My tumor markers have been rising over the last year. I had a scan in August, which showed stability. I just got another test and the markers are steadily climbing. As you can imagine,
I am very worried and wondering if there is a good explanation aside from progression.
Tumour markers react from other things beside breast cancer. It’s possible to not have breast cancer yet still to have high numbers. My clinic doesn’t take them because they’re not considered reliable.
Scans are reliable though so I’d relax until a scan shows progression.
But for the sake of argument, markers report both dead and live cells so tumour markers reportedly rise when treatment is working too. Those who believe in the markers say that it’s the trend that counts. Thirty percent increase in numbers over three months and there’s a reason to worry.
Tumour markers for ovarian cancer and prostate cancer are considered reliable so it’s not the case that all markers are unreliable and for some people, once they’ve established a baseline number for their markers the trends do help guide their treatment. For me, I had my GP order a test and it was 19 and anything under 35 is normal.
Personally I’d be happy with stable scans and I’d ignore the markers but everyone is different. If you feel okay, your scans are okay and you have regular scans I’d be resting easy even with rising markers. If you feel it’s necessary, ask for another scan. It’ll put your mind at rest and scans are the gold standard compared to blood tests. Quarterly scans are common so it shouldn’t be a problem getting one done
All the best
Kerry
Thanks, I have a scan in February. My scan in August was stable with one small tumor barely noticeable. Other tumors are the same, but dr says they could be full of dead cells, no one know for sure. Also, during the past year that my tumor markers have been rising (still in normal but very high range) I feel my bones have healed significantly. I've gone from pain when moving my arms to lifting 8 pound hand weights (2 at a time) and picking up
my over 30 pound dog with no pain the next day. I have an occasional twinge but I can lift
a lot more weight than I ever hoped for. I thought I'd be stuck with 3 pounds forever.
So I'm hoping maybe the bone healing is what has raised the tumor markers, but of course
no one know for sure. I wasn't expecting continued improvement 20 months in. I feel very good other than occasional fatigue from medication.
My Onc told me the same about tumor markers for treating BC. She said they are unreliable and antiquated.
My oncologist explained it differently: Tumor markers are reliable *in some patients*, not all.
For me, they've been highly reliable, tracking closely with progression as seen on scans.
Hi Suite1000,
You say that your markers are rising but are still in the normal range. If they are in normal range, then I wouldn’t worry at all. ( In my case, my bone mets were stable but my markers rose to 1389 last summer. We did a brain MRI and turns out I had several brain Mets. But in your case I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. (After gamma knife radiation and new systemic drugs, the numbers have fallen to 79, and I’m very happy even though that’s higher than normal. So it’s all relative!)
Best to you!
For those who say scans show if there is progression, just letting you know that isn’t always the case. Those of us with lobular know all too well that some scans don’t work at all. PET, CT, and bone scans see none of my extensive cancer in all of my bone and bone marrow, and only endoscopy caught it when it spread throughout my stomach. The only thing that’s ever told me my cancer was on the move again were my tumor markers, MRIs of my spine, and endoscopy. For me, if my tumor markers went up three times in a row, I knew it was time to move on.
Since your tumor markers are within normal limits, I wouldn’t switch medications just yet, but don’t discount them altogether. Mine jump at much greater intervals, 30 to 40 points at a time.
Lobular breast cancer can grow in a way where it looks just like normal tissue on scans, so it’s often missed until it spreads it was never found in my breasts either.
I had this about 18 months ago. But the scan showed an increasing patch too. They were concerned that the cancer was breaking through, but changed me from letrozol to fulvestrant, but kept ibrance . I've had much improved results and feel completely normal! Scan due next week. 🤞Progression is a horrible word. The nature of cancer cells is that they change and adapt, so if the treatment is changed it keeps buying us time. X
My wife who has Met stage 4 breast cancer that has spread to her bones a year and a half ago had her markers ( CA 15-3 & CA 27 29 ) both rise up while on Truqap and Fulvestrant, they rose from 150s to 880, so we knew it was time to change cancer meds. Oncologist changed meds to Xeloda, the tumor makers dropped from 880 to 180 in two months. We have a Pet Scan next week and hope to see reduction in cancer mets. Prayers to everyone in their battles
Tumor markers are always a concern. My cancer center uses scans, reported general well being, labs and tumor markers. Because tumor markers are not reliable my cancer center takes action if there is an increase of 25% or more. The scans are the final word for my cancer and treatment strategy. When I first started Trodelvy I had an increase in my tumor markers which may have been Tumor Flares, yet the scans showed my tumors actually shrank 25%
Dana Farber has an excellent YouTube video on Tumor Markers. I’ve posted it before, but because there are so many new people on the site it is worth posting again. Great information from the Dana Farber Embrace Program for MBC patients. They have many other excellent videos.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=1CDU3...
Biomarkers for Treatment and Progression | 2021-2022 EMBRACE MBC Virtual Forum Series
You could ask your Oncologist for a scan since it has been 4 months. I get my scans quarterly. When I was in a study it was every 8 weeks. Best wishes for a good outcome.
I watched the video. Some one specifically asked about rising tumor markers while feeling good and stable scans. Speaker seemed concerned. Mine are still in the normal range but have been rising for a year. Last time I asked oncologist said she wasn't concerned as numbers still in the normal ranges. That was three months ago while numbers are still rising. Maybe it is nothing but I want someone to respond. Hopefully I will hear back this week.
My clinic also doesn´t take tumour markers. They say they are not reliable in the case of breast cancer. I get scans every 6 months and a bone-szintigraphy every 12 months. All the best!
without going deep in my background I had stage IV mbc diagnosed July 2016 , I had 26 weeks of red devil chemo infusion then my lumpectomy, and finna.ly. 6 weeks radiation to breast and spot on spine. I have been on ibrance and letrozole since February 2017. My ca27-29 has only gone above normal range a few times. The first time I was petrified, next month went back down. All my scans were clear. But being a retired elementary school teacher I wanted an answer so I charted when in my cycle my numbers would rise, forme it turns out the numbers go up the later in my 21 day cycle. So my labs are usually done by the middle of the cycle. No explanation , but I’m not a doctor. If you have all your lab info check it out.
They always do my bloods as long after finishing ibrance as possible but allowing for time to check them and organise new prescription for start of next cycle. I've been in two health authorities and that has always been the protocol. If yours are done mid cycle how do they check your bloods are ok to start again? Just interested.
Not all oncologists take notice of tumour markers, they're more interested in scan and how you feel . My increase happened alongside a dense area on the scan increasing. So they changed my meds and 18 months later I'm doing really well. Try not to panic and good luck.I don't know why the word progression is used so much. It is so negative. Of course everything progresses, life and age progress. Things change and adaptions are needed! Stay strong. X
What were you changed to?
l haven't changed to anything. Tumor markers have been going up but still in normal range. Last scan in august was stable. Just don't understand why markers are going up for the last year. Increase was most significant at blood draw last week.
Tumor markers 
Tumor markers trending up
Tumor markers
