CANCER MARKER BLOOD TESTS

RE
RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I have recently been made aware that some of you are not aware of what or why one would have cancer markers ran (blood work) periodically. Hence this discussion.

If you have a doctor who does not run these tests tell him/her you want the tests run for your peace of mind.

CA 15-3 antigen levels are most commonly elevated in breast cancer, ovarian, lung, colorectal, and pancreatic. The "safe" margin is anything below 31.3.

CEA looks for elevated protein levels and is for the same cancers as listed above. The "safe" margins are anything between 0.1 - 4.9.

Hugs,

RE
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Comments

  • chickad52
    chickad52 Member Posts: 497
    #2
    Thanks
    Thank You RE for that information. It's good to know!!
  • Moopy23
    Moopy23 Member Posts: 1,751 Member
    #3
    Thanks Again
    Yes, I thank you again, RE. My St. Louis onc. does these tests but not my local onc. I had not paid much attention to the difference as my St. Louis doc is always more thorough on everything, large and small. (Which is one reason Joe and I love her.) Now, I know to insist on the CA tests at home, too.
  • fauxma
    fauxma Member Posts: 3,577 Member
    #4
    Moopy23 said:

    Thanks Again
    Yes, I thank you again, RE. My St. Louis onc. does these tests but not my local onc. I had not paid much attention to the difference as my St. Louis doc is always more thorough on everything, large and small. (Which is one reason Joe and I love her.) Now, I know to insist on the CA tests at home, too.

    Re,
    Whether it is recipes, treatment or tests you are a fountain of information. I don't think my oncologist did this test but I am going to ask at my September visit.
    Thanks,
    Stef
  • CR1954
    CR1954 Member Posts: 1,390 Member
    #5
    Thanks RE!
    If my onc runs these tests, he never gives me the info. He is also a hematologist, and faxes all of my orders for bloodwork to the lab. So I never see what he orders.

    How often are these tests run??

    CR
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #6
    CR1954 said:

    Thanks RE!
    If my onc runs these tests, he never gives me the info. He is also a hematologist, and faxes all of my orders for bloodwork to the lab. So I never see what he orders.

    How often are these tests run??

    CR

    Twice yearly
    For me the tests are run twice yearly. I always ask for a copy of all of my blood work so that I can reference back to it for comparison when I have it done again. I have a binder that has medical work I have had done for my ref. it is quite helpful.

    RE
  • bfbear
    bfbear Member Posts: 380
    #7
    RE said:

    Twice yearly
    For me the tests are run twice yearly. I always ask for a copy of all of my blood work so that I can reference back to it for comparison when I have it done again. I have a binder that has medical work I have had done for my ref. it is quite helpful.

    RE

    Thanks, RE
    I will find out about these. You are such a wealth of knowledge, God bless you!

    Hugs,
    Debi
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    #8
    Thanks RE
    I have a note to myself to see if this has been done (I have copies of all my bloodwork, etc. too in a binder). If I don't see it, I will ask for it on my next visit to oncologist on Aug. 18th. I am in several clinical trials, so I would think this would be a standard to do. Thanks for the heads up!! :) Pammy
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #9
    Akiss4me said:

    Thanks RE
    I have a note to myself to see if this has been done (I have copies of all my bloodwork, etc. too in a binder). If I don't see it, I will ask for it on my next visit to oncologist on Aug. 18th. I am in several clinical trials, so I would think this would be a standard to do. Thanks for the heads up!! :) Pammy

    Thanks RE for this. I don't
    Thanks RE for this. I don't think I have had this done. Why did you have it done? Did your oncologist just do it or just suggest it or did someone else?

    Thanks again!
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #10
    After surgery
    when I started chemo, I asked my oncologist about the marker tests. He told me that markers are reliable for some cancers (colon cancer for instance), but not for others. He felt that breast cancer markers fall into the unreliable category. I'm wondering if I should insist tomorrow? Lynn
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #11
    lynn1950 said:

    After surgery
    when I started chemo, I asked my oncologist about the marker tests. He told me that markers are reliable for some cancers (colon cancer for instance), but not for others. He felt that breast cancer markers fall into the unreliable category. I'm wondering if I should insist tomorrow? Lynn

    I never heard of this either
    I never heard of this either RE! I guess I will need to ask my oncologist about it too!

    What does it mean if your markers aren't in the safe zone? That you have cancer again somewhere?
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #12
    Moopy23 said:

    Thanks Again
    Yes, I thank you again, RE. My St. Louis onc. does these tests but not my local onc. I had not paid much attention to the difference as my St. Louis doc is always more thorough on everything, large and small. (Which is one reason Joe and I love her.) Now, I know to insist on the CA tests at home, too.

    Gee thanks RE for this
    Gee thanks RE for this information. I never heard of it, so, I am sure I never had it.

    Why did you get it? What does this test actually tell RE?

    Thanks again. It does sound important.

    Leeza
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #13
    Alexis F said:

    I never heard of this either
    I never heard of this either RE! I guess I will need to ask my oncologist about it too!

    What does it mean if your markers aren't in the safe zone? That you have cancer again somewhere?

    a bit more info
    If CA 15-3 is initially elevated, then it may be used to monitor treatment and, if repeated on a regular basis, to detect recurrence. CA 15-3 is usually not done when breast cancer is detected early, before it has metastasized, because levels will not be elevated in the majority of early cancers.

    It does not mean you HAVE cancer again, the markers are used to alert your doc that there may be a problem so additional tests can be done. It is simply another tool available to alert us to a possible problem. Very early cancers are sometimes not detected by these tests.
  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
    #14
    RE said:

    a bit more info
    If CA 15-3 is initially elevated, then it may be used to monitor treatment and, if repeated on a regular basis, to detect recurrence. CA 15-3 is usually not done when breast cancer is detected early, before it has metastasized, because levels will not be elevated in the majority of early cancers.

    It does not mean you HAVE cancer again, the markers are used to alert your doc that there may be a problem so additional tests can be done. It is simply another tool available to alert us to a possible problem. Very early cancers are sometimes not detected by these tests.

    Thanks RE for this extra
    Thanks RE for this extra info. I had never heard of it and was wondering what it would show us. Glad yours was good!
  • Jeanne D
    Jeanne D Member Posts: 1,867
    #15
    RE said:

    a bit more info
    If CA 15-3 is initially elevated, then it may be used to monitor treatment and, if repeated on a regular basis, to detect recurrence. CA 15-3 is usually not done when breast cancer is detected early, before it has metastasized, because levels will not be elevated in the majority of early cancers.

    It does not mean you HAVE cancer again, the markers are used to alert your doc that there may be a problem so additional tests can be done. It is simply another tool available to alert us to a possible problem. Very early cancers are sometimes not detected by these tests.

    I don't know if I had this or not. I don't think I did RE. Thanks for posting it. I see my oncologist again next month, so, I will ask him about it. Do you think it is something we should all do? Get the test?

    So happy that your results came out GOOD! Sorry it was the wrong day for the doctor. Poop on them! lol Good luck on your next appointment!

    Love, Jeanne
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    #16
    thanks RE
    but, the ca-15 that was on my blood test before I had my surgery was at 15, they said it shouldn't be, and after it was removed and all the chemo was finished, it was still at 15. They did say it could be a good indicator, but not reliable for everyone.
    Cat
  • Kristin N
    Kristin N Member Posts: 1,968 Member
    #17
    cats_toy said:

    thanks RE
    but, the ca-15 that was on my blood test before I had my surgery was at 15, they said it shouldn't be, and after it was removed and all the chemo was finished, it was still at 15. They did say it could be a good indicator, but not reliable for everyone.
    Cat

    I never heard of this
    I never heard of this either. But, sounds like something I should check into.

    Thanks RE!
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #18
    Jeanne D said:

    I don't know if I had this or not. I don't think I did RE. Thanks for posting it. I see my oncologist again next month, so, I will ask him about it. Do you think it is something we should all do? Get the test?

    So happy that your results came out GOOD! Sorry it was the wrong day for the doctor. Poop on them! lol Good luck on your next appointment!

    Love, Jeanne

    tests tests and more tests
    Jeanne, I don't think it is for everyone however I do think we should know about it so we can consult with our oncologists and obtain their opinion on if it is something that may benefit your personal situation. Knowledge is power and info. is knowledge. I would simply pose the question and see where it goes. Never hurts to ask.

    HUGS,

    RE
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #19
    cats_toy said:

    thanks RE
    but, the ca-15 that was on my blood test before I had my surgery was at 15, they said it shouldn't be, and after it was removed and all the chemo was finished, it was still at 15. They did say it could be a good indicator, but not reliable for everyone.
    Cat

    thank you
    Thank you Cat I appreciate hearing your expierience. It is true as I state above that it is not for everyone, however we should know the tests exist so that we can get our onco's opinion on it. I wish you all the best and then some!!!

    RE
  • tommaseena
    tommaseena Member Posts: 1,769
    #20
    RE said:

    thank you
    Thank you Cat I appreciate hearing your expierience. It is true as I state above that it is not for everyone, however we should know the tests exist so that we can get our onco's opinion on it. I wish you all the best and then some!!!

    RE

    My oncologist
    My oncologist runs a test called ANC which tells them if your chemo treatment is working. RE, Is this the same or something different?

    I see my oncologist on tomorrow for my last chemo treatment so I will also ask her if she runs the other test as well.

    Margo
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #21
    tommaseena said:

    My oncologist
    My oncologist runs a test called ANC which tells them if your chemo treatment is working. RE, Is this the same or something different?

    I see my oncologist on tomorrow for my last chemo treatment so I will also ask her if she runs the other test as well.

    Margo

    different i believe
    Hi Margo, the way it was explained to me was that the ANC is ran to check ones white cell count to ensure that it is okay to continue with your chemo. When my count was too low I had to have the Nupagen shots to raise it up. I will be thinking of you tomorrow as you go to your appt. Get back to us and let us know how it goes.

    Hugs,

    RE

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