Chemotherapy for Stage IV
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Hi I am new to this page..I was diagnosed with breastcancer in june 2007. Went through surgery, chemo and radiation. Now two years later I have meastases in one lung, liver and in the bone. I am woundering if there is many like me, young (I am 33 yrs) and in stage 4, I have a son (5 yrs) and am going on chemo to keep the cancer from developing. I find it quite hard for people at my age to relate, so I am woundering, anyone in my situation? Young, have small children and hope to live with this and hope for some new medicine to come....
I apologize for my very bad English. I have been out of practise for a while. I am happy for all responses.
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Anna, Do you want me to private message you the treatments I did or shall I just post it on here? If the mets to the bone are from her breast cancer and the cancer was ER+, that is what she has in the bone also.
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I was diagnosed 10/1/09 with stage IIb BC PR+,ER+,HER+ in the left breast. had a lumpectomy and cancer had spread to 2 out of 3 sentinal nodes. Another 9 nodes were removed and found to be negative. I started getting pain and swelling on my right side. I could feel a huge tumor. The tumor on my liver pressed against my colon and spread. I had to have a colon resection and while in there the surgeon removed 2 tumors on my liver 8cm and 5 cm. I also had 16 lesions. The pathology showed it was BC cells. Started chemo and went into severe allergic reaction from the taxotere. changed oncologist and started adymiacin and cytotin then taxol (with alot of benadryl) and herceptin. its not working. dr is going to change the chemo. i'll mention the abrax(sp). it seems to work on others.
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For those that were asking about the timing of scans, since I had progression I have had PET Scan, CT scan and bone scan in April (after being on Xeloda for 4X), another set in June and am booked for more at the end of September. I started Abraxane on July 6.
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How are u doing? I have a similar situation. When 10 of 12 lymph nodes came back negative after my lumpectomy, we were all relieved. Then I started getting pains on my right side along with swelling and difficulty eating. A CT-scan showed 2 big tumors on my liver with innumerable smaller ones also on my liver. My colon was 70% blocked because the liver pushed against the colon and passed on BC cells. I had to have a colon resection and while in there the dr removed the 2 tumors 5 and 8 cm. The BC cells in my liver are pr- while the one in my breast was pr+. That's why the liver tumors grow back faster. I went on taxotere,carboplatin and herceptin. Had a severe allergic reaction to taxotere. Went to another hospital and oncologist who started me on adrymiacin and cytoxin (4 treatments). He did not take scans after that so I don't know what my liver looked like, but after 3 treatments of taxol and herceptin the scans showed an increase in tumors on my liver and 2 or 3 spots on my lung. After reading your post, I suggested to the dr we try the abraxane. Believe it or not he wanted to try taxotere!! I had to remind him I was allergic. What's wrong with these doctors?? Anyway you've been so helpful I wanted to thank you and ask if there's any other info you can give me. Rosaria
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Rosaria were do you go for treatment? Maybe a 2nd opinion is in order. Where a oncologist can sit down and really take all your problems into consideration and really come up with a sound treatment plan. Avastin is an excellent addition to Abraxane, it starves the blood cells that feed the cancer cells, so in theroy the tumor starves and dies off. You sinature line states ER+/PR+, but you say the PR has changed to PR-?
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Got my CA 27/29 results and tumor markers are now 435.....which is down from the 473, but not as dramatic of a drop as after the first four treatments......however, I am thankful they are at least going in the right direction. So far Nabelbine is being kind to me.
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Renee, I get my treatments at Richmond University Medical Center in SI. I went to Sloan for a 2nd opinion. The dr said its a matter of trial and error. If one combo doesnt work try something else. I'm also going to apply to some clinical trials in my area. I found them through the National Institute for Cancer website. The cancer cells they checked when they removed the liver tumor were PR-. The C cells in the breast tumor after the lumpectomy were PR+. Sounds strange but that's what the dr said. that's why the liver is so full of tumors--more aggresive cells there.
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marybe here i am crying about 4 nodes in my lung omg, God has been with u all the way, this cancer is not a death sentence. whew lord help us all, mya i ask who was your dr? and were is he located
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marybe can u email me or call me please I would really like to talk to u
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Deemarie, I answered your PM and only now saw the post directed to me on this board. I would be happy to tell you who my onco is, but where do you live? I am in Cincinnati. He is an excellent onco, but I have just been very fortunate in that I have responded positively to most everything I have been on. My good friend's boss went to my doctor because I had such good results, but nothing worked for her and she went from one treatment to another without success. It just depends on our makeup and how we respond, but sure I would be happy to talk to you. And yes, I agree, God has definitely been with me all the way.
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I agree with the above. I also just found out i have stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. 4 years ago i had stage 1 lump on left and stage 3 on right, with 6 nodes under right arm, 1 under left. i had complete masectomy, did the big red chemo, taxol (which made me in alot of pain) and then radiation. I went into remission until this year. A couple months ago i started swelling up with fluid (ascitis) in my abs and went in and found a mass on right ovary. Had complete hysterectomy done and they only found the cancer on that ovary, not even in fluid. They moved everything around they could looking for more. I am now doing taxotere, which i just started. I am still hopeful that they got it all again, but wont know for sure until chemo is done (4 treatments) and they do another scan and tests. Think positive no matter what...there are lots of people out there living with stage 4 cancer....only god can decide anything else.
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Hi everyone,
I'm really new at this. I'm 26 and my mom is 61. In 2005 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had a double mastectomy and underwent chemotherapy. This past December her cancer markers went up and she had been having severe back pain so her onco ordered a CT and MRI. The results showed a very large mass in her back, a brain lesion, and multiple places on her lungs, esophegus, and liver. I believe her cancer is HER + so they started her on hormone blockers and began radiation right away. The dr wanted to do chemo, but she declined bc of all the side effects. She and my dad are big believers in holistic/homeopathic/Edgar Cayce oriented therapies so they really resist modern suggestions. She did the hormone blocker and the radiation and got great results. The brain spot is gone and the rest had shrunk significantly, with the exception of the tumors on her liver. Both of them grew. So the onco wanted chemo, and she said no. Now she is losing weight like crazy, she says foods don't taste the way they used to so she doesn't eat much. Sometimes if she eats something that's too rich or just doesn't sit well with her she will vomit. The onco has given her very little hope of living much longer w/o doing chemo. Tuesday she is going to make the decision of whether she will do Herceptin or not. I want to support and encourage her to do the right thing, but I know very little about the types of chemo and how much she should do. She's so terrified of being overdosed. I've also encouraged her to consult another onco so that she can have 2 doctors opinions on what to use and how much.
Any suggestions or advice for us?
Thank you all for being here.
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I would think just talking your Mom into getting a second opinion would be great. Holistic & Natural therapies do have their place in the treatment of Stage 4 patients. But they are not strong enough to kill this beast. If I can do something to boost a treatment or stay away from something that might render a conventional drug useless I will. But for now, until proven otherwise, chemo is the drug that will be used to fight the beast for me. I have seen to many people die to early when taking the Holistic path. I believe the choice is theirs, but one that I would not entertain.
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Tryingtostaypositive, Re your mother.....as Renee said it is her decision, but I also vowed up and down that I would NEVER do chemo and this is my 3rd go round with it.....once Abraxane which I quit after 22 treatments,(it did work, but I didn't want to continue because of the SEs I was having) once oral cytoxin,methotrexate which did not work and now I am doing navelbine which if my tumor markers are any indication is working. I was actually almost glad to start on this one since the hormonal treatments we were trying did not work and not only were my numbers going up up up, my scans showed increase in size as well as new areas of metastases. When my onco told me he had no reason to believe that he would not be able to get me back into remission, but it was going to take chemo to do it, that was all I needed to hear. There are many different chemos and not all of them have horrible side effects. As I said the decision is hers to make, but I hope that she decides to get more information on chemo before totally ruling it out. I am sorry I cannot give you any information on herceptin as I am Her2 - so it won't work for me. You are a good daughter to be investigating things for your mom.
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Thank you Reneepals and Marybe,
I'm going to start searching for another Oncologist who might help my mom feel a little more comfortable with Chemo. I think she's at a point where she is seeing chemo as her last chance to beat this. I think it's time to stand up and fight.
I'm so glad that you women are here, it makes me feel like I have a place to come for guidance and understanding. Thank you all.
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Do any of you have recommendations for finding a good Oncologist? I live in Virginia Beach Virginia and I'm trying to do some of the research for my parents.
Thank you again!
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Have you heard anything about the new Proton Therapy? So far treatment worked for me I was on Taxol and Carboplatin (which always sounded to me like something off of Sponebob). But I think if the little varment wakes up (my doc refers to it as being asleep and we don't want to do anything to wake it up) God forbid I would give Proton a shot. It is said to only take one shot (kind of like radiation) and its gone. Good luck. But as for the CT think poss. I finished chemo 10/28/09 have been on since and will continue to get Herceptin every 3 weeks and Aredia every 6 weeks for the rest of my life or until the cancer gets active again. It's stage IV IDC spread to right axillary, L-1 vertebrae and right femur. When diagnosed had been given nothing to hope for until Her-2 cells proved pos. Have RNVG heart scans every 3 months (herceptin while keeping me alive can eat up my heart) having PET scan done on 7/27 for progress report you always have to think nothing will be found. Today is my first day here and I am so glad I have found someone to talk to that understands that is here at the time I need to talk.
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Don't know anyone there wish you were in Oklahoma. My onchologist is perfect in my eyes. She's good is willing to try anything you want, actually sits and listens and you can call her just to cry on her shoulder. Good luck, the way I hear it from others a good onchologist is hard to find.
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To Tryingtostaypositive
Tell no demand that your mother take herceptin, I have been on it since my diagnosis they started it when they started Chemo that ended in Oct 09 and I still get Herceptin every 3 weeks and will for the rest of my life. I was diagnose with Stage IV Invasive Ductal Carcinoma had already spread to right axillary, L-1 vertebrae and right femur. The tumor in my breast was 8 centimeters and yes it was very easy to feel and being a nurse and a know it all I convienced my self it was just harmones because I was going through menapause. But my doc said we were going to try it because my positive Her-2 cells were the ONLY thing that even suggested I had a chance. Within 3 months the tumor in my breast had become undetectable by hand and the ones everywhere else had shrank remarkably. Herceptin has no side effects NONE. So tell her to try it . It only adds 30 minutes to your treatment so there is nothing negative about it. There is a woman in the same treatment center I go to and uses the same doc she is still up and at um and she has been on Herceptin for 12 years now. Good luck believe me a good doc, a little Herceptin and alot of faith will make her a new woman.
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Thanks for the advice Still-kickin. My mom is really sensitive to side effects, it seems she almost always has them. She decided not to use Herceptin bc she had heard that it could damage your heart. She's considering trying Taxol...do you or does anyone know anything about Taxol and it's side effects?
I think at this point she is trying to buy time and even though I have my opinions and wish that she had been more aggressive with her treatments I can't make her do any of this. I did tell her that I was chatting with you women and that I would ask about Taxol so if anyone has any experience with it, let me know what you thought.
Also, the major place of trouble right now are the tumors on her liver. Does anyone have experience with that specifically?
Just shootin in the dark here. Thanks for your time.
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tryingtostaypositive,
I am 52 years old and was terrified of chemo! But it's the only thing we can use right now to stay alive. I have 18 tumors on my liver from the breast cancer. I had to have 2 surgically removed because they were so big. The enlarged liver pushed against my colon and spread there. I had to have half my colon removed also. I've tried taxotere,carboplatin,adriamyacin,cytoxan without much success. I am now on Abraxane and Avastin and these seem to be working. The avastin cuts off blood to the tumors so they die off. The herceptin is also important. The docs will monitor your heart with a MUGA scan which is given every 3 months. My regimen when I get chemo now is saline,pepcid,decatron(steroid),BENADRYL(very impt),zofran,abraxane and avastin. Make sure u get benadryl because then you won't have to worry about allergies. Don't be afraid of the meds...it's like taking a pill only through an iv. Good Luck.
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daughter has stage 4 breast cancer and has used some of the Budwig diet, but also does the chemo...now on Avastin/Abrasxane.
Wanted to know what was the results when she went to her doctor for test.
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Thank you all SO much for sharing your information with me. My mom agreed to do chemo! She started today on Navelbine and Herceptin. She does 2 weeks on Navelbine, 1 week off...and the Herceptin she does every 3 weeks. I'll keep you all posted on her progress.
Thanks for being here for us.
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I'm so happy to hear the good news!! She'll be fine. God Bless.
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Hi again...I mentioned before that my mom has chosen Navelbine and Herceptin. I saw where some of you mentioned constipation as a side effect from the Navelbine. My mom is really having trouble with this...any suggestions?
Thank you
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The standard for constipation is Senakot and Colace. Senakot will get things moving, Colace will soften things up. They should be taken together. A set in the morning another at night until it works then back off to one set per day for full regularity.
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Thank you so much, she bought both of them...hopefully this will help.
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klewandowski
I have cut a lot of sugar out of my diet. I go to a nutritionist that deals with cancer patients. Her findings suggests that excess sugar intake, and dysfunctional blood sugar and insulin levels, appear to be associated with more rapid tumor growth. Several studies support the hypothesis that there is a direct connection between elevated blood sugar and cancer cell metabolism. Lower than average blood sugar levels have been reported in cancer patients in remission. I take a Blood Sugar supplement that has gotten me close to near normal levels. Yes, mine was elevated. I am not diabetic or overweight.
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Please indicate if you were diagnosed with stage 4 cancer before or after menopause. It makes a big difference.
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