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Does anyone know much about 27-29 ?

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Posted 2/20/2012 2:25 AM (GMT 0)
In July my 27-29 was 49......then up and up every 6 weeks.....now it is 73.

They wanted to know if I wanted to start scans or just check again in 4 weeks. I said check again in 4 weeks and also wanted an appt for a screening mamo for the breast I have left.

Should also just start the scans?
I've been having anxiety attacks for months now. What am I supposed to do?
I'm eating myself crazy today!
Posted 2/20/2012 2:37 AM (GMT 0)
I forgot to say that I am a 7 year survivor. My dx said most likely metastatic but nothing has ever been found.
I was so so that I was cured and now THIS!

It is really throwing me for a loop and I'm so confused about how to feel.
I don't want to go through chemo again....I don't know if I can do it...........
Posted 2/21/2012 11:01 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Anne, welcome to the forum.

My oncologist had me get a scan when mine jumped last fall. There's more than one type. I just had the bone scan, which isn't bad at all. He's doing blood work every 3 months. My Dx was just old lady IDC with a low oncotype, rads only, but I didn't tolerate any of the hormone-reducing meds, so I have to just hope nothing shows up again.

I sure hope they caught yours before it really went anywhere. Can you talk to your oncologist about your anxiety? If not, maybe your family doc would help you. There's an anxiety forum here too.

Best wishes!
Posted 2/25/2012 2:05 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, Anne. Lots of things can affect tumor markers that aren't cancer. If it would make you feel better to have the scans, then go ahead and get them done! It's my understanding that tumor markers are much more useful for tracking progression of metastatic disease than for diagnosing mets.

Hugs...
BEV
Posted 2/25/2012 3:14 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for replying Alcie and Bev!

I did get lorazepam for anxiety, Alcie. It helps when I can't sleep. : )

What is metastatic disease as apposed to mets, Bev? I sorta thought it was the same thing. And why do Drs track them if it might not mean anything?
Do the numbers themselves mean something or just the going up and/or down?

Also, I have realized that no matter what happens that Jesus is still with me and I don't have to fret over everything!
So I'm trying to rest in Him and stay at peace, as much as possible. Some days are better than others.

(BTW.....I found out that I will have another grandchild born in Sept.....my oldest son's first child. I will then have 3 grandchildren and 2 step-grandchildren. That's exciting!)

Thanks!
Posted 2/25/2012 5:26 PM (GMT 0)
Congrats on the soon-to-be grandbaby! Aren't they just the best things ever? I only have one, but she is the light of my life. She may be the only one I get, but I take great pride in my grandpuppies, as well.

Metastatic disease and mets are the same, yes. Not all oncologists follow tumor markers in patients who have no known mets because they are not completely reliable for diagnosing mets. Other things can affect tumor marker results and give "false positives." For women who are already diagnosed with mets, then tumor markers are a bit more effective in tracking progression of the mets. The distinction is whether or not the doctors know for fact that there are mets. If you have mets to the bones, for example, and they are doing chemo, and tumor markers drop significantly, then that can be a good sign. They aren't going to want to do a bone scan every month to see if the chemo is working. If that same hypothetical patient with bone mets suddenly has a large jump in numbers, that can be a bad sign. If those numbers continue to go up, they might do scans again to see if they are losing ground and need to change treatment strategies.

The scans are the key to diagnosing mets. The tumor markers are only an indication of a possible problem. So have the scans done.

Why did they think your original cancer was "most likely metastatic?"

Hope this helps...
BEV
Posted 2/25/2012 8:22 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for all the info! I'll try to find my Dr reports and see the exact wording of the diagnosis.

I know that I had some tumors in nodes and the wording of results, and others, on those led me to believe they expected that other cells had traveled but they were hiding or in remission.

And ....even though I was first diagnosed in Feb or Mar 2005, I still go in for Dr checks every 6 months and this year for labs every 6-8 weeks. Now every 4 weeks.

You are right, I think I should go ahead with the scans.

Thank you again, Bev!
Posted 2/25/2012 8:29 PM (GMT 0)
I found my DX! I guess it does actually say Metastatic.......

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma .....Metastatic left breast cancer.
3/05 -I had a left modified rad mastectomy and left axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy.

Left breast:
Estrogen positive 3+ and progesterone positive 2+
Her-2 ACIS score 1.3

*Tumor mass of 5.0 x 5.0 x 1.5 cm showing extensive invasive lobular carcinoma in a background of extensive lobular carcinoma in-situ with numerous microcalcifications. Angiolymphatic space invasion is present.

*#1 Sentinel node 1.2 x 0.3 cm "positive for metastatic tumor"
Axillary contents - 5 of 10 lymph nodes metastatically involved; one lymph node 1.7cm, additional small lymph nodes, one additional larger lymph node

*Extrcapular extension by tumor is seen.
Posted 2/26/2012 10:27 PM (GMT 0)
Okay, so what your report referring to is that it has metastasized to the lymph nodes (technically speaking, when there is cancer in the lymph nodes, it is considered "metastatic;" however, when we talk about "mets," we are referring to distant mets... to the bones, liver, lungs, brain). With 5/10 lymph nodes, I assume they did initial scans to determine whether or not there are any distant mets. So yes, I would think you should have the scans repeated at this point. Chemo is given in the hopes that it will kill any cancer cells that have escaped the lymphatic system; if it doesn't, then it can take years for few stray cells to grow to a size that it can be detected on a scan, if it isn't a particularly aggressive cancer. Many years ago, chemo was only supposed to buy us 5 years or so. Since they have been finding tumors earlier, survival rates have really gone up.

However... that still doesn't mean that your cancer is back! All you know, for sure, is that your CA 27-29 has gone up a bit. Some women with distant mets have numbers in the thousands! And several women I have known didn't have tumor markers rise until after they were already having symptoms (bone pain, for example). So have the scans, and then you'll have a better idea of what is going on.

Hope that helps...
Hugs...
BEV
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