I am feeling in the dumps tonight as I had another monthly CA 27/29 tumor marker test today. The results just came in saying my markers jumped from 167 last month to 176 this month. Last month they had even gone down one point which isn’t much but one point is one point. Of course I was hoping they would continue to go down but I do they are going up. I am also anemic and my doctor put me on 65mg of iron 3x a day. I started taking the iron on 9/23 . I started the iron after last months marker test so now I am wondering if the iron has increased my tumor marker levels. I have read numerous articles that said cancer feeds on iron so I stopped the iron on 10/17 and started taking moringa. I take so many supplements I am at a loss now as what else to do. Has anyone else had anemia taking iron with the markers and increasing? I don’t even like to look at my test result as it really depresses me. Any suggestions would be helpful. My oncologist said she’s never heard of iron feeding cancer.
Mimi
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Mimigram
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I have had that panic when markers trend in the wrong direction. My oncologist is sanguine about small changes. They waft around. It is the scan that is definitive.
I don't know about iron feeding cancer, but it seems like many supplements have that potential. I have gotten excess iron by eating too much spinach. I got hooked on this spinach salad (saute garlic in olive oil, wash spinach and wilt it in oil - not too much!, add croutons, at last minute add vinegar) and ended up with too much iron (black stools). Getting vitamins and minerals from food is always safer.
My oncologist, together with other oncologists from IEO in Milan, Italy, says that it's better not to take supplements. They are dangerous for us, especially vitamins. It is better to find all the nutrients we need in food, so in organic fresh vegetables and fruit. Anyway, some patients I know take supplements without telling their doctors. For what concerns markers, my markers were perfect when I was diagnosed metastatic breast cancer stage IV in the liver... so sometimes they are not so important. A scan is better
Hi I was told that small differences from one ca27/29 to the next weather up or down is nothing to worry about. I was told that the person in the lab doing the test on your blood can make a difference in the way they count or process your blood . So if today Sally in the lab does your ca27/29 she gets 115 but next time John from the lab does your test he may say 120. Then on the next check April from the lab does your ca27/29 she could say 100. It doesnt mean your ca27/29 is actually bouncing around its the human / Lab affect. Plus i was also told that other things other than cancer can affect ca27/29 readings like stress, medications over the counter meds , foods etc. This i think is why some doctors dont like using the TM testing. Others use it but consider all other factors as well like how you are feeling ,do you have pain any where how is your blood preassure your weight all the other blood test results etc. if there was an increase in ca27/29 and your liver or kidney blood work was also elevated that would be cause for the doctor to check a little further to see if something was going on.
hI. I'm not sure what iron supplement you are taking, but yes, some can have an effect on cancer...
The study revealed that even in low amounts, both ferric citrate and ferric EDTA raised cellular levels of a cancer biomarker called amphiregulin and its receptor. By contrast, ferrous sulfate had no such effect on the cells
Hi Mimi. I've been on Ibrance/letrozole for 5 1/2 years and my markers go up and down (I track them on a spreadsheet with the rest of my blood work - how geeky is that?? LOL). My current oncologist only tests them every other month and doesn't put a whole lot of trust in them (scans are his go-to for answers). It's really all about the trend, not the one time number, and so many things affect our blood.
I'm also anemic. I've had plenty of tests (no answers) and tried supplements (with no luck), so my oncologist believes it's from Ibrance (it is one of the listed side effects). Haven't found anything to help but I'm open to suggestions! BTW, I haven't heard of iron feeding cancer, but there seems to be new studies out every week so, who knows.
My other Dr in NY that I have consults with told me to stop iron as it feeds cancer. She wants me to drink in a shake Moringa or take the capsules. I alternate between the two. I also cook spinach every day and eat other veggies that support iron levels. She said I could also take desiccated liver capsules which I take every two days. I read it can take 6 months to see iron levels go up.
I normally cook spinach with a sprinkling of oil and onions (I like Onions a lot) usually for less than five to 10 minutes. And for the most part, I cook all the other greens the same although collards, turnips and kale take a little longer to cook. My stomach doesn't tolerate raw vegetables well. For cabbage, I add any bell peppers that I have and onions and then saute. I never use animal fat with my veggies at all. This has helped my slight anemia remain stable.
thank you for your comment. I have been cooking spinach every day with a little oil, onion, garlic and a splash of vinegar. It certainly shrinks up when you sauté it. I read that only cooked spinach will raise iron levels and not raw spinach. I haven’t thought about cooking collard greens or cabbage.
the onc has been testing tumor markers since the initial dx in Oct 2011. they have been used as a guide. and, thankfully b/c it was the tumor markers in July 2015 that initially indicated to the onc something was not right. he had them redone, with the same results... it was mBC. they dropped significantly by Jan 2016 into range and have been in range ever since; there can be slight fluctuation, not anything the onc is concerned about.
in March 2016, the PET/CT scan indicated NEAD, and has remained. there are many supplements that i take; some are issued by the metabolic doctor. he advised about iron and the connection to stimulating cancer. thus, it is not part of the regimen. (in reflection, i think one of the factors that lead to mBC was when the onc had me start iron supplements, end of 2014 or beginning of 2015.) there has not been an anemia dx in a long time. there is fatigue, from Ibrance. i do not have an answer for you. i know what is working for this mind-body.
Thank you for your reply. My markers were at 99 in 2018 when we discovered I had a cyst on my ovary which turned out to be metastatic breast cancer. After having surgery the markers went down to 36 and stayed there for two years. Since then they started creeping up about 10 points a month. Nothing shows up on any of my scans even a complete on scan. She wants to do a bone marrow biopsy which I am nervous about doing. I am trying to stall her. I want to give the iron moringa supplements more time to take affect.
167 to 176. Nine points. Not a huge amount. The reason could be one of many possibilities. As for going down one point previously... no conclusion can or should be drawn from this. Its my understanding that markers can fluctuate independent of cancer growth/reduction. And that Anxiety can be an influencer.
Thank you for your support. I just know my markers have gone up since last May. The last several months they’ve gotten up about 9 to 10 points every month.
my oncologist doesn’t worry about tumor markers unless they increase 50% or more.
But I understand how you feel. I like to watch them come down. Right now I am ignoring them. I did read that supplements can cause poor results. The article mentioned B12 and a couple others. So I won’t be taking any supplements.
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