Survival Rate for Bone Mets?

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HollyTraci
HollyTraci Member Posts: 18
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I'm feeling rather depressed. Does anyone know much about survival rates for breast cancer patients that have the cancer come back in 4 1/2 years. It appeared in my bones in three areas - upper right arm, lower back and lowest right back rib. I am on taxol and aredia now. Thanks for any information.

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  • Odile
    Odile Member Posts: 9 Member
    #2
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    Holly
    Don't be depressed about bone mets. Mine have disappeared after being on Zometa for a few months. I was cancer free for 11 years before I had a recurrence and had bone and liver mets. I am on xeloda for liver mets but my bone meta are all gone. Hang in there its not as bad as it seems.
  • judiek
    judiek Member Posts: 71
    #3
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    Holly,

    I was devastated in Jan when I learned I have mets to both lungs and liver. I had just finished treatment in May of 2003...so you see it returned quickly and with great aggression. I am having good results with a clinical trial (avastin and taxol) Ct scan on 4-15 showed all 13 tumors were shrinking. Doctor is hoping I see a remission on these drugs. Please don't loose hope...miracles do happen and I do believe that. I have learned to take one day at a time (I still have meltdowns) I'm sure you will hear from all the great gals on this board with bone mets...they will tell you how well they are doing. I was told that if you were going to get mets...bones is probably the most manageable. You should also check out bcmets.org message boards...lots of women on those boards with mets for years. Keep the faith...there are lots of drugs out there...We are all fighting this disease together and were here whenever you need to chat. Best of luck and keep us posted

    Warmly,

    Judie
  • Glow
    Glow Member Posts: 41
    #4
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    Hello Holly...I have had bone mets for the past 4 years to spine, hips and multiple ribs. In the beginning it was pretty painful but managed with Percocet. I have been able to reduce the amount of Percocet the past several months and the tumors have stabelized. It's tough because you have to be very careful activity wise to avoid pathological fractures. Iam on Zometa which I think has helped. Bone mets is not life threatening but it does put a damper on your activity. I find walking my dog or just working on the garden are activities I can handle. Try to get help with the heavy stuff like food shopping, vacuuming. Hang in there Holly. Best of luck and you are in my prayers.
  • EllenM6246
    EllenM6246 Member Posts: 27
    #5
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    Hi Holly, I too have bone mets being treated with Zometa and Faslodex. My MD is very positive and I truly believe I will survive this. Does hamper some activities as I have it in my lumbar spine and left hip but I try to keep a normal as possible way of life. Keep the faith and stay positive!!
  • jeancmici
    jeancmici Member Posts: 665 Member
    #6
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    EllenM6246 said:

    Hi Holly, I too have bone mets being treated with Zometa and Faslodex. My MD is very positive and I truly believe I will survive this. Does hamper some activities as I have it in my lumbar spine and left hip but I try to keep a normal as possible way of life. Keep the faith and stay positive!!

    I don't want this to sound like "Can you top this?" - LOL - but from a heavily involved lumbar region in August, the cancer zipped to EVERY vertebra I'own' - and the hips and pelvis and all the joints in that region - sacroiliac etc. - and the last added was the entire sternum and both thighs - and a shoulder. The M.D writing the scan report forgot to add which shoulder has been added but on the whole it is considered stabilized.

    Yes, Glow should know - bone mets are the least life threatening, but often hurt a lot. I have no idea how I would feel without medicine because I am always under the influence!

    Add lung nodules and liver mets - some of the lesions continue to grow more slowly now even with chemo, but blood tests are good, tumor markers going down, onco doc seemed so pleased he never even mentioned the enlarged heart (!), pleural effusions and pericardial fluid and some limited expansion in the lower lungs.

    With all that it is amazing that I feel as good as I do - the mental stress as to what's ahead is the real problem - and probably true for most of us with mets.

    It ain't easy!!
    Love to all of you, Jean
  • HollyTraci
    HollyTraci Member Posts: 18
    #7
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    jeancmici said:

    I don't want this to sound like "Can you top this?" - LOL - but from a heavily involved lumbar region in August, the cancer zipped to EVERY vertebra I'own' - and the hips and pelvis and all the joints in that region - sacroiliac etc. - and the last added was the entire sternum and both thighs - and a shoulder. The M.D writing the scan report forgot to add which shoulder has been added but on the whole it is considered stabilized.

    Yes, Glow should know - bone mets are the least life threatening, but often hurt a lot. I have no idea how I would feel without medicine because I am always under the influence!

    Add lung nodules and liver mets - some of the lesions continue to grow more slowly now even with chemo, but blood tests are good, tumor markers going down, onco doc seemed so pleased he never even mentioned the enlarged heart (!), pleural effusions and pericardial fluid and some limited expansion in the lower lungs.

    With all that it is amazing that I feel as good as I do - the mental stress as to what's ahead is the real problem - and probably true for most of us with mets.

    It ain't easy!!
    Love to all of you, Jean

    Jean, We have e-mailed at length before. I really feel like a whimp when I realize all that you have been through and are going through. My heart and prayers are with you. Love, Holly (Jane)
  • HollyTraci
    HollyTraci Member Posts: 18
    #8
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    Glow said:

    Hello Holly...I have had bone mets for the past 4 years to spine, hips and multiple ribs. In the beginning it was pretty painful but managed with Percocet. I have been able to reduce the amount of Percocet the past several months and the tumors have stabelized. It's tough because you have to be very careful activity wise to avoid pathological fractures. Iam on Zometa which I think has helped. Bone mets is not life threatening but it does put a damper on your activity. I find walking my dog or just working on the garden are activities I can handle. Try to get help with the heavy stuff like food shopping, vacuuming. Hang in there Holly. Best of luck and you are in my prayers.

    Glow, thanks for sharing your experiences with me. If the cancer does not spread more, maybe I have a chance of hanging around a few more years. You are very brave and I certainly appreciate your advice. My prayers and thoughts will be with you. Holly
  • HollyTraci
    HollyTraci Member Posts: 18
    #9
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    EllenM6246 said:

    Hi Holly, I too have bone mets being treated with Zometa and Faslodex. My MD is very positive and I truly believe I will survive this. Does hamper some activities as I have it in my lumbar spine and left hip but I try to keep a normal as possible way of life. Keep the faith and stay positive!!

    Ellen, thank you for telling me about your experiences with bone mets. You sound so positive. I'll have to take a lesson from you. Good luck and God bless all of you for helping me to feel better mentally. Love, Holly

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