Covid-19 vaccine advice

Please feel free to read, share your thoughts, your stories and connect with others!
utahgal7
Posts: 201
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2020 12:04 pm

Covid-19 vaccine advice

Postby utahgal7 » Tue Mar 02, 2021 12:40 pm

Hello everyone,

I am finally eligible to receive the covid-19 vaccine. However, I was wondering if I should delay getting the vaccine until after my quarterly CT scan/CEA test at the end of March. I have read that some cancer patients who received the vaccine had increases in CEA and I also read the vaccine can cause lymph nodes to swell. Should I wait or get the vaccine now? I am on the fence about what to do.

Thanks for your help!

Paige
Last edited by utahgal7 on Tue Mar 02, 2021 2:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
02/20 Rectal Cancer dx - 4 cm mass; located 9 cm from AV
03/20 CEA 2.7; 0.9; 1.4; 0.9; 0.9; 1.2; 1.0; 0.8; 1.1; 1.0; 1.1; 1.7; 1.8; 1.8
1.9; 2.4; 2.3; 2.8; 2.2, 2.8, 3.2; 3.0; 1.6; 2.0; 1.2
04/20 ST Radiation; 04/20 LAR surgery w/ileostomy; ypT3N1bM0; MSS, KRAS G12A
05/20 CAPEOX; 08/20 Ileostomy reversal
12/20 CT scan; lung nodules (watch and wait);
11/22 lung nodule biopsy positive for RC met;
1/23 VATS right lower lobe wedge resection
FOLFIRI 10 cycles

itsfineimanurse
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 6:49 pm

Re: COVID 19 VACCINE ADVICE

Postby itsfineimanurse » Tue Mar 02, 2021 2:37 pm

I got my first COVID vaccine on February 10th and my 6 month follow up CT was the 17th. I had heard the same as you did, but my scan and labs were all clear and fine. Maybe ask your oncologist what he/she thinks?
Diagnosed at 34- 2 kids (now 4 and 2)
Dx. T3b N1a RC 01/2020
FOLFOX 01-05/2020
Xeloda + Radiation 06-07/2020
LAR/Diverting Ileostomy 9/2020- Pathological Complete Response!
Clear Scan 11/2020
Ileostomy Reversal 02/2021
Clear Scan 02/2021, 05/2021- graduated from 3 to 6 month scans/labs

Beckster
Posts: 438
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 3:01 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: Covid-19 vaccine advice

Postby Beckster » Tue Mar 02, 2021 4:24 pm

The only thing that I heard about lymph node swelling due to the vaccine is the underarm LN and breast. Women are being advised not to have a mammography until 6 weeks after receiving the Covid vaccine. Apparently, mammography results might show LN involvement and create a false positive for possible breast cancer. Below is the link to the recommendation...

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/veri ... 088956849b
57/F
DX:(CC) 10/19/16
11/4/16- Lap right hemi(cecum)
CEA- Pre Op (1.9), Pre Chemo (2.5)
Type: Adenocarcinoma
Tumor size:3.5 cm x 2.5 x 0.7 cm
Grade: G3
TNM: T3N0M0/IIA
LN: 0/24
LVI present
Surgical margins: clear
MSS
12/27/2016 - Capeox, anaphylactic
1/2/17 to 6/9/17- Xeloda
6/17,12/17,6/18,12/18,6/19,12/19,12/20,12/21 CT Scan NED :D
CEA- 6/17- 3.6, 9/17- 2.8 12/17-2.8, 3/18-3.1, 6/18-3.0, 9/18 2.8, 12/18 2.5 3/19 3.1 6/19 3.1 9/19 2.6 12/19 2.8 6/20 3.0 12/20 2.7 6/21 2.9,[color=#000000]12/21 2.7[/color]
Clear Colonoscopy 10/17, 11/19,11/21 :D

crikklekay
Posts: 142
Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2018 9:47 am
Location: Richmond, VA

Re: Covid-19 vaccine advice

Postby crikklekay » Wed Mar 03, 2021 3:18 pm

utahgal7 wrote:Hello everyone,

I am finally eligible to receive the covid-19 vaccine. However, I was wondering if I should delay getting the vaccine until after my quarterly CT scan/CEA test at the end of March. I have read that some cancer patients who received the vaccine had increases in CEA and I also read the vaccine can cause lymph nodes to swell. Should I wait or get the vaccine now? I am on the fence about what to do.

Thanks for your help!

Paige


Can you please let me know where you read about other cancer patients having CEA rise after the vaccine? My husband got his two weeks before his routine bloodwork and it showed a sudden spike in CEA, everyone has been telling me it was probably inflammation due to the vaccine but I can't seem to find anyone else with a similar experience. I found an article saying that CEA levels spiked in cancer patients with COVID but nothing on the vaccine.

As for when to get the vaccine, I guess that depends on what your doctor thinks and your risk profile. Such as, if you work from home and barely leave the house you could probably wait for peace of mind, but if you have to mingle with the public on a daily basis waiting may not be a good idea.
Caring for DH John
Stage IIIC, Lymph nodes: 6/22
Chemo: FOLFOX (6)
12/17 ER and emergency surgery
02/18 Hospital w/MSSA infected port, PICC line inserted, chest CT scan showed septic emboli & blood clots
03/18 Hospital w/CDIFF
08/18 CT Scan Clear, NEMD
2018/2019/2021 Colonoscopy Clear
2019/2020/2021/2022 CT Scan Clear
2021 PET scan & MRI show one spot on liver
08/21 Liver surgery to remove spot, confirmed mCRC. Now Stage IV
09/21 Start Folfiri + Avastin
03/22 CEA Rise, continuing chemo

utahgal7
Posts: 201
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2020 12:04 pm

Re: Covid-19 vaccine advice

Postby utahgal7 » Wed Mar 03, 2021 3:40 pm

crikklekay,

Sorry, I forgot where I read it. If I remember, I will send you a message.

Paige
02/20 Rectal Cancer dx - 4 cm mass; located 9 cm from AV
03/20 CEA 2.7; 0.9; 1.4; 0.9; 0.9; 1.2; 1.0; 0.8; 1.1; 1.0; 1.1; 1.7; 1.8; 1.8
1.9; 2.4; 2.3; 2.8; 2.2, 2.8, 3.2; 3.0; 1.6; 2.0; 1.2
04/20 ST Radiation; 04/20 LAR surgery w/ileostomy; ypT3N1bM0; MSS, KRAS G12A
05/20 CAPEOX; 08/20 Ileostomy reversal
12/20 CT scan; lung nodules (watch and wait);
11/22 lung nodule biopsy positive for RC met;
1/23 VATS right lower lobe wedge resection
FOLFIRI 10 cycles

Siti
Posts: 269
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2019 10:58 am

Re: Covid-19 vaccine advice

Postby Siti » Wed Mar 03, 2021 4:31 pm

My husband was told by the doctor that the lymph nodes indeed might swell but it’s mainly around the arm/breast area near the injection site. He says best to inform the radiologist.
DH (54) DX on 5/7/19
Sigmoid|G3|LN:30/31|MSS|WT KRAS, NRAS, BRAF
7/19 PET distant LN para-aorta neck hip (0.5-1.5cm)
7/19 Lap resection
26/8 to 20/12/19 CAPEOX+Bev 7x
6/11/19 CT 3 cycle LN shrunk
1/20 Cap+Bev
4/20 TS-1+Bev due to bad HFS
NED 4 years
8/23 PET recurrence chest LN growing since Feb. CEA May(4.5>5.1>5.9)
9/23 Stopped Bev, CEA Sept(8.7) Radio 17x
11/23 PET 1+ supraclavicular LN, CEA (3.4>2.5)
12/23 Lymphadenectomy
1/24 Narrow margins, 1/5 +LN, 1.4cm +tissue, TMB (19)


Return to “Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 104 guests