Radiation Over--CA125 Up

ladyjogger31
ladyjogger31 Member Posts: 289
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
Hi, just thought I would give you a quick update as where I'm at. I finished 18 treatments of radiation last Friday, right after they did a CA 125. I saw my oncologist today and they did another CA 125 , he said it went really high and they don't know why. I didn't want to know what it was, before I started radiation it was 865. He said maybe the tumor burst that was on my vaginal cuff and that could be the reason. I asked him if that happens to a CA 125 after radiation and he said that he ha seen it do that. I asked him what if the radiation didn't get the tumor; he said we would be looking at cabo/taxol again. There goes my hair. They will do another Pet/Ct scan in 8-10 weeks because the inflammation I have from radiation will show up as hot spots.

Well, the good news is my husband and I are leaving on a vacation Sat. August 15th. We are taking are camper and going out West and staying until the last week of September. We will leaving Pennsylvania and are making a big loop around the US.

I will deal with the cancer then. I have to get on with my life and start living.

I will be thinking of all you while I'm gone and will be checking in on my pc to see how everyone is doing and will be saying prayers to all of you.

Hugs and Prayers, Terry

Comments

  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980
    #2
    I was told I needed to wait 6 weeks before CA-125.
    After I finished my radiation, the oncologist told me that I would need to wait 6 weeks before any imaginig or CA-125; as the radiation 'cooks' quite a while longer and could throw off the diagnostic results. The radiation oncologist said that he likes to wait to evaluate the successs of the radiation at least a month, as the full beneficial affect of the treatment isn't apparent right away. I finished radiation July 1st and had my post-treatment CT-scan last Friday and won't have a CA-125 drawn until August 17th. Try to take some comfort in that. You know how inflamation can make CA-125s rise, and radiation has to inflame the radiated areas, right?

    Have a wonderful vacation!
  • MichaelaMarie
    MichaelaMarie Member Posts: 163
    #3
    lindaprocopio said:

    I was told I needed to wait 6 weeks before CA-125.
    After I finished my radiation, the oncologist told me that I would need to wait 6 weeks before any imaginig or CA-125; as the radiation 'cooks' quite a while longer and could throw off the diagnostic results. The radiation oncologist said that he likes to wait to evaluate the successs of the radiation at least a month, as the full beneficial affect of the treatment isn't apparent right away. I finished radiation July 1st and had my post-treatment CT-scan last Friday and won't have a CA-125 drawn until August 17th. Try to take some comfort in that. You know how inflamation can make CA-125s rise, and radiation has to inflame the radiated areas, right?

    Have a wonderful vacation!

    CA-125 and Radiation
    Hello,

    Since both of you have had radiation, I would like to ask a couple of questions. I've had two treatments of Ciplatin and Gemzar. However, an area at the base of my neck looks very puffy and seems hard. I fear that it is a tumor on lymph glands. Do you think that the doctors would consider radiating that area? A friend told me today that she doesn't think that lymph glands respond to chemo the way organs do, but admitted she doesn't really know. I've been concerned that after two treatments, the area hasn't receded, so am wondering if that shows that the chemo isn't working. Any thoughts? Would really appreciate hearing from you. Take good care, MM
  • ladyjogger31
    ladyjogger31 Member Posts: 289
    #4
    lindaprocopio said:

    I was told I needed to wait 6 weeks before CA-125.
    After I finished my radiation, the oncologist told me that I would need to wait 6 weeks before any imaginig or CA-125; as the radiation 'cooks' quite a while longer and could throw off the diagnostic results. The radiation oncologist said that he likes to wait to evaluate the successs of the radiation at least a month, as the full beneficial affect of the treatment isn't apparent right away. I finished radiation July 1st and had my post-treatment CT-scan last Friday and won't have a CA-125 drawn until August 17th. Try to take some comfort in that. You know how inflamation can make CA-125s rise, and radiation has to inflame the radiated areas, right?

    Have a wonderful vacation!

    Thanks
    Thanks Linda I feel better now. Your right I was cooked.
    Hugs and Prayers, Terry
  • ladyjogger31
    ladyjogger31 Member Posts: 289
    #5
    MichaelaMarie said:

    CA-125 and Radiation
    Hello,

    Since both of you have had radiation, I would like to ask a couple of questions. I've had two treatments of Ciplatin and Gemzar. However, an area at the base of my neck looks very puffy and seems hard. I fear that it is a tumor on lymph glands. Do you think that the doctors would consider radiating that area? A friend told me today that she doesn't think that lymph glands respond to chemo the way organs do, but admitted she doesn't really know. I've been concerned that after two treatments, the area hasn't receded, so am wondering if that shows that the chemo isn't working. Any thoughts? Would really appreciate hearing from you. Take good care, MM

    Radiation
    Hi MM, I so new to this radiation, I can't answer your question. Perhaps Linda can, she knows alot about it.
    Good Luck!! I will be keeping you in my prayers.
    Hugs, Terry
  • saundra
    saundra Member Posts: 1,370 Member
    #6
    Dear Terry
    I am glad you finished your radiation. It seems to me that the intense inflammation from it would cause the CA125 to go up. You go girl!!! Just have a great vacation and relax awhile. We will keep you in our prayers and waiting to hear all about your adventures. (((HUGS))) Saundra
  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980
    #7
    MichaelaMarie said:

    CA-125 and Radiation
    Hello,

    Since both of you have had radiation, I would like to ask a couple of questions. I've had two treatments of Ciplatin and Gemzar. However, an area at the base of my neck looks very puffy and seems hard. I fear that it is a tumor on lymph glands. Do you think that the doctors would consider radiating that area? A friend told me today that she doesn't think that lymph glands respond to chemo the way organs do, but admitted she doesn't really know. I've been concerned that after two treatments, the area hasn't receded, so am wondering if that shows that the chemo isn't working. Any thoughts? Would really appreciate hearing from you. Take good care, MM

    I don't know much about any kind but pelvic & vaginal brachy
    My knowledge of radiation is really specific to gynecologic cancer, so I'm not much help either. Sorry. I was under the impression that chemo works everywhere from the neck down, just not the brain. But that's here-say, nothing I asked directly of an oncologist. I will be seeing my radiation oncologist today for a routine follow-up visit (my radiation ended July 1st) and I will try and remember to ask him for you. I know that the radiation oncologist insisted that I get 6 rounds of chemo in me before we did any radiation because he felt the chemo was more important if the threat was for distant metastisis. (sp??) Both my chemo and radiation was adjuvant. (sp??)

    (blush). I GOTTA learn how to correctly spell all these new 'cancer vocabulary' words!!
  • LPack
    LPack Member Posts: 645
    #8
    vacation
    Terry,

    Have a wonderful vacation. Relax and have fun. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.....

    In His Grip,
    Libby
  • jane65
    jane65 Member Posts: 277
    #9
    Dear Judy,
    I'm so glad that you have the vacation to concentrate on for now, I'm sure hubby is too.
    Have a wonderful trip and come back rested and relaxed.

    I'll say a prayer that the CA goes down and was only a reaction to the radiation, and the next scan is clear!

    Love to you my friend,
    Jane
  • JanQ
    JanQ Member Posts: 236
    #10
    CA-125
    Have a wonderful time away,see this beautiful world God created. I am so glad you got the answer that the radiation would effect the CA-125, hopefully you can try and keep that off your mind until you return. I know that is much easier said than done. You are in my prayers, have a great time and a safe trip.

    God Bless, Jan
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #11
    VACA!
    Hi Terry, thanks for the update. I hope you have a great vaca and cancer break! We all need it sometimes.
    Have a safe trip,
    kathleen:)
  • BonnieR
    BonnieR Member Posts: 1,526 Member
    #12
    Hugs ♥ Prayers
    Hi Terry,

    Have fun ~ we all need to take breaks from the cancer stuff. God's travel mercies be with you. Hugs ♥ Prayers Bonnie
  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980
    #13
    BonnieR said:

    Hugs ♥ Prayers
    Hi Terry,

    Have fun ~ we all need to take breaks from the cancer stuff. God's travel mercies be with you. Hugs ♥ Prayers Bonnie

    Just got my own post-radiation CA125: mine is up too!
    I was just shy of 6 weeks past my final radiation treatment (July 1st) when I had my post-radiation oncologist visits and had my CA-125 taken. I got the results today, and it went up from 11 to 26. My chemo oncologist warned me, even when he was ordering the CA-125 blood work, that he expected the number to be up due to continuing radiation inflamation. I'm hoping that Terry will take some comfort that my number went up, too. And yet my oncologist is unconcerned and doesn't want to see me again for 3 months.

    Additionally, as added proof that radiation cooks away in your body for a pretty darn long time, my RBC and WBC and platelets were all still below normal. (not super-low, but all lower than normal.) So I think it must take a couple of months for the body to recover from radiation. I pray, for both of us, that radiation inflammation is what's driving up the CA-125s. And I really believe that's what it is.

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