cancer came back, need help!!

yumi
yumi Member Posts: 5
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999 and had mastectomy. Unfortunately it came back in September in 2001 and had another surgery to remove lumps. Now I am facing something worst. The CT scan I have taken is showing some shadows growing and lymph glands are swollen in my lungs. My doctors think either breast cancer or lung cancer is spreading out but no one can say for sure till I take mediastinoscopy. If they are cancer I have been told there is no cure. So practically the doctors already assume I don

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  • yumi
    yumi Member Posts: 5
    #5
    unknown said:

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    Dear Auntie,

    Would you tell me or recommend any good doctors or hospitals I can contact??
    It's about three hours drive from Vancouver so I can go down there easily.

    thanks for your help
  • jeancmici
    jeancmici Member Posts: 665 Member
    #6
    http://www.fhcrc.org/

    Hi Yumi,

    Good doctors never talk about a CURE, but any dummy except a heartless one ought to have told you, there are remissions where you can be free of cancer or any progression of tumors for an indefinite period of time.

    I gave you the cancer center in Seattle (URL above) which is where I would go if I wanted to go somewhere for an opinion.I would think - well worth the three hours drive.

    Good Luck! Sometimes the hardest thing with cancer is to find some GOOD doctors to take care of us properly.

    Keep us informed.
    Jean
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #7
    yumi said:

    Dear Auntie,

    Would you tell me or recommend any good doctors or hospitals I can contact??
    It's about three hours drive from Vancouver so I can go down there easily.

    thanks for your help

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • bdean
    bdean Member Posts: 259
    #8
    Hi!
    You did not specify what treatments you received with your surgeries. Did you take any type of chemo? Were your tumors estrogen positive or her2neu positive? I had small tumors in my lungs and the chemo I was on shrank them beyond recognition. One of my friends has had primary lung cancer, and her treatments have put her in remission. From what my oncologist has told me, any cancer found elsewhere in the body after breast cancer is determined as primary cancer, will also be from the breast cancer cells that have lodged there. I do know from what another Canadian has told about her treatments--the doctors in US do things a bit different in the overall treatment, and outlook. If you can possibly get a second opinion in the US, please try. Prescription medicines may be much cheaper in Canada, but I can't help but worry about their interpretation of the use of some of these newer drugs. Good luck. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.
    Hugs from Brenda
  • shirlann
    shirlann Member Posts: 229
    #9
    Hi, dear sister, well, here in the US we are getting a lot of the same thing with HMO's, they get a bonus for the patients they have they give the LEAST treatment to! Things are not that good here and getting worse, small comfort, I know. If you can, call UCLA University Breast Cancer Center, I believe it is the Susan G. Komen Center. They have a wonderful "2nd opinion" diagnostic program that needs no referrals, you need only to get your mammo's, slides, all records, etc., send them on ahead about 2 weeks before your appointment and in one day, they see you (they have already gone over with a fine tooth comb all the info you sent ahead) and they will then multi-facet you. You stay in one room and are visited by an oncologist (brest cancer only), a pathologist (breast cancer only) a surgeon, a psychologist and your assigned primary surgeon. They have already met at a round table and discussed all the facets of your case. Then they tell you what they recommend for you to do. This cost me $125 US. They try to keep the cost as low as possible, I had a relatively low grade cancer, your cost would be more, I am sure, but still well within most of our reach. I had a total snotty moron surgeon here in San Diego, and couldn't believe that all this tender care was only 120 miles away. Now, you need to sign a release form to get all your records, if your system is the same as the US. They have to give you all ORIGINAL slides and x-rays, not reports. As well, you need to get all copies of your docs reports, office visits, etc. This is a lot of work, but can be done. If this sounds like something you want to pursue, you can fly to San Diego and stay with me for your appointment. That will save hotel costs. Call them on Monday, see what you think. God love you, Shirlann
  • apryl
    apryl Member Posts: 14
    #10
    i was diagnosed with breast cancer in may of 2000. at my 6 month check up was told i had bone mets and just 6 more months to live. i am beating the odds everyday. everyday they count people out with indominible spirits who fight and win. i am winning. bdean (brenda) is winning. surround yourself with stories of a people who are winning. grit your teeth, dig in your claws and kick some cancer butt...you can do this...and may God be with you every step...your okc friend, april
  • yumi
    yumi Member Posts: 5
    #11
    shirlann said:

    Hi, dear sister, well, here in the US we are getting a lot of the same thing with HMO's, they get a bonus for the patients they have they give the LEAST treatment to! Things are not that good here and getting worse, small comfort, I know. If you can, call UCLA University Breast Cancer Center, I believe it is the Susan G. Komen Center. They have a wonderful "2nd opinion" diagnostic program that needs no referrals, you need only to get your mammo's, slides, all records, etc., send them on ahead about 2 weeks before your appointment and in one day, they see you (they have already gone over with a fine tooth comb all the info you sent ahead) and they will then multi-facet you. You stay in one room and are visited by an oncologist (brest cancer only), a pathologist (breast cancer only) a surgeon, a psychologist and your assigned primary surgeon. They have already met at a round table and discussed all the facets of your case. Then they tell you what they recommend for you to do. This cost me $125 US. They try to keep the cost as low as possible, I had a relatively low grade cancer, your cost would be more, I am sure, but still well within most of our reach. I had a total snotty moron surgeon here in San Diego, and couldn't believe that all this tender care was only 120 miles away. Now, you need to sign a release form to get all your records, if your system is the same as the US. They have to give you all ORIGINAL slides and x-rays, not reports. As well, you need to get all copies of your docs reports, office visits, etc. This is a lot of work, but can be done. If this sounds like something you want to pursue, you can fly to San Diego and stay with me for your appointment. That will save hotel costs. Call them on Monday, see what you think. God love you, Shirlann

    Hi everyone,
    Thank you so much for your support and quick response. I feel I am not alone anymore which is really important to me.
    Shirlann, thank you for offereing me your place to stay. My husband was so impressed that your offer.
    I wil keep you all posted.
  • sueholm
    sueholm Member Posts: 205
    #12
    Yumi...hi, I am in Merritt BC and am so sorry you are having delays. I had my surgery in kamloops then my chemo and radiation at the cancer clinic in kelowna and everything moved very fast. I was told intitially that appointment to see oncologist might take two months, then told it would be on priority after a doc reviewd file..i got my appointment in 10 days! my local doc had already sent my path report to kelowna, despite the surgeon having gone on holiday. ie....I think the key is your local doc...mine has phoned up about results, checked up on progress of things, requested to be told of cancellations for tests, requested earlier dates, etc etc and I can not complain one little bit. He would have sent me for second opinions if I had wanted. So my doc has acted as my 'squeaky wheel' and i certainly got the grease! I also got copies of every test, path report, doc's notes from examinations...the docs have to give you these in bc if you request them. I switched docs to get the one I have. Please dont assume the docs think you dont have much time to live.Take control Yumi. that is different from complaining. I find this site extremely slow, like five minutes for your post to open, so I am going more now to cancersurvivor.com where there is a great chat room. there is a chat in breast cancer 6 pm sunday our time, so you might like to join us in the breast cancer chat room. I would like to help some more if I can...Susan
  • pamtriggs
    pamtriggs Member Posts: 386
    #13
    There is no such thing as no cure. Any doctor that says that about cancer needs to be fired. I had mets spread to lungs & bones. Never was I told there is no cure. The lung mets are now gone with treatment so that doctor is wrong. I still have the bony mets. So don't believe "no cure". Learn & ask & take the treatments that are aimned to cure not "make you comfortable". Find an oncologist who will work with you not against you. We don't come with a guarantee but honestly doctors like that make me so mad I could scream. How dare they pronounce a death sentence on us. They are not God. Keep fighting & you too will survive. Keep in touch. Love & hugs. Pam
  • kat02
    kat02 Member Posts: 76
    #14
    Yumi,

    Please find see another doctor. There is always hope. Doctors don't have control over when we will die. I had to search for my doctors and am so glad to have found great doctors who are open to experimental treatment. I am beating the odds, and you will to with your attitude.

    Let us know how things go.

    Love, hugs, and prayers,

    Kat
  • judy22
    judy22 Member Posts: 117 Member
    #15
    I was also diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997. In 1999 it came back in my liver. I have been on chemo now for over 2 yrs. I am still going strong. I am from Tn. Judy
  • lorilovison
    lorilovison Member Posts: 3
    #16
    Yumi,

    Don't ever let anyone tell you to give up. My husband is on the second time around with lung cancer. I would recommend Cancer Treatment Centers of America, on the internet go to CTCA and find the locations. They believe in Holistic and conventional methods, used both together can mean "Cancer Free". Never Give Up.

    Lori

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