I have just discovered this blood test. I find it absolutley astounding that people who have been through breast cancer treatment are not offered this blood test at every mamogramme or a CA125 blood test at a smear test. Or even offered it if they have not been through cancer. I recently went private for a Life Scan which included a CA125 blood test ... this came back slightly raised. CA125 is for Ovarian Cancer. I knew that these tests can be raised if there are other probelms in the body i.e IBS, inflamation etc. I did follow it up with my GP , who was fanctastic. It was investigated for Ovarian Cancer after several furhter tests. It turned out to be re occurance breast cancer from what I was treated for in 2003, this was discovered because the hospital did a CA15-3 blood test. If this had not been done I was about to undergo surgery of about a 5 to 7 hour operation. I had a mamoframme and smear test only last year that both came back clear. Had I of  had the CA marker tests then would something else of then shown up ... I dont know and now never will. I now have the cancer in my Omentum ( a sac of fat like area that hangs down from the stomach and basicly covers the organs such as intestines etc.) Tumours on both ovaries and a lump between my vgaina wall and rectum wall. I look at it that these could be taken away if it was ever possible  but at the moment I am undergoing chemotherapy as they said that that is the most important thing... which i pray and stay positive will reduce what is there and if i am blessed get rid of the buggar... and proplong my life for many years. But these bllod test should be available to all. !!

12 months after breast cancer started by loopy Lou

Hi positiveness .......  I am so sorry to hear about your secondary diagnosis and understand just how difficult this is to deal with.  Following on from this thread, you may like to take a look at the thread I have noted above. Maybe the moderators would be kind enough to put a link up.

The CR nurses have commented re this test. I was pretty disappointed with their negativity whilst they actually acknowledged that many more patients would have accurate readings from the test than a false one.  I totally agree with you that ovarian, prostate and breast cancer should be routinely tested. There are probably cancer marker tests for other cancers which I am unaware of and you are correct that it seems we are only made aware of these tests via the private sector which would seem to suggest a NHS cost issue.  Like you, I found my GP extremely supportive and positive regarding the test and told me that his mother had it regularly.

Good luck with your treatment, please keep in touch and let me know how you are doing x

Hi Max, How are you? I've been waiting for you to post so I could ask you how your treatment went? I hope you are ok xxxx

Hello everyone,

This is the link to the thread '12 months after breast cancer' Max suggested:

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-chat/thread/12-months-after-breast-cancer

I hope this helps!

Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

Bonjour Lucie and thanks for linking that.  Hope you are all prepared for Christmas. Much love x

Bonjour Max,

You're welcome! Have a great Christmas too. Enjoy your little break.

Guess what? I failed my driving test again.  Oh well one day I will share the good news with you.... but definitely won't be in 2015 :(

Lucie

Oh Lucie, really?  What did you fail on?  Maybe you need to change your instructor!!! (blame him haha).

Poor you - I have to say that you must be heading for a record - I wonder if there is a Guiness Book of Records entry for driving test failures, we will have to have a look.  Sorry to hear that Lucie but I am sure that you will manage to pass in 2016 - well you had better try lol !

Have a lovely Christmas - best wishes to everyone x

Sorry to read that you 'got failed' again Lucie but  you are not giving up, I bet.  I only failed once and never bothered again (coward or what!!!).  The only 'up' to your news is that you will be able to have a tipple without having to watch the limit this year.  Maybe next year it will be a different story.  Wishing  you and the family a happy Christmas and success on the driving front for 2016.  Jules

Thanks a lot jules54 and Max - you made me laugh. It's such a stressful exam I find. I was so nervous about it that  I didn't sleep all night which didn't help. I am not one to give up, perhaps too stubborn I am. I still have a way to go before the Guinness Book of Records as this was only my second attempt (in England ha ha) - in the UK the record goes to someone who passed on their 37th attempt. I failed on a slip road amongst various other things but I don't think it was quite as bad as last time.

Anyway sorry I hijacked this important thread to share my driving failures but I thought it would amuse you all!

Now back to serious and important things... like blood tests available to monitor breast cancer.

Sorry about the digression!!

Lucie

Thanks a lot jules54 and Max - you made me laugh. It's such a stressful exam I find. I was so nervous about it that  I didn't sleep all night which didn't help. I am not one to give up, perhaps too stubborn I am. I still have a way to go before the Guinness Book of Records as this was only my second attempt (in England ha ha) - in the UK the record goes to someone who passed on their 37th attempt. I failed on a slip road amongst various other things but I don't think it was quite as bad as last time.

Anyway sorry I hijacked this important thread to share my driving failures but I thought it would amuse you all!

Now back to serious and important things... like blood tests available to monitor breast cancer.

Sorry about the digression!!

Lucie