Chemo without any cancer showing on scan or MRI?

Posted by pcand52 @pcand52, Feb 17 3:17pm

distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy in july 2024
before and after surgery normal CA-19-9 ( 15 to 20)
folfirinox from sept 2024 to april 2025 (10 cycles)
CA-19-9 went up during chemo up to 39 then back to 26
december 2025 CA19-9 at 125
scan shows nothing
january2026 CA-19-9 at 250
MRI shows nothing
Oncologist says maybe to try gemcitabine
should i start or wait?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Pancreatic Cancer Support Group.

ashley2235 | @ashley2235 | Feb 18 8:00am

My oncologist said CA19 can hint at a recurrence several months before anything shows up on MRI/CT. If your CA19 has been a reliable indicator in the past, I would start chemo. As someone who has had a recurrence, the sooner treatment is started the better, in my opinion.

marienewland | @mnewland99 | Feb 18 9:51am

Your mutations drive your treatment. This should be everyone's mantra yet I very infrequently see people mention their mutations. My mutations ( I had same surgery you in 2022) are KRAS12D, TP53, and a mutated ATM. Gem by itself was totally ineffective for me. We're you still on chemo Dec and January, and of do, which one? You should have another scan now; they (tumor or lesions) probably will be able to be seen by now.

pcand52 | @pcand52 | Feb 18 10:30am

Hi
thanks for your response
my chemo was from september 2024 to April 2025
i did not receive any chemo since
the scan was on December 11 2025 and MRI on January 12 2026
how many Gem did you receive and was it with Abraxane
did you get folifirinox?
Are you now desease free?

View Translation

Please sign in or register to post a reply.