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metastasis
by Pat525, Dec 20, 2007 06:12AM
Hello,
52 yr female dx IDCA statge 11a, Mastectomy completed awaiting start of chemo. Lastest C/T results as of yesterday revealing multiple multifocal nodules throughout lung feilds, largest 6mm.
Impression was poss mets from breast CA. How treatable are these lesions? Will it change the course of the chemo treatments. Will I require additional testing or biopsies. PET already performed, only depicted one 4mm nodule with no uptake. What does all this mean for me. Should I begin funeral arraingements?
52 yr female dx IDCA statge 11a, Mastectomy completed awaiting start of chemo. Lastest C/T results as of yesterday revealing multiple multifocal nodules throughout lung feilds, largest 6mm.
Impression was poss mets from breast CA. How treatable are these lesions? Will it change the course of the chemo treatments. Will I require additional testing or biopsies. PET already performed, only depicted one 4mm nodule with no uptake. What does all this mean for me. Should I begin funeral arraingements?
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You need to understand that, though you are suffering from an advanced stage of breast cancer, you need to keep your spirits high and try to live every day as it comes. Be with your family and friends so that you have their emotional and mental support.
The possible metastasis to the lungs needs to be confirmed with your oncologist. At this stage, if the nodules are present through both lung fields, then only palliative care will be offered to you. These lesions are not treatable, if they are localised then a surgical removal of the lung segement is considered occassionally.
Yes, chemotherapy will be a little more aggressive now, with combination chemotherapy for the lung metastasis too. Additional testing and biopsies depend on the oncologist decision - if he wants to confirm whether these are metastatic lesions or not. Discuss all this in detail with him/her , and try to clear your doubts.
What symptoms are you having as of now? Also look for any signs of brain or liver involvement as these are the other sites of breast cancer metastasis. Report them to your doctor. Hope this helps.
Good luck.
You need to discuss this in detail with your doctor. It has to be first confirmed that the nodules are infact due to breast cancer metastasis.Also other factors influencing the prognosis would be the type of breast cancer, the treatment you are being given and whether you and your oncologist think that going ahead and removing these nodules is a feasible option.
The procedure is called lung metastasectomy and has some advantages and is known to increase the 5 year survival rates.
You could read up this article in European journal of cardiothoracic surgery - by Friedel et al, titled - Results of lung metastasectomy from breast cancer: prognostic criteria on the basis of 467 cases of the international registry of lung metastases. They evaluated the data of the International Registry of Lung Metastases of 467 patients having lung metastases from breast cancer with regard to long-term survival and prognostic factors. In 84% a complete metastatic resection was possible. The survival rates are 38% after 5 years, 22% after 10 years, and 20% after 15 years.
Be with your family, friends and close ones ao that you have emotional and mental support. Also so that you can share all your fears, doubts with them. Try to live every moment and take life as it comes. I know it is easier said than done, but just give it a try.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.