Tumor Marker Elevated

carrie61
carrie61 Member Posts: 23
in Breast Cancer #1
What I feared from the start of having tumor tests has happened--and it's only my 2nd test!
Got a call today that all of my blood work except for the tumor marker was normal. Tumor marker was slightly high at 45 (40 is the high end of normal).
I have to have it retested in a month. If it comes back the same or higher I'll have a PET scan.
Has anybody else experienced this?

Comments

  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #2
    I am sorry Carrie that it
    I am sorry Carrie that it came back high. My oncologist doesn't believe in or do tumor marker tests.

    Hopefully someone that has them will post to you.


    Just wanted to wish you good luck.


    Hugs, Lex
  • carrie61
    carrie61 Member Posts: 23
    #3
    Alexis F said:

    I am sorry Carrie that it
    I am sorry Carrie that it came back high. My oncologist doesn't believe in or do tumor marker tests.

    Hopefully someone that has them will post to you.


    Just wanted to wish you good luck.


    Hugs, Lex

    alone
    Thanks, Lex.
    I don't know of many oncologists who do the test either for just this reason. I may be changing doctors if the test comes back OK. I can't spend the next 5 years on this rollercoaster.
    Now every ache or pain I feel may be cancer.
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #4
    carrie61 said:

    alone
    Thanks, Lex.
    I don't know of many oncologists who do the test either for just this reason. I may be changing doctors if the test comes back OK. I can't spend the next 5 years on this rollercoaster.
    Now every ache or pain I feel may be cancer.

    You're welcome Carrie. I
    You're welcome Carrie. I wish I could have been more help to you in regards to information. I do know some pink sisters do have this test done, so maybe, they will reply back to you.

    We are all like you unfortunately, when we have a new ache or pain, our mind just naturally goes there. Hopefully with time, we will all start not to think that way.


    Take care,


    Lex
  • Muschi
    Muschi Member Posts: 85 Member
    #5
    tumor marker
    My onco calls it cancer marker, still the same, I think. Last time (one week ago) he told me the blood work was fine and the cancer marker was still low. A while back the caner marker was down to 14, I think that has not changed or he would have told me. Some Dr's don't believe in it at all, mine does. I hope this will help a bit,
    don't worry too much. I know it is easier said than done.
    Hugs and greetings Ilona
  • joannstar
    joannstar Member Posts: 403 Member
    #6
    I had the same thing happen
    and luckily, my retest was lower. Since then, each test (I've had 2 after) have been in the normal range. When I googled, I found that some meds can affect the test so I was careful not to take ANYTHING before the 2nd test.
    Good luck.
    JoAnn
  • MMO3
    MMO3 Member Posts: 44
    #7
    joannstar said:

    I had the same thing happen
    and luckily, my retest was lower. Since then, each test (I've had 2 after) have been in the normal range. When I googled, I found that some meds can affect the test so I was careful not to take ANYTHING before the 2nd test.
    Good luck.
    JoAnn

    tumor maker subject...
    Hello there,
    I was wondering what you all meant by 'tumor marking test'

    Can u briefly describe this and is it for only certain types of BC?
    thank you for your time
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #8
    MMO3 said:

    tumor maker subject...
    Hello there,
    I was wondering what you all meant by 'tumor marking test'

    Can u briefly describe this and is it for only certain types of BC?
    thank you for your time

    When...
    When I had my recurrence my tumor markers were correct....from 45 to 98.....all other blood work was perfectly normal...yes they can give a false positive and a false negative.....subsequent scans proved the tumor markers were correct....not all oncologists do the test...mine does as he said it can give them a glimpse of a recurrence before symptoms show up....thus earlier treatment can start....I had mine repeated and it came back the same, 98....

    Personally I wouldn't be terribly concerned over one of 45....but worth having it repeated for your peace of mind...

    In a tumor marker test, as I understand it, cancer gives off a certain " something" that shows up in blood work....you can google Tumor Markers and it will explain it far better than I....

    Best wishes, Nancy
  • missrenee
    missrenee Member Posts: 2,136 Member
    #9
    MAJW said:

    When...
    When I had my recurrence my tumor markers were correct....from 45 to 98.....all other blood work was perfectly normal...yes they can give a false positive and a false negative.....subsequent scans proved the tumor markers were correct....not all oncologists do the test...mine does as he said it can give them a glimpse of a recurrence before symptoms show up....thus earlier treatment can start....I had mine repeated and it came back the same, 98....

    Personally I wouldn't be terribly concerned over one of 45....but worth having it repeated for your peace of mind...

    In a tumor marker test, as I understand it, cancer gives off a certain " something" that shows up in blood work....you can google Tumor Markers and it will explain it far better than I....

    Best wishes, Nancy

    My onc. doesn't use them either
    and in my case, I can see why--even after being recently re-diagnosed at Stage IV with bone mets, my tumor markers were "normal"! Obviously, in some people, not a reliable test.

    Good luck.

    Hugs, Renee
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #10
    joannstar said:

    I had the same thing happen
    and luckily, my retest was lower. Since then, each test (I've had 2 after) have been in the normal range. When I googled, I found that some meds can affect the test so I was careful not to take ANYTHING before the 2nd test.
    Good luck.
    JoAnn

    My onco doesn't do this
    My onco doesn't do this test, so, I haven't had it. I am wishing and praying that yours will come down to normal range.


    Hugs, Diane

Discussion Boards