A rise in CEA

CherylHutch said:

Not to worry!
Hugggggs, Jorie!!

Ok, I don't mean to sound discriminating here (if that is the right word), so all you "guys" who are reading this post of mine, please don't take it the way it sounds. Having gone the length of time I have on my journey, I (like all of you) have met more doctors, specialists, techs, nurses, and everyone else inbetween. For the most part, they are all wonderful... angels, all of them. Every now and then you get a grumpy seed in the bunch and you have to try as hard as you can to just let it go and not dwell on what he/she said... of course, those are the ones we glom onto, thinking the world is coming to an end because of some words they have said or the tone in which they've said them.

Just reading your post, I get the feeling that you, like me, tend to take words literally. Add to that a doctor who's strong point may not be in communications... or being able to see that the patient has not understood what he has said. I had the same problem with my radiologist... judging by his tone/attitude and some of the words he used, I would have to think that my situation is absolutely hopeless. Why would I think that?? Because of the words he used and, I personally, didn't care for his attitude. Then, off I went to my oncologist, expecting her to think the same thing but only color it so it was a little easier to swallow... and it was like we were talking a totally different case? The questions she asked were totally different than the ones he asked (he asked very few about ME, but preferred to tell ME about what HE thought was happening). What I'm getting at here, and like I say, I do not mean to bash the male gender by any stretch... but I think a lot could agree that there are two totally different approaches between male and females. That is not to say one is better than the other... but their compassion and understanding of what us patients are feeling/going through and being able to deal with that as well as the physical condition of the cancer. I highly doubt he thought for a minute he was saying anything that would have a huge impact on you... after all, you know you have cancer and have had it treated. But it's how one words things that makes the huge difference... and whether an onc is actually LISTENING to their patient or whether they are TELLING their patient.

So, let's talk about your CEA. DO NOT WORRY! That itty bitty rise is just a fart or blip. That tiny of a rise could be the difference between two technicians and how they check it. Also, there are a kajillion things that could make the CEA go up or down. Example: My normal, healthy CEA reading is 1.5-1.7 When we first noticed a rise, it went to 6.0. My onc said that was a slight elevation since the way they measure a normal reading is anything >5.0 The next month it read 18. That's when she decided there was a pattern to it rising. But something like >1.0, or even a couple of points... that is nothing to worry about. I just had my CEA taken this week and my onc already warned me... there's a good chance that it might be up to the 5.0 or even more and I am NOT to get excited. That is soooo common after any kind of surgical procedure. Or, if you've had any kind of inflammation or infection, the CEA will rise. So seriously, don't give yourself any stress about that small of a rise.

Now... fibroids. I'm not saying your mass is fibroids (I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on tv), BUT, for him to just brush off that suggestion was a little careless on his part, as far as I'm concerned. EVERY SINGLE FEMALE in the world has fibroids. The difference is where they lie. Some lie in such a way as to cause horrible cramping and pain...horrid, it is! Others are just tucked away and the woman never ever feels them. They can be quite large, but she gets no discomfort from them. Fibroids will disappear once the female hits menopause (fibroids are fed by estrogen, menopause slows estrogen production down to next to nothing, hence the fibroids shrink and disappear). So your question about whether this mass could be fibroids is a very legitimate question... whether you've had a history of fibroids in the past or not. His explanation that it could be scar tissue or adhesions is very legitimate too.

So, I understand that you are concerned because of the combination of the two, but (easier said than done), try not to be at all. The rise in CEA is soooo minimal, like I say, it's like a fart... and just a tiny poof at that. If the mass is adhesions or scar tissue... then that has absolutely nothing to do with cancer at all... so no need to worry there either.

As far as his comment about "never ever in this lifetime will he consider you cancer free".... again, it's the total lack of thinking about his words and how they affect the patient. WE cancer patients know darn tootin' well we are fighting the beast and our goal is to get it under control so that we are either "no evidence of disease" or stable so that the cancer is not growing. Just because we are Stage III or Stage IV, does not mean we can't get it under control... and as long as it is under control, or in remission, or NED or however you want to term "I am not currently battling the beast", then we are happy campers. Don't anyone tell us silly remarks like "You will never be cancer free"... that's like saying you can never get it under control. P-tooey on him for saying that

But, take heart... as your oncologist he does have your best interests at heart and as long as he is pursuing and monitoring and watching you like a hawk, you will just have to try an put aside his remarks that are said without thinking.

Hugggggs,

Cheryl

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