carpla
07-14-05, 07:38 PM
Hi Everyone! It's been a little while since I posted, but now that my husband's surveillance has begun in earnest, I have a question. His second go round with tc began when he was diagnosed last September (after 18 years being clean, although as large as the tumor was, it must've been in there for quite awhile) and he went through 4 rounds of the VIP and then had his RPLND on Feb. 17 of this year (the surgeon and oncologist wanted to do the chemo first to shrink the tumor down, as it was totally encasing his ivc, as well as part of his right kidney). Anyway, his markers started off as follows: AFP- 132,600 and the LDH- 350. The subsequent 4 rounds of chemo continuously brought both numbers down, with which the doctors were very pleased, and 2 weeks after the last round, the AFP was down to 660. After the RPLND, the AFP was down to 2.6. The first 2 month blood work had his AFP at 2.1, and the one we just had showed it at 1.6. Of course, Shaun and I are both THRILLED with these numbers, but I was wondering how long after the treatment and surgery until it levels off and we don't see it dropping anymore? Of course, I realize that we don't want to see it rising, even in the slightest, but it is normal for it to actually still be dropping 5 months after surgery? Thanks!