Hi everyone. Recap for me...diagnosed last Nov., 2c, finished chemo April of this year. Ca 125 was 113 before surgery and dropped to 6.4 after 1st chemo. Since then it has been between 4 and 7. Then 4 weeks ago I started a vaccine study at Duke. The vaccine creates an enormous...like 10 inches by 5 inches...red, ugly, swollen spot on my leg at the injection site. The Dr. said the bigger the better because it shows an immune response by my body. Anyhow, 4 weeks ago my ca-125 was 7 and today it was 38. Sort of a huuuuugggggeee jump for 4 weeks when it had been between 4 and 7 for 9 months. Of course I am really worried and was wondering if anyone has been on a vaccine study, or knows of someone, and has info on the effect on the ca-125. My doctor said we will retest in 3 weeks.
Thanks. :)Kim
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Vaccine Study and Increase in ca125
- By koh847
- Posted September 24, 2009 at 7:40 pm · 9 replies
- In What, me worry?
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- By Jennali
- Posted September 24, 2009 at 8:42 pm
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My first thought was that perhaps the swollen leg is indicative of inflammation...and that could account for the rise. I hope that is all it is. I guess you have to just wait out the next three weeks. Not fun, I know.
Keep us posted.
- By koh847
- Posted September 24, 2009 at 8:50 pm
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Hi Jennali...yes, huge inflamation...do you think that could account for the increase? I sure hope so... I just finished chemo less than 6 months ago.
Thans for the good wishes.
:)Kim
- By packerfan
- Posted September 25, 2009 at 8:17 am
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My very first thought without even reading Jennali's reply was the same. So hopefully it is just inflamation. Did they do a CA 125 right before you started the study to make sure it wasn't up before you started?
Best wishes to you.
Amy
- By koh847
- Posted September 25, 2009 at 9:52 am
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Hi Amy...thanks for the response...I am so nervous. Yes, the ca125 was 7 before I started..that was on 8/24 then vaccine started 9/2 and this ca125 of 38 came on 9/21. Wish I could hear from another vaccine participant to hear their experience. It helps so much to hear from anyone, though....just to hear that it really could be nothing to worry about.
Thanks for the good wishes,
Kim
- By momanderson920
- Posted October 7, 2009 at 7:29 am
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Kim, I forgot that you were on a vaccine trial. I am most interested. I don't freak over the CA125 as much as I do the CTs and PETs. I think those are what we should really pay attention to. And I saw a video by a Dr. Chu about vaccines and immune therapy and she said sometimes the vaccines create a stable disease situation where nothing grows but there is some remaining disease there. I don't know if that may be your situation. And remember inflammation can cause the CA125 to rise.
- By koh847
- Posted October 7, 2009 at 10:57 am
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Hi, just saw my surgeon. Good news. Physical exam, internal, was good. He felt the lump in my side and felt very confident that it is not cancer related. He said not a common place for recurrence and it did not feel like a cancer would feel. He also reviewed my ct that was7 weeks ago. He said the ca125 increase is very likely the vaccine especially with all the inflammation I have after each shot. I will have another blood test on Monday, but he said not to expect a decrease until 3 or 4 wkd after my last vaccine. I will still have some type of imaging study after my last vaccine which is next week. Thanks to all who responded ad helped me through thisrough spot.
- By momanderson920
- Posted October 7, 2009 at 11:58 am
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Kim, I am most interested in the vaccine you are on. I would like to pursue this treatment if and when I go back on treatment or even to prevent recurrence. You said there is alot of inflammation? Is yours the one where you have to get many shots? And what kind of vaccine is it? I have read alot of promising response to some of these vaccines for maintaining either stable disease or preventing recurrence for long periods.
- By Cancergrrl
- Posted October 8, 2009 at 10:29 am
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Hi Kim,
Do you have a link to information about the study? It sounds really interesting.
Thanks,
Cancergrrl
- By koh847
- Posted October 8, 2009 at 1:36 pm
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If you go to www.clinical trials.gov and type in "ovarian cancer and duke"in the search box it will be the first one to pop up. Let me know if you have any problem finding it.
:)Kim
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