PET scan

[bestmommex]

if Pet is clear but CA 125 is going up, is the cancer still present?

[PF_PVD]

Saw two oncologists today and neither one of them suggested this increase for me was anything but a recurrence.  Not from 13 to 50 to 62 in three weeks.  In fact they said in a stage iv, it wasn't surprising.  I wish I'd known I was only going to have about a month to enjoy remission.  I sure wouldn't have told anybody.  

But, bestmommex, we're all diffferent. I don't know your story but I was dx at stage 4 with mets to distant lymph nodes and too much cancer in my abdomen to operate without chemo.  You could possibly have something else going on.  You need to talk to someone about this, as not knowing to me is worse than knowing.

[PF_PVD]

Well, this is discouraging as I was just told my CA125 done at another lab for confirmation is now 62 less than a week after my already elevated 50 reading.  Watchful waiting is not really my style.

[alanpvegas]

OK with PET it's basically a sugar laced tracer that gets injected into you.  Cancer looooves sugar so the PET scan picks up 'areas of activity' where this sugar tracer is concentrating.  So, if you have a tumor for example, it will show up because tumors are h-u-n-g-r-y for sugar.  The PETs main goal is identifying areas of activity before they become big tumors (ones that cannot be seen by CT or ultrasound alone).

So a clear PET scan is very good news, but it is one tool out of the toolbox.  Because OvCa seeds around...a clear PET right now with rising CA-125 just means it's something to monitor.  Remember, your ca-125 can rise for different reasons and does not always mean a tumor has taken hold (the PET would show that).  

[amusedeasily]

Hi,

I'm new here.  

I was diagnosed with Stage IIIc in March last year.  I responded remarkably to carboplatin/taxotere - my CA-125 went down to '2.7' after just 2 chemos.  My scans were clear.  I was in total remission.

I started a taxol "maintenance" in August but had to stop after 5/12 due to neuropathy. My CA-125 started to go up slowly but surely.  By the time I had my post-chemo scans in early November, it was up to '13' but the scans were clear.  When it hit '20'  3 weeks ago, I went for a PET and a CAT.  It has spread to my entire abdomen, my lung and my lymph glands in less than 2 months - well, it showed up on the scans less tha 2 months later.

I have an excellent doctor and unlike most, he didn't wait until I went over the "normal" 35.  Any 5-point increase over your lowest CA-125 is cause for suspicion.  '20' is the new norm for ovarian survivors.

I pray that you are clean but if that CA keeps going up keep on them!

Janet

[msjazz]

I was in remission from Jan -07 to about July 07 when my ca125 started going up. I paid for a petct myself because blue cross doesn t cover for ovarian cancer. It was clear. My appt on Oct 19 I had stomach pain and ct showed intestine blockage so I was sent to surgery. The dr. used same incision and looked for cancer while in there. She saw no visible cancer however 4 slides plus fluid were positive. As soon as  I recovered  she started carbo/gemzar for recurrence. Microscopic cells don t show up on scans, but i was sure she was going to start chemo anyway because of continued rise It was 265 after surgery, now 36 after 2 rounds chemo. Sorry I don t have better news.   Donna

[SimplyStar]

those pesky little immature cells that hide from scans and chemo, sometimes I feel that if a chemo  drug is working  , why put a time limit on it , why not continue on for a few more. times and get more cleaned out.  so many diseases are maintained by continual drug treatment,  why do they stop chemo treatments?  I know the answer, side effects. But there are so many drugs to choose from now. My diabetus has been under control for many years, yet I take a pill every day to "contain" it.  My son had a blood clot years ago, on a pill to prevent it recurring again.  this goes on and on, I think one of those low dose chemo pills should really be looked into to helpfully kill those remaining cells.  Just me on my soap box.  marty

[PF_PVD]

I'm meeting with my onc tomorrow to find this out.  I had a clear PET/CT on 12/27 and was declared in remission.  Three weeks later on 1/14 I had a clear CT and dedicated renal scan.  But now my CA125 is more than triple (50) what it was two weeks ago (13).  I'm not sure what they can do.  I don't like the idea of just hanging around waiting for symptoms.  Hope things work out for you. Paula