Mom's Chemo- question

Best to all on here.  Although I don't post much, as I don't feel as if I can add much to the discourse, I do stop by from time to time, and you are the source of great comfort and strength.  As some of you know, my mom was diagnosed around Christmas w/ OVCA.  We don't know the stage due to some staging and surgery issues with the lymph nodes, which is in and of itself scary.  In any event, she's doing her chemo now.  Haven't posted in awhile, as my mom has been relatively stable while enduring her chemo thus far, and we wanted to take a "break" from OVCA and we are all just focused on having fun and her recovery and getting her back to normal.  
I have a question.  Mom just completed her 4th round of carboplatin/taxotere.  Her CA-125 went from 52, 10, 9, and now 8.  We were really pumped with the 10 back at treatment 2, as it was the first time it was "normal".  My question is, if she was normal at 10, is she even more "normal" or closer to remission at 9 and now 8?  Or does the drop from 10 to 9 to 8 indicate that she still has some recovering to do?  I'm quickly learning how this CA-125 marker is such a peculiary thing...

[nyc lady]

Normal is within "normal range".....there is no difference if it is 30, 10, 8 or 2....it's great that her numbers have dropped.....glad that the family is doing well.

Be well!!!

Pam

[Borgs]

Thanks so much for the info.  That does in fact make sense.  Best wishes to you.  

Assuming you are from "nyc", I used to live in Hoboken, NJ.  Loved my time there and spent almost every free moment in the City doing something...

[PF_PVD]

Indeed this is great progress.  I didn't get into "normal" range until my 6th treatment (13 on a 35 scale), so I think this is an excellent response.  Thanks for the good news--you should be very encouraged.  I hope she has been tolerating the treatments well, although I'd go willingly through some "discomfort" to have those kind of numbers.  Take care...Paula

[Borgs]

Thanks so much Paula for the encouragement.  Best of wishes to you, and please know you are in my thoughts.  Relatively speaking, my mom has tolerated the chemo well thus far.  She still has 2 more to go though.  She has lost her hair, the wig was an emotional moment, and she has no sense of taste, but she has not been "sick" other than for about of 20 hours, starting about 2 days after each treatement (but we think that is from the Nuelasta (sp?) shot)- really peculiar how it effects the body at specific moments.  She knows others who take chemo much worse so she is well aware she is "lucky", relative to other chemo patients.  Again, all my best to you.  Eventhough I am only the son of an ovarian cancer patient, and hearing about how difficult this disease is on all of you brave souls on here, I think I can say we are all in this fight together.        

[Aussie000]

Hi there Borgs, I'm a bit like you, when mum is responding well to chemo we really don't want to think about ovca but just get on with enjoying our lives. My mother got her ca125 down to 5 two years ago so that meant a long break from chemo, she was also very upset initially when we went to buy a wig so she ended up just wearing some cool looking scarves and bandanas.

She has been a stage 4 since May 2005 and the cancer came back last year, she is also up to round 4 and finishes next month and her ca125 is 8. I dont know how low a ca125 reading can get before you go into a remission but a reading of 5 allowed my mother to have a chemo free life for 2 years. If your mum is suffering from nausea my mum had 2 sessions of japanese acupuncture and she was okay after that.

This time around mum didnt lose all her hair it just thinned out, luckily she had very thick hair to begin with so if your mum needs another chemo down the track she may not lose all her hair again as all chemos are different.

It's very hard for us family members because you never know what to say when things go bad or they feel really sick and we all live our lives in fortnightly intervals with fingers crossed waiting for the next ca result. My mother actually apologised about being a burden on everyone, I nearly cried.

I hope you are lucky enough to live near your mum, I don't live near mine, she lives in another state so I only get to fly up to see her a couple of times a year and time is so precious with this horrid disease, it's very difficult to cuddle and console someone over the phone.

Let us know how your mums results turn out when she finishes chemo, it will be interesting to see what her doctor says about the ca result. I really hope your mum gets at least a 2 year break from chemo as well. Tell your mum to stay positive and dont let this beast win without a fight.

Sending best wishes and positive thoughts to you and your mum - Carolyn

[ILoveMyWifeForever]

It sounds like your mom is responding well to her chemo -- that is wonderful news!  Regarding the CA-125 . . . the fact that it dropped into "normal" range after the 2nd treatment is very encouraging.

Each woman is different and the degree to which CA-125 is a reliable indicator of cancer activity varies.  Having said that, generally if it is dropping or remaining stable (plus or minus a point or two) that is a good thing, which is the case for your mom.  At some point -- maybe after her 2 remaining treatments -- your mom's doctors may want to do a CT or PET scan to confirm that these good CA-125 results are an accurate reflection of the chemo effectiveness.

I hope your mom continues to do well and will soon be able to celebrate victory over her ovarian cancer!  Best wishes and prayers for your mom and your family.

[crecco]

Sounds like your mom is doing great and that the chemo is doing its job. And yes neulasta can be harsh at times. I experienced alot of bone pain in my legs from it. Thankfully I only had to recieve it a few times.
  I don't know but did your mom have surgery yet, or is it planned? Since they don't know the stage, hopefully with such a good reaction to the chemo, they have caught it early.
  A CA reading is considered normal in the 0 - 35 range. But you are right, for many the CA is not a very reliable test. It is showing to be the most beneficial in the follow up and recurrence of women who had very elevated levels at dx. I happen to be one of those whose CA is an indicater of growing cancer. I have been on chemo since dx and when my CA starts to rise, then that is a good indication that the particular chemo I am on has quit working. After the second or third rise in a row, I am switched to a new chemo. But just as each case of cancer is different, so is our CA in regards to the cancer. That is too bad that right now that is all we have to go on. Hopefully in the near future all of that will change.
  I wish the best of luck to both you and your mom. Please let us know how continues to do.
         Chris

[yrrek]

My Oncologist told me that my CA125 will probably undulate meaning it will be at 5 then 8 back down to 5 and so on.  He said to be concerned it would need to be a gradually increasing trend.  I was DX around Christmas time as well.  I had surgery and was staged at 1c.  My Ca125 was 220, with surgery alone it went to 34, then with 4 rounds of taxol/carbo I have gone down to 5. I have completed my chemo and am starting kind of a scary zone of wait and see, which I think can be harder, because I think with chemo you are doing some action to rid yourself of cancer.  I will presevere just as you and your mom have and the many wonderful people on this site.  Hang in there and God bless you and your family.  

Kerry

[onniebay]

It sounds like your mom is doing very well.  My CA125 was all over the place when I was having chemo.  1st chemo went to 18, 2nd chemo went to 10, and 3rd chemo hopped back up to 16.  My oncolgist assured me that 10 was the same value as 16.  I did not like that though and stopped keeping track after that.

I had the complete surgery after chemo and all my pathlogy came back clear.  I hope your mom has similar results.

[Borgs]

Thanks so much for your thoughts Aussie.  Fortunately, I live about an hour's drive from my mom so it is easy for me to see her.  She was diagnosed around Christmas '07 and I was there essentially for three week before sugery and after.  She's a breast cancer survivor too, she a tough lady.  I will keep you posted.  Best of luck with your mother as well.

[Borgs]

ILMWF-
Thanks so much for your response and explanation.  We are very encouraged by my mom's progress.  Best of luck to you and your wife.    

[Borgs]

Thanks so much for telling of your experience.  My mom and came to my house this weekend and she seemed good, although a bit tired.  She had surgery in December '07.  Unfortunately it was done by her OB/GYN, they thought it was only a cyst, and they found the cancer, removed it and all organs.  However, the OBGYN did not remove and get a path on her lymph nodes, thus, they couldn't stage her.  She was then referred to a GynOnc who thought it would be best just to start chemo, without doing another surgery to look at the lymph nodes.  So, here we are.    

[Borgs]

Congratulations on completing chemo.  My mom has two more rounds to go.  She is getting much more tired as she completes a cycle.  SHe's a tough lady, has already endured and beat breast cancer, and willl get through this, just as you are.  Best...    

[Borgs]

Hello-
Thank you for the response.  You indicate in your profile you are unstaged.  May I ask the reason?  My mom is also unstaged.  Her debulking, when she was diagnosed, was done by a OBGYN, and he didn't remove her lymph nodes so we can't get a full stage.  The GynOnc went ahead with chemo w/o taking a look at the lymph nodes.  
The CA-125 is a peculiary thing.  
Best to you...  

[onniebay]

I was unstaged because my ovary was orginally taken out because of recurrent endo.  My oncologist was worried about a burst when the ovary was taken out. So even if he had staged me he would have still had to treat me like stage 3.  He does not feel like I was stage 3.  He told me there was a 15% chance my ovary burst and 20% chance that it spread to my lymph nodes even though it had not spread elsewhere.  

[Borgs]

That's interesting.  Sounds like a similar situation with my mom, although the oncologist didn't give her any percentages as to if it had gone to the lymph nodes.  They said her CT scans of the lymph nodes looked good though, and in addition to other factors, didn't think it necessary to take out the nodes.  Notwithstanding, I think they are treating her as if she would be a 3, although I am not sure how treatment of a 3 compared to a 2C or 1C differs.  Best of luck...

[JC145]

I was diagnosed with Stage IIIC in June of 06.  Went thru chemo, including a bout of the shingles, and my CA went down to 8.  A couple of months after finishing, the CA-125 started to rise and we just watched it as there was no evidence of disease (NED) until it hit over 100 at which point my MD put me on tamoxifen.  I was fortunate that the tamoxifen worked for me and my numbers immediately went back down and I am now in the normal range with NED.  Every chemo/drug works differently for everyone.  I will hope and pray your mom's CA stays low for a very long time and she can enjoy a normal life.  I have next to no side effects from tamoxifen .. short of a few extra hot flashes. I have been blessed.

Judy C

[Borgs]

That is so great to hear of your progress, and performance.  Great stuff.  I will relay your story to my mom.  Thanks for sharing and best wishes for continued low numbers.