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Breast Cancer: Stage 3 & 4 Community
This patient support community is for discussions relating to breast cancer, biopsy, genetics, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, lumps, lumpectomy, lymph node dissection, lymphedema, mammograms, mastectomy, radiation therapy, reconstruction, self exams, and stage 3 and 4 treatments.
initial diagnosis
by Xena04, Apr 19, 2008 08:25PM
In June 2004, I had some X-rays to see why I had pain in my femur 2 months after stepping in a hole on the farm. The staff became quite excited, (I could hear them in the hallway), discussing what they saw...a huge hole in the femur and other areas in the hip. This started they whole cascade of events that resulted in the diagnosis of metastatic BC, Stage IV. The biopsy revealed an ER+ tumor in the left breast. It was very small. I went on Arimidex, (for the next 27 months), Zometa, (monthly), and radiation on the leg and hip. I was given the 18 month prognosis at the time of the initial diagnosis. I moved from the large farm to a smaller one closer to family and friends and acquired a new oncologist. He was not thrilled with Arimidex, (I was about 5 months post-diagnosis at that point), but went along with it. He thought that at some point, I would need some sort of surgery on the breast as he expected the lesion to grow and ulcerate or something...which it never did. About 6 months after diagnosis, I had rods implanted in the femur and hip and more radiation on the leg. Continued on the Arimidex/Zometa til August 2006, when the tumor markers started to go up. I had had frequent bone scans throughout the years that, though they showed widespread affected areas, remained stable. Faslodex for 4 months and then the CA27/29 went out of sight and there was involvement in liver and lungs.
Tried Vinrolibine(spp?) and it did nothing, then taxotere and carboplatin...worked very quickly to bring levels down and
shrink nodules on liver and lungs. Then Gemzar/Carboplatin every six weeks with taxotere in between. Now, Avastin
and taxotere every 3 weeks. Working again full-time and good energy...main problem is the neuropathy in feet and hands and the lost 7-10 days every three week chemo cycle where I have no enegy or appetite. Looking back, for about 5 months before the diagnosis, I had noticed some induration on the left breast, but chose to ignore it...probably
not a good idea!! So, now the plan seems to be to keep changing therapies around as long as things are working, but I can't help but wonder how long you can endure being toxicologically challenged every 3 weeks...not as if these drugs only kill cancer cells!
Tried Vinrolibine(spp?) and it did nothing, then taxotere and carboplatin...worked very quickly to bring levels down and
shrink nodules on liver and lungs. Then Gemzar/Carboplatin every six weeks with taxotere in between. Now, Avastin
and taxotere every 3 weeks. Working again full-time and good energy...main problem is the neuropathy in feet and hands and the lost 7-10 days every three week chemo cycle where I have no enegy or appetite. Looking back, for about 5 months before the diagnosis, I had noticed some induration on the left breast, but chose to ignore it...probably
not a good idea!! So, now the plan seems to be to keep changing therapies around as long as things are working, but I can't help but wonder how long you can endure being toxicologically challenged every 3 weeks...not as if these drugs only kill cancer cells!
Post Comment
I'm sorry to hear that you are enduring all of these things but strongly admire you for putting up a really good fight with this disease. The symptoms that you are experiencing are really the side effects of chemotherapy. It is true that these drugs does not only kill cancer cells but also affect our normal cells as well (blood cells, gastrointestinal cells, etc.) and we just hope that the normal cells recover before the next cycle of chemotherapy (also with the hope that the cancer cells do not recover that quickly). That's why you feel weak in between cycles.
I pray that you hang in there and tolerate all of these treatments. The good news is that new drugs are being churned out as I post this and tested for breast cancer so that we will never run out of options.
Be strong. Regards and God bless.