Blood test question

mom2mande · Regular Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 10

My grandpa has been through 6 or 7 chemo treatments(I can't remember ) and before the chemo some kind of blood test was at a "23", 3 treatments ago it was "17" and yesterday it was "6". My grandparents don't know anything else other than this is good news according to the oncologist. What blood test is this? No one knows because unfortunately my grandparents don't ask any questions and I wish one of my aunts or uncles would go with them to one of these appointments. I am happy that he got good news, I am just curious is all. He looked awesome on Sunday there were about 50 of us over to their house for Easter. He has had no side effects what so ever from the chemo, he is putting on weight, eating a ton, backpain completely goneect. He does go for another scan(grandparents weren't sure if it was another PET or CT) the end of April. I am just so thankful the chemo isn't making his quality of life horrible. So can anyone help on what this blood test is and what the numbers mean? TIA

prettyinpink · Regular Joined: 07 Feb 2008 Posts: 10

I am so glad that your grandfather is doing well. I will assume it is because they caught the cancer early enough to treat it and that he has a good medical team. The test you are inquiring about, I bellieve is a tumor marker called CA 19-9. This is a good tool for watching the cancer cells. When it rise's it may show the cancer is spreading or the tumor is growing. It also will rise if there is an infection in the body. You can google this to learn more about it. I wish you and your family well during this dificult time.
Take care,
Janice

mom2mande · Regular Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 10

Thanks Janice although my grandfather was diagnosed Jan 29 with advanced pancreatic cancer, it has spread to his lung and liver. He had been having issues for many months before they looked into it more throughly. He was sent home with pain pills and the oncologist told him that if he needs stronger they can give him stronger but after that they would just call hospice. Some of the things they have told me their dr has said just makes me so angry like he doesn't have a kind or caring word to say at all, no bedside manner. Needless to say he has NOT had to take any pain pills at all, his backache that caused him so much pain is totally gone. We are praising God for him feeling so well but deep down inside I am praying that this is not the "calm before the storm". I am trying to hard to remain hopeful but these darn statistics just won't let you. Thankyou for your response I am going to go look up that particular blood test now.

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