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Why are cancer markers 15-3 and 19-9 rising while CA-125 isn’t?
Gynecologic Cancers | Last Active: Oct 20 5:49pm | Replies (32)Comment receiving replies
@naturegirl5 No, my oncologist didn't explain why these markers were ordered or why they continue to order them. I had asked about them and why they were elevated and he didn't answer me (not that I can recall anyway). That was my first oncologist, the one who treated me with carbo/paclit. Then I switched oncologists as I went in for a clinical trial testing Enhertu. I has asked the nurse the significance of the markers and she said they don't really go by the markers. I've been receiving CT scans every 6 weeks on this trial, and the tumors are shrinking, and one has disappeared, for all intents and purposes. Yet 19-9 and 15-3 still show slight elevation. So, I'm still in the dark.
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@cookercooker my daughter is having the same problem… Her scan shows tumor is shrinking but her CA 125 is rising. I am not sure about your markers and what they mean but I do know that if you are on Avastin that can create some inflammation and raise markers… Are you on this drug? If so, maybe you can ask your oncologist if that is the reason for increasing numbers
@cookercooker it is appalling that your questions were not answered. In a clinical trial these markers may be used in the data analysis to see if they are useful for monitoring cases like yours. In real clinical use, these markers *may* indicate other cancers in different organ systems, but they would only be raising a flag that would require follow-up, they are not diagnostic in and of themselves. For example, people with high ca 19-9 sometimes have pancreatic cancer or bile duct cancer, but they can also have an inflammation of the pancreas or even gall bladder issues. Do you have a new oncologist besides the clinical trial team, or do they have an oncologist who will answer your questions about the possible need for follow-up?
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@cookercooker It's puzzling to me why your first oncologist ordered these blood tests and then did not explain the results to you. I read a report on these type of blood tests in a clinical pathology journal that my husband receives (he is a pathologist, retired) from USCAP (US and Canadian Academy of Pathology).
USCAP:
-- https://uscap.org/
The take-home answer on these is that some of these blood tests are not very reliable. For instance, the reliability (sensitivity) for the CA-15-3 is around 75%. That doesn't instill much confidence. The blood tests that are used most often are ones that you are familiar with - PSA (for prostate) and CA-125 for gynecological cancers and often administered for ovarian cancers. The article I read detailed the variance in lab procedures in processing these blood tests (liquid biopsies). Even when the numbers are elevated there can be reasons other than cancer for the elevation. So, with that, these blood tests (liquid biopsies) can be screening tools but are elevated numbers must be followed up with other testing protocols such as imaging. If you would like the resource for the article I read please let me know and I will dig it up.
Since you are getting CT scans regularly (every 6 weeks) and that imaging shows the tumors are shrinking then this is very good news.
Can you ask your current oncologist why the CA19-9 and CA15-3 would be ordered? And why your current oncologist doesn't put much emphasis on these screening blood tests?