If you are not Stage IV but have questions, you may post here
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I completed my chemo in march and have seen my oncologist monthly. He finally told me a couple of months ago that my tumor markers were elevated for my pancreas, think its ca-19? Anyway, they have been elevated. One month in the 50's, another month in the 40's. I have been diagnosed with esophagitis in may. I will be seeing the gastro at the end of the month, before my onc appt. My question is if its cancer wouldn't the markers be in the 100's or higher?
Thank you, and I appreciate your time and knowledge
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Hi All. My ? is:
How Many of You started off w a DX of Stage 1, no nodes involved/Her2-/BRCA -...and are NOW Stage 4?
Thanks. ..
Violet0 -
I don't know that we can definitively answer with a number but quite a few of us were Stage IV from diagnosis. And it wasn't because we neglected mammos and checkups.
Cancer is a sneaky bastard.0 -
Hi All. My ? is:
How Many of You started off w a DX of Stage 1, no nodes involved/Her2-/BRCA -...and are NOW Stage 4?
Thanks. ..
Violet0 -
Chickadee,
Oh..it didn't even cross my mind that Stage 4's were at that stage because they didn't seek early detection or mammograms! !!!
Please KNOW that!
I'm asking about early stagers going to Stage 4 to get an idea of how common it might be on this board...Because I know it COULD happen to me...
Make sense?
I've heard it mentioned that some of you did indeed start off Stage 1...
I also worry a bit for myself cuz my L side lymph node status is UNKNOWN.
VIOLET0 -
Don't worry Violet, I was speaking in general terms.
I don't know how many from below read this thread. If I were you I would try not to worry about anything but where you are today.0 -
Michelle, usually if your markers are rising due to cancer they go in one direction and that is up. Fluctuation (going up and down) tends to point to some other reason such as pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), gall stones or liver disease. It's not that long since you finished your chemo so it is possible that your liver is still in the process of recovery.
Hope this helps.
Love n hugs. Chrissy0 -
Violet, I was stage II and went to stage IV at five years. As Chick said, I don't think many lower stage girls with out stage IV concerns read this particular thread so I think you may get a better response if you posted your question to the boards as a whole in a thread that is reads pretty much by all.
Oh, and I don't think all stage IV girls read it either.
Sorry that I couldn't be more help for you.
Love n hugs. Chrissy0 -
Thank you Chrissy!!!!
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Hey Violet,
Here's a link to an article that talks about the relative risk of recurrence by stage. Hope it helps!
http://www.cancer.org/cancer/news/news/study-quantifies-risk-of-breast-cancer-recurrence
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Hi I was reading the thread on her about the komen thing.
What can i do to help make public aware of the paltry amounts they make towards research. I sometimes post stuff on my fb about this. It just burns me up.0 -
Try composing a letter to the editor of your local papers for publish in October. Contact the medical editor if there is one. Even your local TV news shows assign medical stories to someone, try to identify them and write directly to them. You may find they will connect you with some planned October Pinkwashing event.
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Nan,
Thanks.for link ..but I am not doing any hormone therapy. ..hmmm...
Violet0 -
Well I know we are the 1 in 8 that gets breast cancer and that sucks!!!
I do not understand all the statistics in the link, but I don't think they are good.0 -
I am 4 yrs out from original diagnosis. My Ca 27.29 was 28 in March of this year. Just found out that it went up to 58. How concerned should I be? What do you think the oncologist will recommend ?
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Hi Kandy, the rise you have stated is not that drastic and could have been caused by something other than cancer. Your onc may recommend redoing you CA 27-29 in a few weeks to see if the numbers are still rising and if they are then possibly he will order a scan.
Hope this helps.
Love n hugs. Chrissy0 -
Thank you for responding, I will keep you informed as to what happens next. I am very concerned and scared.
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Kandy, I feel your fear but please don't let it get the better of you as nothing is for sure. As I said they could have risen due to other factors such as inflammation so I'm sure the doc will want to run the CA27-29 again to see if there is a change.
Yes please, do let me know what he says and how you are.
Love n hugs. Chrissy0 -
Dear Chrissy!! Another question if you don't mind: can traces of blood on your urine be a symptom of bone mets? Bless you for always being here for everyone!!!
Dear Kandy! I so understand your fear!! I never had my tumor markers tested until I moved to CA!! The first time my CA 27-29 was 67, then retested and they
came down to 44, now they are 54!! I had a bone scan in January and it was clear!! My onc is not worried and says lots of things can cause erratic tumor marker levels !! Even using a different lab, which I
did,can cause a discrepancy !! As Chrissy said inflammation can cause a rise!!! It is always a worry , but hang in there !! You sound like you are very diligent and on top of things !! Blessings, Kathy0 -
Kathy I doubt if traces of blood in your urine would be a symptom of bone mets............I would be thinking more bladder or kidney infection but if you have blood in your urine, you really do need to be checked by your doc.
Love n hugs. Chrissy0 -
Thanks, Chrissy!! I have had micro scopic traces of blood in my urine for years, ever since I had a kidney stone removed surgically! I am giving another urine sample next week and if there are still traces, she will send me to a urologist!! I read somewhere that blood in the urine could be caused by elevated calcium !! So I thought , oh dear ,bone mets!! Thanks again!! Blessings, Kathy
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Dear Chrissy!! So sorry to bother you again, but your input is so right on and you at so kind!! What is a high number for calcium blood levels!! Mine have gone from 9.7 to 11.0, my alkaline phosphate is normal!! I am getting little worried as well and so appreciate your input!! Blessings, Kathy I also changed labs, that is when my 9.7 went to 11.0
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Hi Kindergarten, just a quick question for you. Are you taking a diuretic? If so, they will also cause your kidneys to hold onto calcium and thus raise your levels of calcium in the blood.
Normal ranges for calcium I'm the blood are between 8.5 and 10.2 mg/dl. This number will vary between labs and it is always calculated on total calcium. Yours being at 11 mg/dl is very slightly raised and that could be caused but what we have already discussed.
Hope this helps.
Love n hugs. Chrissy0 -
Dear Chrissy! As always, you always make me feel better! I am not taking diuretic, but I had been taking Neurontin for my shingles! I am off of it now!!! Thank you so much for your always timely, informative and kind replies!! How are you doing?? Blessings, Kathy
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Kindergarten, thank you for asking.......I'm doing fine right now and preparing for my daughters wedding in about twelve days from now.
Love n hugs. Chrissy0 -
Yikes, PET can came back with a hot spot on my ovaries. Utra sound of ovaries shows a fluid in the flopian tube and a tubular structure in the right ovary. Just started chemo, planning a double masectomy around January followed by radiation. If the BC has metasticized to ovaries, will that change my options? Breast oncologist is recommending I see a GYN oncologist. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but, I'm guessing that somehow I've jumped from Stage 1 in June to Stag 3 in August and now Stage 4 in September. Not sure I want to go through all this treatment if it is just going to make me sick and still won't work.
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Hi tdalanno, some docs don't want to do surgery if you are stage IV as they feel the horse has already bolted so to speak but there are others who believe in removal of the primary so as to lighten the tumor load.......so as to your question will it change your options if your are stage IV the answer is possibly depending on your doc.
Should that hot spot prove to be BC then you will indeed be stage IV.
Treatment for stage IV is a little different than earlier stage BC as its not aimed at a 'cure' but to quality of life with as much quantity as possible. For this reason treatments can be gentler in that the doses are not as dense so SE are not quite as bad.
I hope your visit with the gyno onc gives you a little more information and can help to ease your mind.
Love n hugs. Chrissy0 -
Dear Chrissy!! How wonderful, that you are planning your daughter's wedding!! Enjoy, enjoy!
Dear tdalanno!! Hope everything falls into place for you!!0 -
Mum, stage 4, passed out today:(. Her blood pressure has always been ok.
A wedding Chrissy! How nice
She has lost heaps of weight and is basically anorexic now. I am hoping this caused her to pass out today and nothing to do with her brain met... As i say, her bp has always been ok, even last week so i dont really udnerstand. Any experiences anyone?
She said she got out of bed, walked fine to the bathroom then suddenly felt sick and sweaty and before she knew it she a being picked up off the floor. So scarey.. Have you a big hat? As mother of the bride you should x 0 -
Papillon, your mum's blood sugar may have dropped very rapidly which will make her pass out........yes scary as she could easily have hit her head on something in the bathroom and done some real harm.
No big hat for me.......lol......I'm afraid they don't suit me and if I don't get a wriggle on with my sewing I shall be attending in my underwear!
Love n hugs. Chrissy0
