Tumor Marker
hi all – new here. I am HR positive her2- with one met to my bone. I had chemo, double mastectomy, radiation to my bone and chest/ breast and my ovaries removed. I am on letrozole and have done 1.5 cycles of kisqali. On a break bc of numbers. I started getting g my markers checked in January 1x a month and they are below. A very small upward trend and I’m freaking out but my doctor isn’t concerned and so nothing to do. Has anyone had similar experience? I had NED pet scan a few weeks ago.
CEA: Jan, 1.0, Feb, 1.4, April, 1.4
CA15-13: Jan, 18, Feb, 19, April, 23
any thoughts are appreciated!
Comments
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Hi @cipgirl89, welcome to our Community! We're sorry for the worries that brought you here. Regarding your tumor marker trends, it is common and normal to see slight fluctuations, so unless you see dramatic rises and/or your oncologist is concerned, try not to stress. Here is some information about tumor marker testing that may be helpful:
About CEA testing: Generally, healthcare providers consider typical CEA levels to be between 0 and 3 ng/mL. Your numbers are within this range.
For CA15-3 levels, the normal range for a healthy person is 30 U/mL or less, of which you appear to be within this range as well. CA 15-3 levels are typically elevated in approximately 76 percent of metastatic breast cancer cases, so if your levels reach a point at which your oncologist becomes concerned, your oncologist may order further testing or updates to your treatment plan.
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@cipgirl89 As the moderators stated, you are within normal range. I have CA 15-3 and CA 27.29 done every 3 weeks. They go up and down and up and down. Most always within normal range. And, my PETs have been clear for almost a year now. Interestingly, the CA 27.29 will sometimes be slightly above normal, even when my scans are all great. The CA 27.29, for me, seems to elevate slightly when I’ve recently had a cold or some type of infection. The CA 15-3 doesn’t do that. Interesting, huh?
I guess we have to figure out what’s “normal” for each of us.So, from my experience anyway, it looks like you are doing just great! Enjoy it! So glad your PET scan is clear. That’s the most telling piece of information.
Hugs, Pam 💗
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@cipgirl89 My MO has changed my blood tests from a monthly to a bimonthly schedule, even though my CA 15-3 bounces around in the 20s, varying maybe 4 points. I don't worry about it anymore. I'm been stable for 2 years.
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