NED/NEAD and 5-13 markers

[Greatday2]

For those of you who are NED or NEAD, what are your 5-13 tumor marker numbers?

Are your numbers in the "normal" range? Have any of you been 0 (zero)?

[Aprilfoolz1]

Hi Greatday, I was dx stage IV 11/2019. I had stage I breast cancer in 2008.

MyChart shows my CA 15.3 in 2016 was a 9 (routine annual blood test). When I was dx as stage IV my CA 15.3 was a 10. I've never had a level above 12 . MyChart shows under 20 to be "normal range " for CA 15.3.

My MyChart acct only goes back to 2016 but I'm pretty sure my level has always been 9-10 even when I had active Mets .

[Greatday2 in reply to Aprilfoolz1]

Thanks for your reply!

[Aprilfoolz1 in reply to Greatday2]

I should have added that I've had nead scans since 9/2020 - hope it continues

[Danie-in-Montreal]

Hi. I was diagnosed de novo in july 2018. I have gradually gone into almost NEAD over the past 6 years. From many bone & liver tumors in 2018, I presently have only one small spot on the spine that stubbornly persists but I hope it will also disappear eventually. My Ca-3 markers vary but always remained between 3 and 7. My oncologist says he doesn't rely on that information very much. Also, from what I've read online, it's not a trustworthy data to rely on.

[Greatday2 in reply to Danie-in-Montreal]

thank you

[love2golfwell]

Dear Greatday2, I have been NEAD for awhile but my doctor only checks CA27-29 markers not the CA 15.3. My CA27-29 is currently 40.7 which is slightly above the normal range of 38. The highest it went was 64 but that was when I was first diagnosed with MBC in 2020. Interestingly, where I lived before the normal range for CA27-29 went up to 40. Not sure why the labs are different here. I was told by my previous doctor that no one would have a zero for tumor markers even if they were cancer free. She never explained why though. Best wishes to you. Sending hugs and prayers.

[Greatday2 in reply to love2golfwell]

Thanks for that info!

[Lilywallytootsie]

Both of my oncologist always use the word stable. Never NED or NEAD. My cancer numbers have always been normal even when I had active cancer before treatment started.Blessings,Hannah

[Greatday2 in reply to Lilywallytootsie]

Thank you for sharing!

[TammyCross]

They never go to zero. Mine have been in the normal range when I am NEAD and when I am stable (small tumors not going away but not growing), but the lowest it has been was 26. When I have progression, it goes above normal. The highest it has been is 63. TM's are diagnostic for me. They are not for everyone.

[Greatday2 in reply to TammyCross]

Thank you for your reply! I appreciate the info.

[TammyCross in reply to Greatday2]

Well, the tumor markers didn't work this time! They were coming down, yet I had progression.

[Greatday2]

Thank you for your reply! I appreciate the info.

[Hazelgreen]

Hello,

In Canada, the normal range for CA 15-3 (CA stands for Cancer Antigens) is 0 to 30. When I refused treatment, and my breast cancer sites were actively growing, my CA 15-3 measure was as high as 190. Since then, it has shrunk as low as 18. As long as I continue to take ribociclib (5 days on , 2 days off) with letrozole, my CA 15-3 stays in the normal range. Without surgery, the cancer metastases remain where they are (bones, spleen, skin, etc) but the ribociclib stops them from growing. The metastases are a part of me, but they do not affect my functioning. At 78 years old, I expect to die from heart malfunctioning, not cancer.

Cheers, Cindy

[hurricaneheather]

mets dx July 2015. it was the tumor markers (TM) that led the onc to the diagnosis. in Sep 2015, still out of range. by Jan 2016, in range (normal) and have been since that TM draw; NEAD since 2016. current TM range, CA 15.3 is 14, CA 27.29 is 16, CEA is <2.0. next TM blood draw is 8 May. and, awaiting the ctDNA results from 26 April. i 'know' TMs will be in range, possibly lower than the previous draw. i do not recall them ever being "0." the ctDNA draw has indicated "0.00" for the past 5 draws.

[Greatday2 in reply to hurricaneheather]

Thanks for sharing this! You are an inspiration to me