anyone out there who has breast cancer metastized to the femur bones and pelvis

terpsi said:

metastatic breast cancer
I was originally diagnosed in 2004 and then in 2008 had back pain for months until I got my diagnosis in January 2009 and then aggressive treatment. Surgery, radiation and then chemo, which I'm on now. My diagnosis is MBC triple negative now, though my primary was ER positive. My mets are so far only in my bone though my tumor was wrapped around my spinal cord, so they're watching for mets to my brain; also, I have mets to the ribs, so they're watching for mets to my lungs.

The most devastating part of MBC is hearing it is incurable. I could not get those words out of my mind for . . . I'm dealing with it now, I suppose.

I'm a writer, so I've gathered as much information as I can for a blog that I write specifically targeting those of us with advanced, or metastatic BC. In my research, I have found the following that has helped me:

Metastatic breast cancer is also called advanced breast cancer.

MBC is staged as IV, typically, if it's found as the original diagnosis. After a recurrence, as mine is, and, it sounds like yours, it's referred to as distant metastases when it moves from the primary site to another location: bones or other organs. If you look at my blog, you can click on several links there for sites with very good information on MBC. They are informative, supportive and always make me feel hopeful.

Despite the woeful prognoses listed for us (many say two or three years from diagnosis), many survivors of MBC live 10 to 15 years. Personally, I intend to hang around 15 .

Treatment options for MBC are limited. Also, as we go through the treatment, the options dwindle. Having an oncologist who is very aware of the options for MBC and who is open to discussion and questions is optimal. I look online for new treatments targeting MBC and talk to my oncologist about anything I find, new or old. The American Society of Clinical Oncologists have an annual meeting presenting new research; this year the hot topic for MBC seemed to be PARP inhibitors. I'm not sure whether I would qualify for a study, but I'm watching the news on it in case I am.

While original diagnosis gets most of the attention with breast cancer, recurrent BC or MBC is still posing the greatest challenge for treatment that inhibits progression of the disease. None of MBC is at this time curable. Probably because mets take the disease into so many new variations, it's another needle in the haystack of causal relationships and their treatments.

I hope this helps. I'd just noticed your post and wanted to respond but just realized I am a little short of time. Dealing with this is a daily challenge. I am still working and have gone through a lot of stress coping with how to deal with that and reactions of colleagues and . . . If you have support, be sure to share your feelings and emotions. If you don't have support, find someone in whom you can trust to be able to cry and share the moments that are frightening, who won't minimize it but will allow you to express those negative feelings. You need to take care of yourself and your emotions and not worry about trying to make others feel comfortable about your difficult diagnosis.

My heart goes out to you and all of us dealing with MBC. Write any time.

Many hugs,
donna peach