Recurrence Questions

[Sherrygail]

Dr.
I have an appt. this Friday after a rise in CA 125 from 10 last spring to 40 in June.  The lab did another CA 125 & CT this morning.  I am expecting bad news though I feel really great.   Everyone says to be prepared and ask your doctor lots of questions. If I get bad results, I do not know what questions to ask.  Would you make some suggestions?

[jlock]

I think that all the ladies have given you some very good questions to ask the Dr.  I have had 2 recurrences so far and both times my numbers were low (82 and 54).  My Onc will not treat based on the number alone he waits until it shows up on the scans. My numbers have always been low with a large volume of disease present so my Onc usually watches me closely and after 2 recurrences he now acknowledges that whenever my numbers start to rise there is something brewin!!  Hang in there sweetie..I hope all goes well...please keep us posted~~~~Joanne

[Sherrygail]

Thanks................
Sherry

[momofsandj]

I agree with Judy -- no one really does anything until it hits 100 and then they try tamoxifen unless there is something big on the CT scan --- I didn't have chemo the second or third time until the numbers were climbing when I was on tamoxifen -- it bought me an extra 6 months --- the other questions you want to ask are what chemo will they try next, how long will they try the tamoxifen before starting chemo again, do they think you are platin resistant or platin sensitive (which will determine the chemo) -- If you can't tolerate the tamoxifen by the way, they can switch you to arimidex --- the tamoxifen isn't that bad other than hot flashes --- and I never felt sick from the cancer, even when my CA125 was at 1485 when I was first diagnosed -- I felt great in fact --- and I also didn't feel sick on either of the recurrences which is why they call OvCa the silent cancer........
Good luck and hang in there -- try not to get to upset until the doctor tells you that something has to be done.......and then you just do what has to be done --

[Sherrygail]

Thank you for your comments.  This will certainly help me be more prepared going into the consultation.    Sherry

[JC145]

My CA rose from 8 at the end of tx in 11/06 to 107 by July of 2007, but the CT did not find any evidence of disease, so my MD put me on tamoxifen (pill) and the CA125 went down to 20 last Dec. 07.  It has now risen to 60 and a lymph node on my liver was spotted on the last PET scan in May.  We are not doing any heavy chemo until we see exactly what this lymph node decides to do.  I think there is a sort of rule that once the CA hits 100, something has to be done, even if you can't "see" any disease on a scan.  I would ask your MD for a CT or PET scan.  If nothing shows, he may try tamoxifen .. or just wait and watch your CA125 for another month or so.  It's not the greatest ... but it beats chemo.  Judy

[Texas Grannie]

1. What kind of cancer do I have?
2. Does the CT show growth?
3. What stage?
4. What is the next step?
5. Do you think the CA125 is accurate?
6. Why do I feel good when my cancer seems worse?