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Caffine and the CA 27.29
Does anybody believe that caffine (particularly coffee) can cause increased numbers on the CA 27.29. I would value some clarity on this one. My last two month to month tests have been trending with elevated numbers from 11 to 17 to 30. I have been falling back in love with my morning coffee and just wondered if this could be the culprit. I hope so! Going without caffiene for a month now to see if there will be a change in my numbers in the desired direction. What do you think about this folks? Can caffiene play a numbers factor?? Thank you so much.
Thank you Butterfly. I appreciate all the info. I am estrogen positive. I don't drink or smoke (never have) and coffee has always be a been my biggest vice in life! Hmmmmm, I am hoping to have a better CA 27.29 reading this month. It would be great however if coffee did have the potential to throw the reading off. I doubt it. Just don't want to think the other. Here's wishing you good health in your corner. Thanks, Elayne
It has long been suggested (though not proven?) that caffeine,and esp. coffee, may exacerbate firbocystic breast conditions, and this is certainly something that people can try eliminating to see if it helps in their indiv. cases.
But on the other hand, and in my opinion far more significant, is coffee's role in regard to breast cancer. Here is an interesting article:
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Previous research has produced conflicting results about coffee and breast cancer risk, says researcher Jingmei Li, PhD, of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm.
In her new research, she found coffee drinking reduces overall breast cancer risk modestly -- by 20% -- when she considered age. "The 20% decrease in risk associated with drinking five or more cups of coffee a day was statistically significant only when adjusted for age," she tells WebMD.
When she took into account other factors, such as education level, drinking of alcohol, and hormone therapy use, she found a 57% reduction in risk for cancers known as estrogen-receptor negative cancers. This type of breast cancer is less likely to respond to hormone therapy than estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer.
However, a U.S. expert warns that the new finding about reduction in risk for ER-negative breast cancer could be due to chance. The only solid message from this study and previous ones, says Shumin Zhang, MD, ScD, a researcher at Harvard Medical School, is this: "Drinking coffee doesn’t seem to increase the overall risk of breast cancer."
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At least until there is more evidence, I'm going to keep enjoying all the coffee I want! :-)
Regards,
bluebutterfly
But on the other hand, and in my opinion far more significant, is coffee's role in regard to breast cancer. Here is an interesting article:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous research has produced conflicting results about coffee and breast cancer risk, says researcher Jingmei Li, PhD, of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm.
In her new research, she found coffee drinking reduces overall breast cancer risk modestly -- by 20% -- when she considered age. "The 20% decrease in risk associated with drinking five or more cups of coffee a day was statistically significant only when adjusted for age," she tells WebMD.
When she took into account other factors, such as education level, drinking of alcohol, and hormone therapy use, she found a 57% reduction in risk for cancers known as estrogen-receptor negative cancers. This type of breast cancer is less likely to respond to hormone therapy than estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer.
However, a U.S. expert warns that the new finding about reduction in risk for ER-negative breast cancer could be due to chance. The only solid message from this study and previous ones, says Shumin Zhang, MD, ScD, a researcher at Harvard Medical School, is this: "Drinking coffee doesn’t seem to increase the overall risk of breast cancer."
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At least until there is more evidence, I'm going to keep enjoying all the coffee I want! :-)
Regards,
bluebutterfly
Tina, just looked at you profile, and a huge THANK YOU to you for advocating all these years. And God Bless you! You are an 18 year survivor!! Way to go Tina!
Hi elayne, I don't know of any studies that link higher levels with the ca testing but if the caffeine causes cysts, the cysts are not normal and might elevate your levels. So there could be a link there. Do let us know what happens with your next tests I am really curious.
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I've read 2 posts from women saying that caffeine could elevate the numbers on the CA 27.29 test.....But how they came up with this conclusion,I have no idea.....LOL..
So it wouldn't hurt to try limiting your caffeine intake,to see if it's the culprit.(Try the Tim Horton decaf....It's delicious and I can't taste any difference from the regular one)
There are many reasons that could cause tumor markers to rise.
In statistical terms, it is neither "specific" nor "sensitive" enough to accurately determine if metastasis has occurred.
A normal CA 27.29 level is usually less than 38 to 40 U/ml (units/milliliter), depending on where the lab test is done.
Because anything under 40 is considered normal, you shouldn't worry if it's 20 one time and then 30 another time.
Also,just because the test result could be higher than 40 it doesn't mean that cancer has spread.
Endometriosis, ovarian cysts, first-trimester pregnancy, benign breast disease, and kidney and liver disease are just some of the noncancerous conditions,including some medications that can raise your CA 27.29 level.
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best. :)