Spoke to doc about CA-125

I spoke to the doc and he said he will test the CA-125 before the next treatment at my request.

He told me they usually dont test at this point because 1.) if its wrong and we switch treatments because of a wrong test result, we could be depriving her of the best medication out there. ALSO 2.) he said the taxol and carboplatin are the most powerful drugs out there. He said if she is not responding to these, then she is in trouble because the other drugs are not nearly as effective as the combination she is currently getting.

Does this make sense to all of you?

Please let me know. Thanks.

[milashka]

I guess it makes sense. But I still liked it that I had my CA-125 checked before every treatment, this way I could follow its drop. It was 946 before surgery, 250 about 3 weeks later before the first chemo treatment, then it dropped to 68 after treatment 1, 19 after treatment 2, 14 after treatment 3, and 12 for treatments 4-5. They took another one after treatment 6 and I will learn Thursday what it was. It's just nice to know.

[ConcernedInNY]

Hi Milashka.

So treatment 6 is done...so youre done with the chemo now?  Congratulations for getting through it - physically and emotionally.

What happens next?  You get blood tests every month? Every 3 months?  Im glad you have been responding to the treatment and Im confident that you'll achieve a permanent remission as Im confident my mom will as well.

[gah_70]

My doc also took CA125 readings before each treatment so he could gauge how well the treatments were working.  Mine went from 3053 before surgery to 17 after my last treatment.  I finished the last week of December, and for the first month post chemo, I saw my doctor weekly to check my counts and flush my port.  Since February, my appointments went to monthly.  I have another appointment this Thursday, and if my CA125 remains stable, then my appointments will go to every two months.  If not, then I will have two more treatments of chemo.  Fingers crossed!  I have a good start on growing my hair back, and I really don't want to lose it again.

Good luck to you and your mom...and you too, milashka.

[gah_70]

I'm actually a little nervous about this next appointment...I don't really know why.  I think maybe it's because it's a turning point for me...getting to go from monthly appointments to every two months.  I'm going to Hawaii in June, and I really wanted to have enough hair to not have to wear a hat all the time by then.  

So glad to know you are at the end of your treatments.  I can't begin to tell you how much better I feel physically (and mentally) being through with that nasty stuff.  It will take a while, but you'll get there.  Yeah, shaving isn't any fun, but I secretly don't mind it because it means I have hair!  You have a great day, too!

Gail :)

[ConcernedInNY]

Well my moms doc was on vacation so this doc was a fill in.

And I didnt like his answers either.  And though the CA-125 is just one piece of the puzzle, I am annoyed that they havent been testing those levels.  I am insisting from now on that this test is done before each treatment.  They must have the trend on record even though you cant base everything just on one test.

He did say chances are the treatment she is taking will work and though its likely a recurrence will happen it could very well be 3 or 4 years from now.  He did say at this point have every reason to be optimistic.

She is otherwise healthy which is good since she hopefully can tolerate all the treatments.  She also came out of the surgery like a champ.  But it all comes down to how she responds to the treatment.  And everyone is different.  He did say if she is in remission for 3 or 4 years, which is certainly possible, they could and probably will have new and better treatments to help her.

I want my mom alive and well for 10 more years at least.  I hope she is one of the lucky ones who goes into a permanent remission so she doesnt have to deal with it again.

[kathy o]

I so hope everything remains stable for you. I am hopefully headed in that direction myself. I got added a extra Chemo because I did not get a Carbo down and numbers actually jumped, at least it was midway and not at the end.  It is nice to get your Hair back, except you have to start all the shaving again!!! Have a great day!

[milashka]

Alan, to answer your question: I will see my oncologist every 4 weeks for one year, and he will check the CA-125 as well (every 4 weeks for one year). The next CT scan will happen in 6 months unless of course the tumor marker rises. Very close monitoring, I'd say. My first post-treatment appointment is tomorrow.