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bio marker

lisastem
lisastem CSN Member Posts: 5
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I have finished chemo and almost radiation, I have stage 3a, my Dr. said he still considered it early stage. I am on Tamoxifen and herceptin. Is there any reason my Dr never told me about what my marker is. Too nervous to ask at this point.
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Comments

  • young_one
    young_one CSN Member Posts: 67
    #2
    If your tumor markers go up,
    If your tumor markers go up, they will tell you. But even when they go up, it could be nothing. They can fluctuate for many different reasons. Some oncologists don't do them at all. Ever. I didn't have TM's done until I was completely done with treatment. Plus, there are so many different markers they can test for. They can all fluctuate on any given day. A trend is more of an accurate picture. If there were consistent "ups" they *might* be concerned but one month is not a good indicator.
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  • chenheart
    chenheart CSN Member Posts: 5,159 Member
    #3
    young_one said:

    If your tumor markers go up,
    If your tumor markers go up, they will tell you. But even when they go up, it could be nothing. They can fluctuate for many different reasons. Some oncologists don't do them at all. Ever. I didn't have TM's done until I was completely done with treatment. Plus, there are so many different markers they can test for. They can all fluctuate on any given day. A trend is more of an accurate picture. If there were consistent "ups" they *might* be concerned but one month is not a good indicator.

    Markers
    I posted similarly to your question~ my oncologist even told me that for some reason, Markers are not that good of an indicator as far as BC is concerned. So--not to worry about not having heard anything. I just always happen to ask~when my Dr goes through the laundry list of what my lab results are: Liver panel good, cholesterol good, markers good etc etc...I stop him and ask WHAT ARE THEY??? It is more for me than for him, I think! :-)

    Hugs,
    Claudia
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  • KathiM
    KathiM CSN Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #4
    My onc, specializing in breast:
    ...doesn't even do them on me. Now, I'm post-treatment, so I asked her how I would know of a return of the beast without this...

    She said..."do you do self exams?" "do you see a doctor?"

    Hugs, Kathi
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  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 CSN Member Posts: 949
    #5
    markers
    To my knowledge my markers for breast cancer have never been tested. When the docs were suspicious that I had a growth on my ovary THEN they tested for markers. So I think that perhaps markers for breast cancer are not too reliable.

    I do know though that women with ovarian cancer are consistently tested for markers. So maybe it depends on the particular cancer.
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