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Signatera results: Does the increase mean cancer is back?
Signatera Test was done after rectal cancer surgery. May & July test 0.00 MTM/ML and Nov 2023 test 0.05 MTM/ML(positive below Analytical Range).
Does the November Positive 0.05 result mean my cancer is coming back? CT scan for chest/abdomen/pelvis scheduled for end of November this year. Please share your thoughts.
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@cjay, did you have a chance to discuss these results with your oncology team? What did they say? How are you doing?
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3 ReactionsThanks Colleen, it’s been a week that I’ve been living with it, and I’m not as emotional wrecked as I originally was. I had my scan on Friday - showed no masses or signs of metastatic disease, but I know from what Reid told me things might be too minuscule to show up until the next scan. I have an appointment with my oncology team tomorrow after work, and a phone meeting Wednesday with my surgeon at MUSC. I should know more after those.
I did have a phone conference with a genetic counselor at Signatera, and she was helpful with understanding the numbers a bit more and some good general knowledge. Right now I’m hoping the circulating tumor dna is residual, rather than a new occurrence. And hoping for some new drug besides the FOLFOX if I do need chemo.
🙏🤞
I will update after I get some news.
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7 ReactionsAfter chemo, radiation and surgery, I think I had 6 months of Signatera tests that were zero showing no signs of cancer. Then the signatera tests became positive .03, .06, 1.1, 4.2 and up. Scans did not detect any cancer until the 4.2 reading. By the time we did the cryoablation, the Signatera result went to a 15. After the cryoablation I was put back on FOLFOX for 6 rounds. By the 3rd round my Signatera was back to zero. After these 6 rounds they dropped the chemo that causes neuropathy but continued with the other 2 chemo chemicals for another 12 rounds. I have done 4 of these with 8 more to go. The hope is that any residual cells that may try to pop up over a longer term will be killed off with these additional treatments and not become a problem and gone forever. I am on a 2 week Chemo schedule. I don't feel too good after treatments for 4 to 5 days and then start feeling better over that second week. Workwise I do what I can to help out but I am not as directly involved in day to day operations anymore. I have quite a bit of nausea and fatigue for the first week after chemo treatments. Constantly taking the nausea medication helps quite a bit. Hang in there and keep reaching out to people for all the info you can get.
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10 ReactionsNo signs of metastatic disease is great news. Hopefully it is confined in the colon and has not broken out into the lymph node system. I had 1 lymph node that tested positive for colon cancer and that was all it took, in my case, to start small spots on the lung and liver. I am grateful with all the testing that we were able to catch this early before becoming a bigger problem.
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3 ReactionsI had 26 lymph nodes removed- 16 were cancerous.
So I’m not positive it’s not a case of the scan not registering anything because it’s too minuscule. (I remember that happened to you)
My appointment was changed to tomorrow afternoon. Staying positive
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1 ReactionMy BIL sent me this last night.
I’ve only had time to skim it - you may find it helpful.
https://www.takedaoncology.com/news/news-releases/Takeda-Receives-US-FDA-Approval-of-FRUZAQLA-fruquintinib-for-Previously-Treated-Metastatic-Colorectal-Cancer/
Good luck tomorrow. When my Signatera test showed up positive the second time with a very small number, I was hoping it was just a false reading. Unfortunately my Oncologist told me they have never had a false result with Signatera tests. And with the low numbers I was hoping it would take awhile to develop before I had to remove it. However, the tests elevated quickly, within 2-3 months, where we could see the spots on a scan and then have them removed. This sucked but after all said and done, I'm fortunate to find these early. It's much easier to remove a 1/4 inch spot than a 3 inch tumor. So, my next question for the Doctors is if the Signatera test come back positive in the future with a very low reading, should we do a few chemo rounds to knock it out before it can develop into a very small spot.
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1 ReactionI also had my 4th natera for breast cancer come back from 0 to 1.51
Scared couldn't believe it I cant do chemo or other chemical treatments because of another condition.
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1 ReactionWas this your first natera test ?
No, I get them every 4 weeks
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