HE4, part 2

I got back the results of my HE4 test- 40.  


This is a multi-step process.  The first step is that it is under 151.  Check!  The next step is that it doesn't increase with serial sampling.  If it increases 25% each time, it's a good indicator of disease.  If it doesn't, there's a 70% chance of no disease.  


I do the next HE4 in 3 months.

HE4

I'm back from the MD, and as we suspected, there wasn't a whole lot to learn.  On the positive side, today's physical exam didn't find anything, so that's good!  He had me do a different, relatively new blood test, a biomarker called the human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) that may show more details about what's going on.  I'm also doing a few other routine tests coming up to rule other things out.  So pretty much it's back to hurry up and wait.  My MD doesn't believe in starting treatment based on CA125 results, makes sense to me!  


P.S. The epididymis is part of the male reproductive system, I haven't quite figured this one out yet...