CA 125 not going down during chemo

I had my 4th chemo yesterday, and my CA125 drawn before treatment went UP 2 points instead of down and into the normal range.

 They are going to wait make me wait 3 weeks until next treatment to see if the number has gone down after yesterday's treatment.

 Has this happened to anyone else?  I am beside myself with worry.  Does this mean a tumor is forming?  What is going on, why aren't the cancer cells responding to the chemo?  Every other side effect happens to me.  I feel like the chemo is killing me, but not the cancer.

 I'm so sick with worry, I feel like I will crumple from the stress of it.

 If this has been anyone's experience, please tell me what your next course of action was.

 Also, my veins are getting hard and my arms hurt after chemo treatment.  I fear I will run out of veins for them to use.  How the heck will I be able to have CT scans with the dye if my veins get blown away?

hi! ask for them to put u in a port: chemo goes directly into the vein, no more need for puncturing your arms! also good for ct scans! if u r not responding to your chemo maybe u r platinum resistant & need a change? i am not an md, just a well-informed ovca patient! keep up the fight! harriet

Hi Maryann, I agree with Harriet you need a port. I had mine put in before my first chemo.

I want you to know I'm in the same boat as you. I had 8 treatments of carbo/taxo. Them had 5 treatments of Doxil. Before surgery my ca125 was 13,000 after surgery 7222. After 8 treatments of carbo/taxol I was at 40. My Gyn/Onc in Leigh Valley wasn't happy with that number so I was put on Doxil. I got as low as 34.It started to rise after my 5th treatment of Doxil , it went up to 45.6, a week later  I'm now at 50.6. I never got my last chemo because they felt that it wasn't working. All my ct-scans came back clear in the past. I had one done Wed. I'm waiting for the results today. I'm nervous also.Hope this helps you a little.It appears that the chemo isn't working anymore for you so they will have to try something different. My Gyn/Onc in Lehigh said he would try Topotecan on me next. I will be on chemo 1 year non-stop. Good Luck!! Sending you positive thoughts your way. Praying that your counts go down.

Hugs and Prayers,

 Terry

Harriet, thanks so much for responding.

As is typical with me, nothing goes smoothly.  I can't get a port.  I do not have enough "meat" or body fat either in my arms or on my chest to cover the port.  It would protrude out causing possible rupture through the skin and leaving me at risk for infection.

 I don't know what I will do if I need to continue on and on with treatments.  My vein and arm are killing me today, and the area running up my arm is red and irritated from the drugs that went in upon infustion.

 On top of that I am feeling very depressed that my CA 125 is not dropping.  I've heard of platinum resistant cells. 

 If they change my course of treatment, does that mean I start all over again with needing 6, or will I be done in 2 more treatments as if I remained on carbo-taxol?  I know you're not a dr. but the nurse gets irritated with me if I ask too many questions.  She doesn't like me jumping the gun when they are not ready to talk to me about switching treatments.

 In the meantime I'm told to wait until 3 weeks go by so we can check the CA 125 again at treatment # 5.

If you can help me with this other question, I'd be so grateful.

MaryAnn

 

On 3/6/2009 MaryAnnM wrote:

Harriet, thanks so much for responding.

As is typical with me, nothing goes smoothly.  I can't get a port.  I do not have enough "meat" or body fat either in my arms or on my chest to cover the port.  It would protrude out causing possible rupture through the skin and leaving me at risk for infection.

 I don't know what I will do if I need to continue on and on with treatments.  My vein and arm are killing me today, and the area running up my arm is red and irritated from the drugs that went in upon infustion.

 On top of that I am feeling very depressed that my CA 125 is not dropping.  I've heard of platinum resistant cells. 

 If they change my course of treatment, does that mean I start all over again with needing 6, or will I be done in 2 more treatments as if I remained on carbo-taxol?  I know you're not a dr. but the nurse gets irritated with me if I ask too many questions.  She doesn't like me jumping the gun when they are not ready to talk to me about switching treatments.

 In the meantime I'm told to wait until 3 weeks go by so we can check the CA 125 again at treatment # 5.

If you can help me with this other question, I'd be so grateful.

MaryAnn

 

Also,  please tell me a little bit about your ovca experience.  Are you in remission?  What is your CA 125?  What kind of chemo did you recieve?  I hope you are well now.  Thanks again!

sorry, dont know the answer to that! guess u need to take it as long as u need for the ca to go down! i'm not very fat myself, & my port does still stick out after 3 years (!) but it embedded itself & i do have a very thin layer of skin over it & havent had any problems; there r also smaller ports, my friend had one; mine is quite big but really not a prob, dont even know its there! its not fair that u cant even ask the nurse a question, thats what she's there for! if i have a question i just fone my onc! he always answers very patiently! he knows the stress we live under! harriet

didnt see the second part! same story as most of the ladies: ovca 3c in june 2006, surgery, great response to the chemo.(ca125 6)... til jan. 30: my ca seems to be on the rise ;am having another scan in 10 days & we shall see: in feb i was angry; in march i have come to terms with it! read the posts under: chemotherapy: 318; we are all in the same boat! keep strong! harriet

Hi MaryAnn. I'm surprised they hanen't done a Ct-Scan to see if there is any new growth. Usually when there is a rise in your ca 125 they order a Ct-scan. Like I said I'm in the same boat as you. I just called the doctor and within a week my ca 125 went from 46.6 to 50.6. I'm waiting to hear the rsults of my ct-scan. I've been on chemo non-stop since I was diagnosed. I'm a 3c. Sending you positive thoghts your way.

Hugs and Prayers,

 Terry

Hi MaryAnn,

I forgot to mention that when you start a new Chemo it's usually for 6 treatments. You always start over again.

Hugs and Prayers, Terry

They give you a CA 125 blood test every week?

 I'm so sorry you have to be on chemo for so long.  It is very disheartening to be on this stuff and then not see your number move in the right direction.

 Please keep me posted as to how your CT scan results turn out. I am hoping and praying for the best for you, that it shows NOTHING to worry about.

 A victory for you is a victory for me and everyone else with ovarian cancer.  I wonder why these cells are so hard to destroy?