What are cancer markers? For newbies

CypressCynthia
CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Posting this as a newbie asked in another post.

Cancer markers are substances produced by cancer that can be detected in blood tests. Common cancer marker tests used for breast cancer are CEA, CA 15-3, and CA 27.29. Cancer markers can not be used for diagnosis as inflammation and other illnesses can cause elevations in your markers. Down the road, your oncologist will regularly test your markers as an indication of your response to treatment. The most important thing is how the numbers are trending.

Below is an ACS site about tumor markers:

http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/UnderstandingYourDiagnosis/ExamsandTestDescriptions/TumorMarkers/index

Comments

  • mimivac
    mimivac Member Posts: 2,143 Member
    #2
    Great explanation
    Thanks, Cynthia. My doctor does CA 27.29 for trending purposes, but she emphasizes that they alone cannot detect recurrence and are not to be relied upon. Moreover, measuring cancer markers is not standard of care, so many oncologists do not to it at all. Personally, I never ask for my number, because it would cause me anxiety. I know that if it varied by only a few digits, I would panic, when it's probably not an issue. If my doctor is concerned, she'll let me know.

    Mimi
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #3
    We've done a lot of moving
    We've done a lot of moving between states and so I've had at least three oncs. Two did the cancer markers as follow up treatment and one didn't. I didn't worry about it not being done because I had read an article that said they didn't feel it was a reliable test for determining recurrance. So I guess it depends on the onc and what they believe.
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #4
    mimivac said:

    Great explanation
    Thanks, Cynthia. My doctor does CA 27.29 for trending purposes, but she emphasizes that they alone cannot detect recurrence and are not to be relied upon. Moreover, measuring cancer markers is not standard of care, so many oncologists do not to it at all. Personally, I never ask for my number, because it would cause me anxiety. I know that if it varied by only a few digits, I would panic, when it's probably not an issue. If my doctor is concerned, she'll let me know.

    Mimi

    My markers were essential in
    My markers were essential in getting my metastasis diagnosis so I am loathe to criticize my onc for measuring them. My markers were normal for >20 years but went very high when we were trying to figure out if my ribs really had metastasis. Of course, the biopsy was the final determinant. However, they were quite helpful in my strange case!

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