breast cancer and in remission

[dunnickeyes]

hi doctors--i am going to post a brief question --i have many more --just to see if your system is updated to take questions--are there specific tumor makerss or lab test that should be monitored on a routine basis foe poorly differiatiated adenocarcinoma of the right breast--stage 2 grade 3 --90 % polierative rate and currently inremission for 19 months ??thank-you--karen

[SueYoung55]

here is the link to the Doctor's forumn

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Breast-Cancer/show/121

[SueYoung55]

I had stage 3 breast cancer as well and I get twice yearly breast exams by my gyne, every 3 months by my oncologist, a once a year MRI and once a year PET scan.

I really recommend the PET scan. Actually, I really recommend all of it :)

Best wishes

[katarina777]

I agree, Karen, what you say about those mammograms. The problen is also that like in my case, I had a mastectomy on the right side. And the chance of recurrence on the right side is much higher than a new cancer or spread to the left breast. but since I only have a left breast, they only do the mammogram on the left breast as you need to have a breast for a mammogram. And then, with my cancer, IBC, the mammogram doesn't show anything anyway unless it;'s way advanced and even then it doesn't much of the time.

But then, the MRI didn't show that my lymph nodes were positive for cancer either.

OH well,

KATRIN

[katarina777]

Meant MRI. Also make sure you have your Vit. D levels checked. They are notoriously low in cancer patients and this is not good.

[katarina777]

It doesn't cost anything. yes, it's called expert forum but don't have too high of expectations. it's always the lawyers lurking and warning!!! If I think of more I will add it later. but when you have symptoms, they do follow up with MRO ot CT scan.  Katrin

[bluebutterfly2222]

Hi again,

I don't know about the BC Expert Forum, but I posted a question and got a very nice reply in the Chemotherapy Expert Forum and there was no charge.

Let us know if you need any additional help.

Regards...

[zouzi]

Hi there,Go completely to the right of the screen and you will find a long list of subjects...keep scrolling down until you see "Related expert Forum" click on Breast cancer and you will find the Forum you are looking for.I think though that you have to pay a fee of $10 .

[dunnickeyes]

THANK-YOU SO MUCH FOR YOU COMMENT--KATARINA--THEY SAY (RE: THIS WEBSITE) IF YOU WANT A DOCTORS RESPONSE YOU HAVE TO GO TO BC FORUM --HOW DO I NAVIGATE TO THAT ???---I AM NEW TO THIS --AND I JUST CLICKED ON FORUMS NOT THE OTHER THINGS --ANYWAY --IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS I WOULD APPRECIATE IT!! --OR ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE THAT MIGHT KNOW--THANK-YOU SO MUCH..P.S.  WHAT I LEARNED THIS PAST YEAR  THAT THE MRI (WITH CONTRAST ) IS THE ONLY REAL WAY TO KNOW  IF THERE ARE SUSPICIOUS AREAS IN THE BREAST........THE MAMMOGRAM HAS A VERY HARD TIME PICKING UP (ESPECIALLY SMALL QUESTIONABLE AREAS ) DUE TO DENSE/THICK  TISSUE IN THE BREAST OR IN MY CASE ALOT OF RADIATION SCARING  ...NOW WITH ME AFTER RADIATION ---AND IT WAS OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME THE SCARRING FROM RADIATION CONTINUED TO BUILD AND WAS VERY PAINFUL IF TOUCHED --WITH THIS PRESENTATON OF PAIN IN THE AREA  AND ALSO BECOMING MUCH LARGER THAN THE PERVIOUS MONTHS --THE INSURANCE COMPANY PAID FOR IT .....-----IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT THE FUTURE FOR FOLLOW UP FOR  BREAST CANCER PATIENTS  WILL NOT BE THE MAMMOGRAM--IN FACT IN MY CASE --6 MONTHS PRIOR TO MY DIAGNOSIS ---- A LUMP OF 1.8 CM WAS  DETECTED...... THANKS --KAREN

[katarina777]

Actually, with breast cancer, the term remission is not used as with other cancers, They call it NED (no evidence of disease)

Although I am like you in that I have had NED in about 17 months, or so, I am not entirely sure what they do. Well, mammograms yearly, and clinical breast exams, and they pay attention a lot if you have symptoms, i.e. if you complain of hip pain a lot, or nausea, or headaches.

They also do regular blood work and much of the time metastasis will show up with elevated liver enzymes, etc.

You should also examine your breasts monthly.

I had stage 3C and that's all I know.

[bluebutterfly2222]

Welcome to the BC Community.

Posts in this forum are answered mostly by community members. If you want a doctor's response, you need to post in the BC Expert Forum.

Good to hear you are in remission!

Best wishes...