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Cancer tomorrow marker blood tests

Etteric
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I had stage 3 bowel cancer,when I had emergency surgery to remove the foot long cancer t they took 20 lymp nodes and found cancer cell activity in 6 of them so I'm now on chemotherapy 

  • My question is ,I understand I will in time get regular scans,will that show if the cancer is growing in the lymp nodes ,,or can they only detect the cancer when it's already bug and needs surgery?

I'm having chemo and been told my nlood results us niw up to 9 on the cancer tumour markers so they are booking me a scan...I don't understand any of it ,and was too shocked to ask,,,,will I need radiotherapy do you think?

Could it mean anything apart from more cancer,?

Thank you in advance ,im a little wortied

  • Hi Etteric,

    Thank you for getting I touch. My name is Fiona and I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists here on the Support Line. Welcome to the Online Community, I hope you find it a helpful and supportive space.

    There are several tumour markers that your team time will check from time to time.  CEA is the most common tumour marker used in colorectal cancer. But CA 19-9 is another  tumour marker that may also be elevated in colorectal cancer.This information from Beating bowel cancer will help you to understand tumour markers in more detail.

    Without knowing more about the specific tumour marker your consultant has checked, it is difficult for us to be able to offer you any general advice. It may be helpful to contact your consultant or nurse specialist so that they can explain these results and their significance to you in more detail. As they know your history and results well, they are best placed to advise. If you manage to get any further information round these tumour marker’s, we would be happy to discuss further around what they are and about what certain results may mean.

    CT scans can be used to diagnose a condition but also to see if your chemotherapy is working, so are often given after three months of treatment; they can detect activity in the lymph nodes, so can alert your team to early progression, so that they can change your treatment if needed.

    You might find it useful to connect with people in our groups in the online community. They can share support and their experiences. There’s nothing quite like support from others who know what it feels like.

    I hope this information helps. Please feel free to get back in touch if you want more information or support.

    With best wishes

    FionaS

    Cancer Information Nurse Specialist  

    You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or email us. 

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