Hi!
This is my first post but wanted you all to know I very much appreciated your support and information! And I now have this concerning issue and hopefully you all can help me to relax.
My CA 15-3 results was July 2022 with 18; September 2022 with 19, and today on October 10, 2022, it went up to 25.1.
I have been on Ibrance 100 and Letrozole 2.5 since Spring 2021.
What does this raised level of CA 15-3 mean?
Thank you for your support!
It may mean nothing--this is not a huge rise. When is your next scan scheduled? For many people the markers are not accurate so you need to look at scans...
Good to hear this! My next scan is Nov 9th. And by the way, I just had my 5th Moderna booster on Sept 28th. Could it be the cause?
Hi. It’s most probably mean nothing and yes most probably it is because of the vaccine. My mom started with 11 then 18 then 20,21,22 and she is NED right now. When I was concerned about her slight rising in tumor marker her doctor said that she would worry if they triples or more. I’m not a doctor,but as a person that have been advocating for her mom and learned a lot about MBC in the past 18 months, I think it should be fine…
Saba
Thanks! It helps to know.
Ha My numbers went up a bit after my first vaccine. So this is also a possibility. The markers can be influenced by a lot of non cancer things.
Thanks!
Very likely the Moderna booster 
x
Mine elevated after 9 years and it started after taking 2 Covid vaccines and then a Booster. We did a Pet Scan and it went to my Bones. Have you taken these injections and if so did elevation start then??
possibly
You have to know I will never take it again I was ok all these years and after these shots especially the booster the Pet Scan picked up MBC it cannot be cured but treated which I am doing now. Please know what is causing this to elevate!!
I am in the same scenario as you. NED for 8 years. MBC diagnosis after vax and booster. Original diagnosis was stage 1, low oncotype score. Doc even says on paper I shouldn’t be here, but here I am. I will always wonder if the vax had something to do with it.
I was Stage 2 one of his best patients also low oncotype score and now Stage 4. It is a shocker. He does say about the injections and booster "it is a possibly". I will never every take it again. I even got in touch with Mederna and they have no answers nor does the CDC relating to Breast Cancer Patients. In my heart I know it did this to me. It is so scarey!!!
That's a scary thought re. Vaccines. I had lumpectomy in Feb 2018 and stage 0, took Tamoxifen. Had vaccine Apr2021 and Jul 2021. Started getting back pain sometime after July. I saw my surgeon in Sep whom had been following me since surgery (yrly breast mri and mamo 6 mths appart), no changes. But I asked if the back pain could be from the cancer spreading, she said she would be very surprised as I was stage 0. I said OK I will follow up with my family Dr. I saw oncologist in Oct at which point my mobility was quite compromised, limping due to back pain. I asked him the same question and he said the same thing that he would be surprised as I was stage 0. I then followed up with my family Dr who ordered xray (showed nothing) and mri in Dec which showed metastatic disease. I have to now wonder if there is a relationship between covid vaccines and MBC, seems so coincidental.
I am so sorry to hear your story. We will probably never know because no one will ever really do the study needed to find out. There is no incentive to do so and find out the truth one way or the other. They really don’t have a clue what the long term effects will be.
I was stage 1 in 2008 (node negative ) had surgery, chemo and 7 years of femara even though I had a fairly low oncotype score . I had a recurrence in 2019 that is stage IV. Eleven years later. Before Covid . Statistically, my risk of a recurrence was calculated to be 7-9% after all the treatment I completed . 30% of early stage patients have recurrences . Please don't insinuate that a vaccine had anything to do with your recurrence . I'm sorry you are here . I'm sorry I am here. It's not because of any vaccines .
you are most definitely entitled to your opinion just as I am to mine. Best wishes
I'm glad that your MBC was discovered with your PET scan so that you can be treated. Please understand that whatever the reason you needed a PET, this had nothing to do with your vaccine shots.
Hi, although your tumour marker is rsing a little it is still v low so your scan will probably still be good in which case your doctor might keep you on same treatment and get follow up scan in a s few months. In the meantime just try to live a fun healthy lifestyle, some exercise that you enjoy, social outings . Good luck for your results ♡
Thanks and my oncologist didn't say anything which indicates that it is not a concern
The range differs per lab. Mine says 0-40 is normal; others use 30. Several oncologists have told me these markers don’t necessarily indicate cancer progression and scans are much more accurate/important. Could also be linked to inflammation or other - or nothing. At any rate, yours are well within normal range so this slight increase shouldn’t be a worry.
Since the normal range is 0 to 30, I would not be concerned about any numbers within the normal range. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, "Cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) is a protein made by a variety of cells, particularly breast cancer cells. The protein moves into the blood, where it can be measured." Apparently, normal body cells may also make the same antigen.
Great info! Thanks!
Have your CEA tumor markers gone up? I don't know if your dr checks this one too. If so go get scanned!!
She doesn't do CEA any longer. It is an old school.
Guess what that is what found it thank goodness we did it up to you and your dr.
Mine was 70 last January and in July it was 121, I expect it to be up again as I've had another booster. I have read there is a connection between elevated lymph nodes and the vaccine, which you would probably expect given that the vaccine is causing you to produce antibodies. My oncologist hasn't raised concerns and seems to focus on the scans. 68 is the lowest mine got to last October. Interestingly the overall blood protein levels haven't changed much. I feel well, so I'm not going to dwell on it. Having the vaccine gave me confidence to go out and do things that I didn't for a long time. So I suppose it's swings and roundabouts really. Your levels seem very low to me. x
gosh…it’s like you read my mind! My medical scenario is very, very similar to you…and the CEA and CA15-3 values have been rising …I noted that it happened whenever I got any kind of vaccine: Covid vax , flu, shingrix, and now subsequent boosters.
Back a year in September when I had a covid shot I had to take a break from IBrance and my numbers shot up. In April of this year I had a booster and my numbers again shot up. In September I had a flu shot …again numbers are up…so I’ve had CA15-3 numbers in the 20s and low 30s and this week I got a 41.
I immediately contacted my ONC and asked if she was concerned. I have scans coming up in a couple of weeks so she said we’ll see if there’s anything to worry about.
I read with great interest the responses of women who noted roses after a covid shot. I a, convinced that this is something to recognize…but the question is: what does it really mean?
I am concerned that my IBrance may be starting to fail…just when I got a handle on the dosage, the alternate schedule that prevents neutropenia, and a sense of great wellbeing! I’ve never felt better since this whole catastrophe has started two years ago.
Well, the scans will tell the tale…I’ve saved this post so I can come back to update…but it is alarming to see that vaccines do impact how cancer behaves in our bodies.
Best of luck ladies,,,,and thank you LifeSpring for bringing this up..Hot topic for sure!
It seems to me that vaccines add antigens to our systems so I would expect increases in our CA 15-3 markers. Although vaccines temporarily add to the total of antigens in our bodies, they have nothing in common with our regular cancer antigens which are the result of abnormal cell divisions at a basic level. I know of no research finding which indicates that vaccines have any bearing whatsoever on "how cancer impacts in our bodies". I think anti-vaccers need education regarding body processes.
please stop getting boosters! Look up Dr Robert Malone and Dr. Peter McCullough for information.
hello, it looks like you’re fielding a lot of responses suggesting a connection between rising numbers after getting the Covid vaccines. Interestingly, rising numbers can be linked back to a stimulated immune system…and that may not be a bad thing at all. Let the scans tell the tale. The Mrn vaccine system is now part of a cancer vaccine effort…we are on the cusp of new cancer therapies and the story is just unfolding. Please do not worry that a Covid vaccine is not in your best interest. 🙏😅
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