AFP Tumor Markers

[sheckert]

The oncologist went over Ryan's AFP results with us today and his AFP markers are down from 46,000 to 25,000. I know this is not as significant of a drop in levels as what we wanted to see. The blood work was done last week, at the end of his first round of chemo. He has just started his second round of chemo today. I was just wondering if anyone would mind letting me know what they think of this and what your tumor markers were after the first round. Thank you!

[Margaret]

Hi there, I hope you and your son are doing well.

My husband's AFP before his surgery to remove the testicle were about 120. Post surgery they dropped to 39.

Of course I did not know how these numbers compared to others because we had never been through this before. And even though looking back these numbers 'seem' on the lower side...he did have 4 full rounds of chemo with belo...and it had spread to his lymph nodes in his abdomen. (one tumor was 9.9cm x 10.8 cm) I am not sure why some people show a higher AFP number than others, because I would have considered my husband's cancer to be in a middle stage. I think he was stage II B-C.

Once he went through the first round of chemo...or maybe it was the second round (honey if you are lurking here please correct me if I am wrong ) his numbers dropped to 3.9. Which was much better than anyone expected. They were hoping for a drop to 20. My husband always said that his cancer just must have really hated that chemo!

Your son's drop seem to be almost a 50% drop...which was what they were hoping for my husband to do. Sounds like things are moving in the right direction. Did they say the number they were hoping for?

I hope everything goes well!! Thinking of you!

Margaret

[mstlyn]

I was wondering when my sons oncologist would be checking tumor markers.

He just had blood work done yesterday (after his first round of chemo) but the nurse said it was not for tumor markers.

It was checking sodium, calcium, LDH and a long list of other things. The only thing I saw on the list that I thought was related to tumor markers, was his
HCG level. No AFP

The only thing I can recall about my sons tumor markers were the ones his urologist had. He said they were 250, and 500 ( I dont know which was which)
and the blood work his oncologist had done the first time was the same thing that he ordered for yesterday.

How soon should he be checking the markers? Why would he be looking at these other things in the blood and not the markers?

[Margaret]

I was wondering when my sons oncologist would be checking tumor markers.

He just had blood work done yesterday (after his first round of chemo) but the nurse said it was not for tumor markers.

It was checking sodium, calcium, LDH and a long list of other things. The only thing I saw on the list that I thought was related to tumor markers, was his
HCG level. No AFP

The only thing I can recall about my sons tumor markers were the ones his urologist had. He said they were 250, and 500 ( I dont know which was which)
and the blood work his oncologist had done the first time was the same thing that he ordered for yesterday.

How soon should he be checking the markers? Why would he be looking at these other things in the blood and not the markers?

A lot of the things they are checking in his blood relate to how well his body is handling the chemo. I thought they checked my husband's tumor markers with each cycle of chemo. But I would ask your Dr.and I am sure they would tell you.

[drom]

My son's markers were over 6,000 before chemo and after the first round dropped to just below 400. The numbers came from our local hospital and I remember when we saw Dr. Motzer at Sloan a week later he didn't believe it. He said it was highly unlikely the levels would drop that fast. PS, Sloan's numbers were even lower.

As was said, 50% is a great drop, he has a long way to go but 50% is a good start. The last few weeks will be the most painful watching the numbers drop 2 or 3 points a week. You'll get there.

Domenic