What to expect?

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kayrnic
kayrnic Member Posts: 1
in Breast Cancer #1
So, I'm a 10 year bc survivor. Stage IIA, negative nodes, er/pr+, her2-, received lumpectomy, node dissection, 4 rounds AC, and radiation in 2001/2002. I was 29 years old. Now I'm 39 and have been diagnosed a second time with what appears to be a stage I tumor in the same breast. I decided to have a double mas. with immediate reconstruction so the plastic surgeon ordered a ct scan to check to make sure everything looked good from a vascular standpoint. Well, surprise.....two lesions in my liver and one on my spine. Probably mets from the cancer 10 years ago. This really sucks....I thought I had beat it. They're doing an ultrsound monday to get a better look at the liver. What comes after that? What type of treatment can I expect? I'm hoping to live 4 more years to see my son graduate high school. Is this realistic? Any help, support, personal stories? Thanks!

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  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #2
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    You're darn right it sucks!
    I'm so sorry you're having to face this again.

    I don't have mets myself, but just wanted to assure you we have many women here on this board who've lived MUCH longer than 4 years with mets to their liver and/or bone. I know they'll be along soon to share their experiences with you.

    Traci
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #3
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    biggest fear
    I think that is our biggest fear, of recurrence. Several on the boards are stage 4. I was stage 3 in 2003. I think they have improved treatment since then. Good luck with treatment.
  • SIROD
    SIROD Member Posts: 2,194 Member
    #4
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    Seventeen years Plus and counting....
    Hi Kay,

    Breast Cancer can return 30+ years later after the original diagnose. No one is every out of the woods with this disease.

    They will probably need a biopsy of the cells in your spine or liver to see if you are still ER/PR positive and if the HER2 status changed to positive.

    What they give you depends a lot on age (your young) and what it is now, positive or negative. Usually with lesions in an organ they do chemotherapy even if you are triple positive this time around.

    I am in my 17 1/2 year since diagnose. When it recurred for the 3rd time after a long period of actually being NED since my 2nd recurrence, I did have a biopsy. This is to make certain the cells were the same and mine were. The 3rd time, I had tumors everywhere in both lungs and lining along with an effusion.
    I was given a choice and I am in my 6th decade, so I decided to try another hormonal therapy. I have since had 3 progressions and my next scan is this week. I expect good news.

    One can live many years with this disease. I hope this is helpful.

    Am very sorry that you have to return to this journey. I wish you well.

    Best,

    Doris
  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    #5
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    Hi.
    I was diagnosed w/IDC stage I grade 2 (I had a 1.97 cm tumor) in my right breast in 2002. Had a single mastectomy, chemo and reconstruction, on Tamoxifen for 6-8 months. My body didn't tolerate it. August 2010, I had pain in my ribs/chest, went to er, had a ct scan, was told a pulled muscle. 2 weeks later had horrible pain in my pelvic region and lower back. I called my oncologist, he saw me the next day, I had a pet the following Wednesday. It lit up like a Christmas tree.

    Then a bone biopsy to my left hip. Positive for IDC. Biopsy on a lump under the skin in my back, positive for IDC. Started rads to my pelvic, tailbone, hips and lower spine. Started chemo in January 2011, and am now on my 3rd chemo and he added Herceptin as the other 2 chemo's didn't touch the tumors, and I was borderline her2+. I have been on weekly chemo for over a year, and a ct scan showed it is now in the soft connective tissue in my ribs, as well as lesions on my liver.

    Just had new scans to see if the third chemo did anything. For the first time since all of this started, I have no new tumors! Some tumors showed increased activity, some showed decreased activity, and some that are stable. I will stay on this chemo as long as it works. Then we will find another one

    At first, due to rapid growth I was given about 3-6 months, it is now 18. I still drive, walk, and enjoy every day that I am feeling good, and try to find good even in the days that suck! I do weekly chemo, so I have usually 2-3 good days, and try to make the others tolerable, if not, I go to sleep.

    This journey has not been easy, but when I was dx w/mets, it was already in most of my bones and skin. Was tired from not sleeping. I couldn't get comfortable. As long as my liver functions are good, I will not worry about them. I am tired but am able to nap when it gets bad.

    Cancer sucks, and stage iv is not an immediate death sentence. I have watched both my boys graduate from college, have been to California twice to see my family. I am now taking a ceramics class to stay sane and be social.

    You have come to the right site, these pinks are awesome and really do care. I can't tell you the difference it has made in my life. I have wonderful sisters and friends, but unless they have been there, they don't relate to most of my everyday life.

    Hugs and Prayers on your journey,
    Carol
  • Ballerina
    Ballerina Member Posts: 152
    #6
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    Cancer truely sucks
    Kayrnic, cancer truely sucks but don't limit your life span. I am survivor but I have a friend that has had cancer in her entire body except the brain for six years. She told me she was not leaving this earth anytime soon and she will take treatment for as many times needed. When we do get together she gets up and dances then laughs because she says she will need her walker or cane tomorrow but not today. She always tell me to stay prayerful, positive, laugh,try to have a sense of humor and fight it's life we are talking about. You hang in there and my prayers and hugs are with you. There is nothing unrealistic about living a long time even with cancer.


    Ballerina
  • Angie2U
    Angie2U Member Posts: 2,991
    #7
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    TraciInLA said:

    You're darn right it sucks!
    I'm so sorry you're having to face this again.

    I don't have mets myself, but just wanted to assure you we have many women here on this board who've lived MUCH longer than 4 years with mets to their liver and/or bone. I know they'll be along soon to share their experiences with you.

    Traci

    So sorry
    I'm so sorry that you have a recurrence. It does suck! Sending you lots of prayers.


    Hugs, Angie

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