Question about tumor markers

[Pups2Cute]

Hi there, happy spring to all!!

My Mom’s been doing well with trial med in combination with Faslodex monthly. Her blood work has been normal with good liver function. Her tumor marker test (the CA 15-3) test showed in the 350 range. I’m not sure it’s ever been that high but it was in the 150 range about a year ago. I’m not sure what this means but my Mom’s oncologist says she doesn’t place too much emphasis on that test alone. I guess they just monitor. Has anyone had their markers go up and how high is considered normal or reasonable without changing treatments? Thanks for your feedback.

[13plus]

It varies because the TM count doesn't track in the direction of the cancer for everybody. In my case it does, which is convenient, but that's often not the case. Do they test the marker count every month? Once a year is not really any help as a guide. And it's not so much the count by itself, it's about the pattern. EG, if the TM were to climb upwards consistently over several months then that's a sign the drugs are not working.

Other considerations are where are the mets? If only in her bones, it's not such a concern as an organ like the liver. Mets in organs have to be monitered more carefully but if it's a slow progression sometimes that's deemed "acceptable", as long as you are not venturing into dangerous-for-your-life territory. If everything is "acceptable" they quite often like to keep you on that treatment for as long as it's ok, so you can get more time out of each treatment

[Pups2Cute in reply to 13plus]

Hi there 13plus!! Thank you for your thoughtful response! Yes, my Mom has only had the CA 15-3 test done a few times. My Mom is 78 and has a slow growing lobular type. She has been told by her Oncologist that she has some bone involvement even though it’s not easily detectable or changing at all. She has one area of liver involvement of approx 6cm which they think has shrunk. She has been on Faslodex injections monthly with her trial med. She gets scans every two months to monitor. Her oncologist wants to keep my Mom on one treatment as you said as long as possible. I believe they recommend changing meds if there was a 20 percent increase which isn’t that much actually. I guess an increase in TMs are not as much of a concern for slower growing types?

[Pups2Cute in reply to Pups2Cute]

Also, she was on Ibrance and letrozole for about 2.5 years and then when the liver met was detected last year started in Fulvestrant and trial. She has had good numbers otherwise.