Worried wife

[wjonw]

Hi !

Yes i had some weird higher numbers also after chemo but these were totally norrnal during (was also stage 2b seminoma). The onc said not even to worry about any markers because scans were clear and that told the full story. ALl numbers normalized at my second scan 3 months after.

Is he on any vitamins? or anything new since chemo?

[Violet0729]

Ok i checked his labs again and realized his cholesterol is not high. His tumor marker LDH is high and at 262. So is there a possibility that chemo didn’t work? Does that mean he still has cancer and theres more spread?

[Violet0729]

Hi !

Yes i had some weird higher numbers also after chemo but these were totally norrnal during (was also stage 2b seminoma). The onc said not even to worry about any markers because scans were clear and that told the full story. ALl numbers normalized at my second scan 3 months after.

Is he on any vitamins? or anything new since chemo?

Were your tumor markers a little off after chemo? My husband’s LDH is high. But he does have anemia because his RBC is low. We are panicking

[Davepet]

LDH isn't really a tumor marker as inflammation anywhere in the body can cause it to be elevated,and at 262 his is not elevated all that much. I would not be panicking at this point, it is too soon post chemo.

BTW, seminoma cannot elevate AFP, but it can elevate the other markers, just so you know, but I doubt that is what is happening here.

[Violet0729]

Thank you Dave. Hopefully it’s just liver stress or his anemia.

[Mike]

As mentioned the LDH is not very specific and is of very minimal elevation. Also, the AFP measurement differences would be of no concern at all to me given that they are within the range and AFP is not elevated by seminoma. Regardless, unless it was above 25 I wouldn't have any concerns.

Mike

[JoeTheAstronaut]

That's the trouble, Violet, we're always looking over the shoulder, wondering if things go wrong - hopefully, the doctors confirm it's not cancer related!!

[wjonw]

Hi violet - yes my ldh was high right after chemo and it had never been during and is now back to normal.

As Dave said these are here to help but can also mean a lot of other things . Again if the scans are good that is all that matters. My doctor never panicked or was worried about the ldh so I trust him and move on as much as we can!
Let us know!

[Violet0729]

My husband just told me he has been having lower back pain and he is panicking. He has been doing yard work around the house and we are hoping it’s just that. He finished chemo over 3 weeks ago. Not sure what to think anymore. He has ct scan this Thursday.

[Davepet]

Back pain after yard work is pretty common, it takes very advanced TC to cause back pain, so have him lay off the yard work for now, I was just barely able to start hiking at 3 weeks post chemo....