Signatera Test. Is it truly helpful and worthwhile?

@ewhit802
@mspass
Good info! Thanks!
For my third test they ordered the home blood draw by Natera. That was easy. She arrived exactly at noon for the scheduled appointment. Drew the blood in one poke and was gone in 10 minutes. Didn’t even feel it. The results came in about 7-10 days, much faster than before. She said I can request her next time.

@californiazebra I am just starting with the Signatera test. My oncologist said that a positive result would lead to a PET scan. If that is negative we continue on. If that is positive, then I change the medication I am given. I am going to assume everything will be negative for now😊

@longevityride My oncologist said that we would do PETS more frequently and be on the look out for changes of any kind.

@longevityride
Hope you get your results soon and can find your peace. I just had my third negative Signatera test.

Like you, we’ve never discussed what happens if the test is positive and I’m not going to worry about that unless it happens. I have a life to live and I’m not going to let BC steal my joy. This is my second time to have BC over a 13 year period and we knocked it down twice. I’m doing great, finished 5 years of Kisqali and am still on Letrozole for 4.5 more years to starve any BC cells that try to pop up.

I don’t think the prior radiation would matter as Signatera is looking for DNA that matches the BC tumor you had and can identify any matching BC cells months before they could be seen on a scan. If I ever have a positive result, I’ll discuss with my oncologist which treatments, maybe new gentler ones, are available at that time.

Praying your negative result comes in soon. Hang in there. 🙏❤️

It's Sept 2026 now & I see people have been getting Signatera testing & posting since 2023. I've had the test again recently but results aren't ready. It's been negative so far. But what to do with new information such as a sudden positive test? The test is supposed to give early warning of a problem. Does this mean increased surveillance using imaging, more or new drugs right away or "wait & see"?
I don't know & this hasn't been discussed with me, although I've had testing over a year now. Would it mean a more rapid PET scan instead of regular scheduled surveillance? Maybe. And the idea you've got something but nobody knows where it is so wait intl it's a bigger something is very difficult to manage psychologically.
We all know about PET scan anxiety already. All patients are on guard for a threat with surveillance- we're all gearing for a possible onslaught even if we don't recognize it.
How is this Signatera liquid biopsy like other surveillance methods - CEA, CA 19, C 125, etc? These are all b.ood draws intended to tell us if we have cancer or a worsening condition or recurrence.
For some of us who've had radiation maybe some blood tests will not be as clear due to inflammation markers from radiation tissue damage. I'm guessing here. But if your blood test numbers were ticking up that could be a sign of a cancer issue, just like the Signatera tests. Would we feel the same way?
Scans don't always show very small tumors but I've read sometimes they do.
I fully grasp the dilemma of "testing without a plan of action", as I've considered this at the beginning of my Signatera testing. But I haven't felt this way since I began Natera's regimen, probably because I just got used to this one test. I still feel anxious about test results though. We can't study for these tests, they're "pass-fail" and nothing we can do about it. I had this reaction every week in active chemo when I waited for weekly blood test results. And I'll bet many have this reaction too.

I am stage 4 metastatic breast cancer (metastasis was to lung requiring a lobectomy). I am almost 4 yrs post last occurance and my oncologist started the Signatera every three months to try and catch early anything that comes up. The chance of metastasis gets higher as I approach 5 years and beyond.

@briarrose
The Signatera Test, if qualified, take it. Nice to have as many preventive tests (no guarantees)
as possible.
I've met a lot of women who did not have radiation and have not had as many side effects due to minus one, aka Radiation.
Please, breathe,
After I completed my happy healing cancer trek, PT, manageable side effects, I elected to add to my "Team" to help manage and hopefully prevent more side effects. Know my new baseline!
My first was in search of a Cardiologist. The last cardiologist won! Understood the side effects of treatments, side effects of medication, etc.
After my 6-month checkups with the team at City of Hope, CA, I met with my non-COH team.
Yesterday, had my follow-up review of ekg. Yippy. I return to cardi in Feb after my COH team.
At first, PCP said, see you next year. No, you are part of my "keep the noughties at bay Team"
After I see my COH team, I see you, Cardi to update. Why? You are it! I choose you as my trusted PCP to know ME, especially if an ER occurs- no guessing.

PEACE OF MIND IS WORTH IT!,

YES, EVERY 6 MONTHS, LABS, MEDICARE APPROVED. I am 4 years post-stage 2 breast cancer, disease-free.
Sonority Sisters, as of July, I am 72. Sept 2021-Jan2022 Chemo.|Yippy break from chemo; spa days. March: left mastectomy, 10 lymph nodes; surprisingly, with reconstruction, etc.
Not sure when I started with Natera |Sig study. My guess: 2023-24.
Try to do my best to think, have healthy labs, and wait for results.

DUE TO MY HAPPY VEINS, I NOW DRIVE TO NATERA LABS ABOUT 35 MILES FROM HOME FOR A DRAW.
BOX DELIVERED TO HOME, SET APPT AND ONE POKE.

Grateful; corporate has allowed my Natera lab to draw my non-City of Hope Sig labs.
I do my best to coordinate with my NON-COH team, aka PCP, cardiologist, etc. I call them and ask for any labs; please email or submit to Natera at my location, then one visit with a person with full-time experience with our special needs, aka hard poke due to treatments. I do these semi-annual checks; the good news. Just completed my semi-annual checks; no labs needed. Next week I go to Natera for a draw.
I no longer chase the unnecessary pokes because they know best vs. the patient.
Continued wellness, my Sorority Warriors of a different kind.

Thank you for sharing this approach! I think I've asked my oncologist or PA about one of the CA tests but will need to see if I kept notes. Whichever one it was, they said it wouldn't be useful to me. Based on your more specific tests, I'm gong to look into it and ask at my next visit.

I think a lot of breast cancer treatment leans more on what insurance covers which doctors like to call "standard of care" or "evidence based." Don't get me wrong, I'm all for evidence, but what do you do when the evidence is stalled out because research can't keep pace with precision medicine.

My doctors often say that as far as early-stage breast cancer is concerned, liquid biopsies 1) could be wrong and 2) wouldn't change the current treatment being offered. And I say, yes BUT. But what about the possibility that with a positive finding more careful monitoring would be warranted with repeated liquid biopsies? Or what about repeating at least 2 liquid biopsies with negative results? And wouldn't it be helpful for hospitals or doctors to keep track of what they are finding by using these liquid biopsies. It seems we, as breast cancer patients, are a huge database just waiting for someone to explore variables. Again, we come back to research funding though.

Again, thank you for sharing this important information!

Hi! @prarysky :

I completely understand your worrying regarding the recurrence issue of cancers - even for patients with early stages. For this reason, my PCP and I decided to check my cancer antigen value in my blood regularly. We specifically check my CA 15-3 level in a quarterly blood test to assess how cancer is responding to my active BC treatment right after the surgery that took out the mass of BC. CA 15-3 fluctuations help doctors determine whether a tumor is stable, growing, shrinking or has recurred. I am grateful that this regular blood test provides me with peace of mind confirming that my current treatment plan is working so long as the level of CA 15-3 in my blood stays within normal range or declining. We also agree that should this cancer antigen level elevated in the future, we'll bring this matter to my medical oncologist for further investigation using other scanning tools.

Please check with your physician(s) for such cancer antigen tests, for example, they may prefer to check for CA 27.29. We chose to test for CA 15-3, because in addition to breast cancer, other diseases of cancer, such as: lung cancer and ovarian cancer are also linked to increased CA 15-3 levels. Sorry for such a lengthy note, hope this helps...

Better journey ahead and enjoy life with hope, peace and love!