Tumor Markers Not Going Down

Is there anyone out there that is being treated for breast cancer and the Dr. is using the CA 27/29 tumor marker as a guide to active disease? I am gong thru my 4th different chemo regimen for inflamed lymph nodes in my abdomen from my breast cancer. In the past, my numbers have always gone down but now they are stalled and I have had 14 treatments of Navelbine and am getting frustrated. The Dr. wants to keep me on Navelbine a little longer since my latest CT scan is table and doesn't show any growth. Would love to hear from someone with a similar situation. Barb

Well My Husband had Testicular cancer in 1995 and now this year it came back as lung cancer He has been on 2 different chemos In April when we found out his Numbers were 55,000.00 and they said he was going to die, Well so far he is still alive But the markers dont want to go down fast . they are at 6,809. and they want him to have the surgery to remove the lung. they said it should be in a 2 digit number. We pray alot and how that when he goes in to surgery that the number will be done or at lest in a small 2 digit number. it is hard. because he has been with a 24 cemo for 6 days once a month and now he is on a cemo that the first 24 hours he is on cemo and the next 5 days he is an out pateint in the hospital. I hope this will help you. that some one is going thru the same thing but different cancer. He is very strong. Well we will pray for you. so write back. thank you... Susan Cano

Hi, my name is Laura and my brother Nat has stage 4 lung cancer with mets to his hips and tail bone.

Nat first found out about his cancer as an incidental finding, after all we went to the ER for his abdominal pains and the x-ray showed the tumor in his right upper lobe of his lung. That was February 14, 2003. Nat had a lobectomy on 4/24/03 and was told he was cancer free but was referred to an oncoligist as a precautionary measure. He did 6 weeks of chemo and during that time he was getting really bad back pains which were getting progressivly worse. Finally they sent him for MRI's of his back where it showed the bone metastasis. They stopped chemo and started radiation, 10 intensive treatments. The dr. then decided to place him on the cancer drug Iressa. The tumor markers all went down and we were both very excited.

The point of my story is that the whole time Nat had cancer, the tumor markers were low and getting lower, but thats no real indication that the cancer is going into remission, on the contrary Nats dr. said the tumor marker tests have fooled them many times before and even though Nat's last tumor marker blood test was 13.6 the cancer has spread like gasoline on an open flame. It has completely taken his right lung and is working on the left lung as well as the mets on his hips and back, you can actually see them.

So please don't use those blood tests as signs, please get the pet scans, they are much more reliable.

GOD BLESS

Barbra,
Hope all is going well, I found out 4 1/2 yrs ago that I have cancer (breast) in my lungs. Tumor markers started out at 48, not that high. After ever treatment marker would go down as low as 17 and the slowy creep back up. Four years later tumor marker are 42. I have been on many chemo the last treatment show shrinkage in all my tumors so I thought WOW my tumor marker must be down but they were not...my Dr. told me right from the beginining you do not rely on tumor marker, he goes by the scan.

My prayers are with you and all cancer patients.
Donna

I had stage 3 breast cancer and finished treatment in 2002. Since that time, my CA 27/29 has risen from 27 to over 2500. CEA and CA 15-3 were also off the charts. All of my scans (PET, Bone, CAT, bone marrow, x-rays) have been clear. My oncologist wanted to start chemo anyway. I got a second opinion, and that oncologist concurred. I just finished my 4th round, and my markers are down to 1200. I was just rescanned with bone and PET, and all were clear. My Dr. now wants to stop and see if the marker starts rising. I want to continue with the original plan, which was chemo until the markers were within normal range. We will discuss it again next week...