to have you!

Regarding her response to treatment as indicated by the SUV's and tumor markers, Wow! That's fantastic!

About the stable markers in the 80's...That's a pretty low number and stable is great! Will she ever get down into, say, the 30's? Maybe or probably not. But the tumor markers are really a secondary consideration. Plus they are often elevated as tumors heal and "shed" dead cancer cells.

In my opinion, I'd not worry about the tumor markers at all at that level. Your wife is doing great!

All the best,

Lynn

[Evbr in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Lynn. we will focus on PET CTs from now on

[Red1246]

Hi Eduardo,

How good of you to be following our group on behalf of your wife. She is very fortunate to have such a good caregiver.

I defer to Lynn on this question as I know little about CA 15-3 other than my own marker pattern, which is not a yardstick.

It sounds as though your wife is doing well

[Red1246]

Hi again,

I hadn’t finished when my comments on previous message posted!

I just wanted to add that I’m sending my best regards to you both and hope your wife continues to do well. I’ve learned to take this journey one day at a time.

Kathleen

[Evbr in reply to Red1246]

Thank you Kathleen

[Hidden]

Hi Eduardo and welcome

I’m sending you and your wife lots of healing thoughts.

Some Oncologists don’t look at the tumour markers at all, so it seems to be a personal opinion about whether they are a true picture of the disease progression.

I go by how I am feeling. I hope your wife is managing well on her tablets and keeping positive.

Clare

[Evbr in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Clare

[Teddielottie]

Hello and welcome on here . I have been on Ibrance 125 mg for over 2 years (29 cycles ) for bone Mets and have been ‘stable’ for 4 ct scans since starting on Ibrance .

My onc only goes on my ct scans and how I am feeling / any pain ,as my tumour markers have never changed since I was diagnosed . Also there are many other reasons why tumour markers can change ( as mentioned above ) . Hope your wife continues to do well on it ! x

[Evbr in reply to Teddielottie]

Thanks

[SeattleMom]

I do know that a “normal” CA15-3 reading is considered to be at or less than 30. However, if your wife’s level remains stable, her oncologist is probably monitoring that for any indication of progression.

Is she getting blood draws monthly? That would seem important for monitoring this bio marker.

God bless you for reaching out on behalf of your wife. Prayers for her continued stable markers! ❤️❤️🙏🏻🙏🏻 Linda

[Evbr in reply to SeattleMom]

Yes Linda she is having it monthly. Thanks

[illini9]

Hi Eduardo - please send all our best to your wife. I had extremely high CA numbers and they have been stable in the 60-75 range now for several months. My oncologist doesn't foresee me getting to "normal" as maybe this is my normal. I have been on Ibrance for four years and have nothing active right now so we think this really is maybe my normal for CA levels.

[Evbr in reply to illini9]

Thanks. Maybe the "new" normal. In fact all the medication (Ibrance, etc) should also change those levels to a bit higher than the usual normal.

[Mariote777]

Hi Eduardo, I'm sorry to hear about your wife but glad she's improving. My wife was exactly in the same situation as yours, mBC with extensive lesions to the bones, also on Ibrance, Faslodex and Zometa. after 6 months, her CA 15.3 went down to 9 and stayed there .At the time we credited Faslodex, since we could not tolerate Ibrance and discontinued shortly.

[Gorden in reply to Mariote777]

I’m in the same situation. Just started faslodex after using letrozole for 40 months.

[Evbr]

Thanks, that is an amazing reduction!

[Gorden]

My numbers went down then after 40 months, went up. My scans were good so my Dr switched me from letrozole to faslodex. I’ll see if the numbers go down The numbers are crazy but it’s hard not to watch them. Just feel as good as you can and don’t think about the numbers. 😊