morning all.
Every 3 months I have my tunor ca153 marker taken. The last time was 32. The highest over the 5 years on Ibrance has been 42. This time it went down 1 point / which I will take any good news, however the Onc somewhat dismissed it and said it’s largely irrelevant. What experience has everyone had with their Onc and the the relevant of tumor marker readings with other scans results.
Some oncologists pay attention, some don't. Your numbers are good. My oncologist uses tumor markers as a vague guide. If something major happened, she might order a scan sooner, but they are not diagnostic in themselves. Small fluctuations don't mean anything.
thank you for your comments. Good to hear what others say xx
All oncologists I’ve seen say the results of these are not in themselves conclusive. They can be elevated due to inflammation or other causes unrelated to cancer according to them. Your numbers are good and the slight increase doesn’t seem to mean anything. Take care! K
thank you - good to hear what other oncologists say x
hello…. That is good news for you. I was on Ibrance and faslodax for 2 and a half years. My CA 15-3 went from 400 following chemo and then climbed to 2000! As my health deteriorated in every way, ( bedridden, breathing difficulty, unable to walk more than 10 feet alone, pain, needed help,with everything , extreme fatigue ) , my oncologist referred me to radiation oncologist and after 5 days of radiation , and a switch to Zolada , in 3 months my CA 15-3 dropped gradually to 240. I was having a lung drain every 6 plus weeks for 2 and half years. Following new treatment, and joining the Vallin Health Care Health Empowerment Program… have not had one since Sept/22 . I am walking about 20 minutes, my breathing is very good and I can travel again. I have metastatic cancer diagnosed in August 2019… to my lungs and now into two ribs. This diagnosis was 10 years after original BC in 2009 ER positive, HR negative. I have a CT scan every three months. April 22 scan was “ stable” . I go with how I feel and know 15-3 test is just one indicator and my oncologist agrees. It fluctuates …. And we monitor it every month. With Zolada I have very little side effects ( cracked fingers skin and fatigue ) with Ibrance I had severe neutropenia, severe diarehha, severe fatigue, chronic nausea. Switching was the best thing for my body . God bless .
I've been on letrozole and ibrance for three years . The lowest mine got to was 70. I'm getting stable scans and feel well. Since I've been in Scotland it seems they don't check that marker and I've not seen any blood results anyway. I've heard that the markers are irrelevant and misleading and that scans and how you feel are the main pointers. I certainly wouldn't worry about one or two points when yours are so low anyway. X
Under 35 is normal. I’ve been metastatic for 8 years and my marker is 19. Markers rise even if you don’t have cancer let alone active cancer. If your numbers are normal i.e. under 35 at all times then you don’t have a marker response. Like me and probably hundreds of others your markers aren’t telling you anything so that’s why the doctor said they are irrelevant.
Mine ignored it and missed huge progression. I knew something was going on. I believe them more than the doctors do. We moved and I have a new oncologist!
I agree totally Nocillo and I too have a new Onc. Remember they are practicing. We know our bodies and can feel when something is not right. Scans then verify progression. Normal in Europe for 15-3 is 0-40 and CEA, which is most important is 0-5.
My onc uses the tumor marker numbers as "one piece of the puzzle" in determining how my cancer is doing.
My oncologist takes them into consideration together with Scans, Office Visit Updates reporting on symptoms and other lab tests. My tumor markers were stable when the pet scan showed progression necessitating the move to my 2nd line of treatment.
Dana Farber has an excellent presentation regarding Tumor Markers under "Bio Markers for Treatment and Progression". Tumor Markers are elevated in most but not all Metastatic Breast Cancers and they rise and fall for a variety of reasons not related to the MBC.
Nov. 1st, 2022, my Stage 4 breast cancer my CA 15-3 level was a terrifying 661 after many drugs failed. Then Enhertu was approved for HER-low patients and I saw a precipitous drop over the next 9 months, all the way down to 150. For the first time in a while, I had hope of more quality time...until a CT scan showed "ground glass opacities" in my lungs. I was taken off it and was so shocked and upset that I stumbled through the past week.
So I'd say my test results corresponded closely to all the scans I was given--tumors stopped growing and others shrank, with no new ones showing up. Xeloda is up next, but the side effects really scare me, especially after almost no side-effects at all with Enhertu.
When your markers are in the thousands, you can imagine how scared we are and praying that the next drug will make us stable and the markers will decrease. Widderhins3, what were you on when you had the issues with your lungs? I am a bit confused, was that another drug other than Enhertu?
It was Enhertu, unfortunately. And, despite treatment with steroids, the ground glass opacities persist. I was put on Xeloda, which turned out to be a terrible drug for me as far as Quality of Life goes. And my numbers kept rising. Then it failed completely and a PET scan just showed I have progressive disease again.
I'd give anything to be back on Enhertu with some way to heal the opacities I have and prevent more. My own markers may be in the thousands soon, if the Taxol I'll be starting soon fails to work too. I'm petrified, so I have great sympathy for you.
I have been on Ibrance/Letrozole and Denusomab for 3 years and 9 months, PET scan in September NEADs but yesterday’s bloods showed a rise from 28 to 34.8. Oncology nurse did not show much concern but for me it is the first time since in treatment that figures have gone over normal range; CEA was 0.8.
Not sure whether the following could be indicative for rise: terrible sinusitis which required being started on antibiotics (Doxycycline) the day before bloods were taken. Anyone else experienced the same?
Mine started at 725, went down to 107 and are now back up to 482. I have worried about it since they tuned back up but my oncologist says not to worry, If the scans look good and I feel well, that is the most important. She has patiens doing well in the 4,000-mark. I also have a "private 2nd opinion" contact I consult, she has the same opinion. They are hoping for more research (I sometimes wish they had never told me about this one)...
But yours are mega low!
Cancer Markers Doubled
Tumor Markers (how reliable)
Tumour markers???
Rising tumour markers 
