Why are cancer markers 15-3 and 19-9 rising while CA-125 isn’t?

@greatgrandma2025
I'm sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with the radiation.
I'm glad you got a second opinion which thus far I have been reluctant to do. I really trust my gynecologic oncologist and feel he listens to me even though he might think I'm making a mistake if I elect no further treatment.
The medical oncologist is very efficient but an entirely different demeanor. I feel like she's ordering me to treatment and not hearing what I'm telling her as though my concerns aren't important.

Paclitaxel (taxol) and carboplatin for 6 cycles.

It took three tries to get an IV inserted. Then within minutes of the infusion of Taxol, had an allergic reaction and thought I
was going to have a heart attack. Taxol stopped and Benadryl administered which stopped the reaction.

Took me almost two hours to decide what to do. The doctor called after an hour and just seemed to want to press me to take an anti anxiety med so I would sleep through it and wanted a decision. I told her I needed more time to process everything and make my own decision. She didn't sound pleased.
Eventually everything worked out.
So now starting to experience the side effects and hoping they're mild.
Thank you for reaching out.

@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.

@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

@greatgrandma2025 At 80-years-old and with 9 great grandchildren I think I can understand why you are reluctant to do the chemo treatments. If you've read the comments here and in other Gynecological Cancer discussions you will see a range of responses and reactions to chemotherapy. Some people have few side effects and some people have more. Do you know the names of the chemo agents that are proposed by your doctors? If you do, then you might like to list the names of the chemo agents here as some of our members can then respond with their own experiences.

I did not have chemotherapy so I cannot provide my own experience.

I've had pelvic radiation therapy. I had 28 external beam treatments and 2 internal (brachytherapy) treatments. I had very few side effects with radiation therapy other than fatigue and occasional diarrhea. Again, do you know what your doctors are proposing for radiation therapy?

Quality of life is certainly very important. You are the best judge for what you consider your own quality of life. You mentioned that you've kept your diagnosis from your immediate family. Have you now told your children? Or your grandchildren? Perhaps they can helpful although ultimately it is your decision on how you would like to proceed.

@naturegirl5 I also had endometrial cancer with a hysterectomy, Stage 1 , did not penetrate the uterus, and was told never to worry about it again. No chemo, no radiation. Unfortunately to everyone's shock I had a metastasis of it 6.5 years later. The metastasis was attached to my outer colon and hip bone. I had a colon resection and a long course of heavy radiation. The radiation oncologist said it would either cure me or kill me but w/o it, there really wasn't much hope. Radiation was tough because there was a lot of cancer on my hip bone. That was in 2002. I am still alive and doing well. Chemo back then was not suggested because I was told that the chemo back then was not very effective. From the removal of my lymph nodes during surgery, over a decade later I developed lymphedema in my legs. Then in 2021 I developed bladder cancer and was informed it was caused by so much radiation. BTW, I also had breast cancer in 1998 so had radiation then (no chemo). I successfully completed chemo directly into my bladder for a year and am doing fine. Hallelujah! If I had to do it over again, I would choose the same path with no chemo. I understand it's very successful for many. I watched my sister who had Stage IV breast cancer with a year of chemo suffer tremendously and died a year later. I decided that was not a path I wanted to take. Just a personal choice since my first diagnosis was at age 50 and I'm now 80.

@chrissiebee Thank you for responding and for your explanation. Your medical history as you recount makes me a little nervous as I think about my next cancer surveillance appointments in December. At that time it will 6.5 years since my initial diagnosis of endometroid adenocarcinoma, Stage 1a and 4.5 years since a recurrence where I had radiation therapy. I often wonder what I will do now (I'm 73-years-old, am healthy and have a good quality of life) if I have another recurrence or a new primary cancer. I suppose I will do the treatment recommended but as I guess closer to 80 years old, maybe not? I guess I really won't know unless those decisions stare me in the face.

So, You are now 80-years-old, 30 years after your first diagnosis at age 50. That's excellent. You are a testimony to how cancer can be treated and a person can live well for many years.

@naturegirl5 Oftentimes our lives are not under our control. We do our best to stay healthy but life gets in the way. Try not to stress about the future because it doesn't add a minute to your life. Enjoy yourself while you can and feel well. Your cancer will probably never return. That has been my philosophy throughout my 4 cancer diagnoses. Yes, I'm now 80 and keep learning new skills and enjoying life. I'm a photographer and I'm out shooting several times a week. I'm grateful for every sunrise and sunset, every bird at my feeder, and every person in my life. God is my rock and gets me to where I belong. I think my faith is why I'm still surviving 4 cancers. My bladder cancer was a high-grade rare form that may return and if it does, like you said, I'll make my decisions then. But for today, life is good. I wish you all the best.

@naturegirl5 Oftentimes our lives are not under our control. We do our best to stay healthy but life gets in the way. Try not to stress about the future because it doesn't add a minute to your life. Enjoy yourself while you can and feel well. Your cancer will probably never return. That has been my philosophy throughout my 4 cancer diagnoses. Yes, I'm now 80 and keep learning new skills and enjoying life. I'm a photographer and I'm out shooting several times a week. I'm grateful for every sunrise and sunset, every bird at my feeder, and every person in my life. God is my rock and gets me to where I belong. I think my faith is why I'm still surviving 4 cancers. My bladder cancer was a high-grade rare form that may return and if it does, like you said, I'll make my decisions then. But for today, life is good. I wish you all the best.