I've been tracking my CA 27.29 markers since having been diagnosed in Nov 2020 with MBC (ER/PR+ Her2-). They've consistently gone down from 69 in Dec of 2020 and bounced around between 52 and 54, sometimes going to 46 then to 43 in May of 2021. I had a PetScan in August which showed improvement and my august CA 27.29 was 46 but just this September, it went up to 62 ! Eeek. Am I over thinking a bounce up from 46 to 62? I haven't changed my medications (Ibrance/Faslodex) and I'm also on CoC medications. Thoughts to ease by analytical mind? It's ok to same I "nuts", (lol) that is true regardless of having Breast Cancer (chuckle).
Blessings !
Julia
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My tumor marker (Ca 27-29) fluctuates too. I typically am in the range of 50-65 and it goes up and down from month to month. I started out at 400 at diagnosis. I would trust more your scan and not the marker. My doctor has always said that if it continues in a trend up for several months then it might be worth scanning again. It's just a piece of the puzzle.
For some people the tumor marker does not correlate well to their disease state.
I'm so glad that you had a scan that showed improvement!!
You just had a great scan in August, and, tumor markers aren’t always reliable. My oncologist doesn’t consider tumor markers for me. She ran tumor markers when I was first diagnosed with mets in lymph nodes, sternum and liver. My markers were always low, so she doesn’t even look at them. It’s more about how you are feeling and your scan results. You’re feeling good and you got great scan results -you’re good to go girl! 😉❤️
I’d take the advice you’ve been given already. Go with that recent good scan. The rise in your markers doesn’t appear to be significant.
My tumour markers were over 100 but settled quite quickly in the high twenties when I first started on Ibrance in December 2018. Then settled in the low thirties. In May they shot up to 100 when I started having hip pain. In June it was the same. In July when I had a bone scan (after 8 months) progression was diagnosed.
My markers are now 112 after two months on new treatment. I’m giving it more time to see if it’s working. I have accurate markers so I knew the three fold increase in my markers along with the pain and the disappearance of my continuous hot flushes was an indication things had changed. Just wish I’d had an earlier scan.
If it’s just the slight rise in markers you have try not to worry and keep thinking of that good PET scan!
I don’t know how scientific my thinking is but I figured that while the Letrozole was working and keeping my oestrogen levels low (as in menopause) it caused both the night sweats and continuous hot flushes. I assume that once the Letrozole stopped working and my oestrogen levels increased my body could regulate itself better. I’ve not had any flushes since May. Every cloud…
Hi Vicki- my markers are similar to yours in progression. So I am worried now and will follow up with my oncologist. Do you think some people just run high?
I think markers are definitely different for everyone. I’ve read here in the past that some women do have consistently high markers (some very high). So please don’t worry but if you are concerned you should speak to your oncologist or BC nurse for reassurance. I could see a pattern after two and a half years on Palbociclib and Letrozole. So for me the jump from 33 one month to 100 the next, along with my pain and lack of hot flushes were a good indication. Tbh I had the bloods taken at a different clinic so I was thinking perhaps it was because of that and the pain was muscular rather than progression in my hip. But a second month (and back to my regular clinic) with the same high markers I began to think there was more to it. I was still optimistically thinking muscular until the scan results proved otherwise.
So nice of you to explain… I am probably due for one. My oncologist have been together for 16 years and he was kind enough to zoom call me from the USA through my MBC diagnosis and first 6 months… noe I am back in usa under his care. I had been followed by a nz onc who looked at different markers so I had no frame of reference when I arrived back… amd for past 4 months have been developing a pattern of mostly around 100. Just not at all sure of the slight pin and achey ness snd tiredness is from TX or progression. Last scan I was surprised they said stable… but I think that it because I want To be NED and no pain… and I am not that… but maybe this feeling a bit uncomfortable but not bad pain, is just the best I can do. But when I read how cheerily most of the lovely ladies are here and they just get on eith it… then I think maybe I need to brace myself to only get one year from Ibrance… kind of had my heart set on 2 years but it will be what it will be! Thank you for answering!
It’s so easy to second guess all our aches and pains but a scan show what is actually going on. That’s good news that your last scan was stable and I hope your next one is too. The anxiety as the next scan approaches is palpable for most. It sounds like you are back in the care of a team you trust so talk to them, have a scan and hopefully you can breath easy (until the next one). Let us know how you get on and try not to worry. Easier said than done, I know.
Hi Julia! The numbers do mean something individually…However it will probably take a couple years to figure out your own trends. Some go into the 100s while mine 62 I’d be freaking 😱. So until you’ve gone through the progression cycle a few times u really don’t know what your panic numbers are. 😀
Oh.... I know how nerve wrecking it can be when markers bounce up if we are watching them. I agree with all the above replies. A scan is really the best way to know what is going on as trends for markers are different for every one. It is part of this journey what you are experiencing. Hold strong! I hope the rise in your markers are just a little blip and nothing to worry about.
Wow, I think you’re doing awesome. Mine are down to 470 from 1,019 a year ago. I have stage 4 MBC with Mets to bones and liver. Reality Ley speaking sounds like you’re doing awesome! Best of luck.
You're a doll. Thank you ! I'm a tad bit OCD so for the past year I have a grand excel spreadsheet that tracks every blood test known to man. Just to see trending. I need to do something else with my analytical brain. I have a brand new bike in the garage ! It's 97 in Arizona. I should probably ride it sometimes but keep coming up with excuses - lol. Heart hugs ! xo
Thinking I need to take a spring trip back to Arizona. I really miss Sedona and think about it all the time. WTH, why are we all trapped at home all the time and then we just drop dead. I think the country and western song, "Live like you were dying" seems to have more impact very recently.Bonnie
You may be overthinking this. 1) Things besides progressing cancer can cause a rise in TMs. 2) TMs not accurate for all of us. 3) a shift of 10 pts or so with the CA27-29 can be meaningles. I can tell you that in the 17 plus years that I have been in treatment for MB C, my CA27-29 has only been in the "normal" range for a few months quite a few years ago. If I paid much attention to these numbers, I would not be doing myself any favors.
Talk with your onc about this. My onc has always said she pays most attention to what I report about how I am doing, scans second and TMS a vert distant third.
They are usually not used for anything other than decisions to order new scans........
I have been tracking mine since before I was diagnosed when it went up from normal ranges in the 30's to 54. Since that had never happened before, my oncologist said something must be going on and ordered scans and a bone biopsy to confirm MBC. It then went up to 58 and then up to 68, which is the highest it has ever been. Treatment was started at that point as I had relocated to another state. For the past several months it has been fluctuating in the upper 40's and recently went up to 52. My oncologist did not seem concerned as she said that fluctuations can occur and that if the test was run several days in a row, the numbers could all be different. I was taking turmeric complex and was wondering if that caused the elevation as this was the first bloodwork since I had started taking that, so I stopped taking it based on the oncologist's recommendation. I told the nurse I had received a pneumonia shot about a week before the bloodwork and she said that could even cause a fluctuation. My last scan the end of June showed no new disease and I have been feeling good. My next scan is at the end of this month, so hopefully that will be good as well. I know some of the oncologists who treat the ladies on this site do not even use tumor markers as a guide. I used to get a CEA test as well as the CA27-29, but this doctor does not do that test.
Could be dead cancer cells still in your blood until they get eaten up by your body. I have read about this. Also... the vaccine will make your markers go up... have you taken it? This is something "they" don't want published. On my other group, the majority of women were commenting that markers have gone up. Body fighting the spike protein.
How are your markers now? I’m on my 2nd month of Ibrance and Letrozole. Diagnosed January. My CA started at 126, then, 131, then 96 and now 100. I’m concerned it’s not working. I saw yours went up and down so wondering if you changed meds or it just needed time to adjust?
The advice the ladies provided in all the posts here is spot on. The fluctuations in both our cases are not significant percentage wise . I did recentl change to Piqray as we thought I had bone Mets. Last month my TM plummeted to 28 well below normal. What !!! I just had a blood draw Friday and anxious to see results. Keep in mind I had a mastectomy in Jan to remove an open tumor on my breast. The mastectomy failed (stitches ripped wide open) so I’m doing dressing changes for a while to let the skin heal. Disgusting and painful. Net net, I’m certain the drop last month e was because I lopped the right girl off and changed meds. So please don’t stress over a 4 point jump from 96 to 100 . Heart hugs!
My father was diagnosed with MBC in August 2020 With Matt to his bones liver and lungs.. His ca 27.29 TM’s were 550. They put him on Faslodex plus Ibrance and they trended down to 300 And scans showed some improvement. However they started training back up after four months and scan showed progression. His numbers topped out at 2200 and they put him on Lynparza. The TM markers drop significantly down to 128 within six months. That was December and now they’re starting to trim back up last month at 186. We are going to get a scan next week and see what it shows. He actually feels very good, he is 84 years old but still walk 3 miles a day and chops wood has a good quality of life. Just sharing his experience as I don’t think I’ve seen anybody with numbers as he’s had. Best wishes to all you lovely ladies, you have been so helpful as we deal with this awful disease
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MBC diagnosed March 2022 and the CA 27-29 tumor marker test.
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