I know that there are differing views on tumor markers. However, does anyone know what the numbers actually mean...like if your number goes up, but is still below the 35 mark as "normal" is that significant? or do these numbers naturally vary by a few points?
My doctors (3) all think the markers are unreliable, especially in the normal range and thus anything in the normal range is just that - normal, even if it varies.
My oncologist doesn't test for markers at all because of this unreliability. In my case, with 2 separate tumors, one more aggressive than the other, my marker were NEVER elevated. In fact, they never changed from normal before or after mastectomy.
My markers have been the same throughout.