Calling all TNs
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I did Finish all 4 AC treatments but only did 3/4 taxol due to extreme neuropathy. I’m only a few month out. Hope every day it was enough.
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Good morning.
Santabarbian congratulations awesome news.
I had my lumpectomy and node removal yesterday. I have a lot of pain under my arm but it is tolerable. Just taking Tylenol because pain med make me sick.
They ran some test on my nodes during surgery and they came back clean. I believe my surgeon took three out. My tumor in lymph node was completely gone only clip remained. I will have to wait for my pathology reports which will be nerve-wracking but my surgeon was very pleased between my Mri and node result so far she said we have had the best case scenario.
Thank you ladies for all your support.
HopeBry I was thinking this morning about the 20 weeks of chemo I had and how bad it sucked. I dreaded every week and all the new and old side effects that I would get. My chemo was 12 weekly taxol followed by 4 a/c every other week. I finished my last a/c December 20th. I never thought I would feel grateful, but I am glad I did all that chemo, am not so sad about being hairless anymore because it worked. Everyone is diffrent, every cancer is diffrent, but so far I have gotten a good response from chemo. Good luck in making your decision.
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Volleyballmom I am so happy for you and am crossing my fingers for a pCR for you!!! I was in the same position: imaging results perfect, surgery perfect, 4 nodes total. You don't want to count your chickens before theyve hatched of course... but this is sure a great way to head into the waiting days. Let's hope you spiked that Cancer nice and hard.
thanks to you and cccm2! I feel very very lucky and grateful.
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new posting about TNBC,
https://www.drugtargetreview.com/news/38580/breast...
Also found this..
Phase 3 Trial of Sacituzumab Govitecan Recruiting Triple-negative Breast Cancer Patients
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Something I have read about with respect to killing TNBC is hyperthermia.
I do not have the specific article at hand but I took many notes, and something I read early on suggested TNBC was vulnerable to heat. All cancer will give off "heat shock protein" if exposed to high enough heat for long enough... an hour or so.... & this makes the cell identifiable to immune system to attack.
There are quite a few cancer centers offering hyperthermia these days. MD Anderson, U Maryland, Wash U St Louis, and a few more.
The great part is that heat does not cause permanent damage to your healthy cells if kept below ~111, but the cancer is weakened or killed at about 107.
They can apply heat to a tumor with inserted probes, or (if superficial) with external sources of heat, or there can be whole-body hyperthermia, or it can work via heating the chemo and injecting it warm, or heating the patient's blood in a given area of their body. I went low tech: my tumor was superficial as was my node so I used a lot of heat on them w hot water bottle the week before my chemos. I figured it would not hurt and might help.
Hyperthermia synergizes well with chemo and radiation and is thought to improve the efficacy of both. Heat to the area improves blood flow, to deliver chemo to the area. You normally do 2 or 3 one hour sessions per week during rads or chemo. Something to know about!
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Dear Sisters who have had, or are going through, TN treatment.
Today is my 5 year anniversary since diagnosis, and my mammogram today is CLEAR!! I am grateful beyond words to this blog and other threads on breastcancer.org that sustained me through chemo, radiation, scares, loss of hair, and more.
We are stronger than we knew. We have gained more insight into the fear of those who face illness and go through the most challenging times. I know that for me, every day since my diagnosis these are the things I've gained. I appreciate life more, I value my family, my friends, my angels on earth, and most importantly my faith more. I am stronger. My motto is this. Live with faith, not fear, and be strong enough in that faith to handle the uncertainty in life, good or bad. It's all good.
Two things that helped me so much. First, I went to my first chemo scared of the dreaded "red devil," but happy. I had my husband take a pic of me smiling and clutching a blanket a daughter-in-law had made for me. I texted the photo to our 3 adult children and their spouses, telling them how happy I was to be taking this first important step.
Second, at an oncologist visit, after a biopsy scare that turned out to be benign, she asked me if I had any fun trips coming up. I told her I felt like my life was on hold which made it dificult to schedule anything too far in advance. She told me to take a trip, plan for the future. Why waste good time worrying about it. And she was right. Once I reached that point, I only sporadically checked into this blog.
I wish each of you the best possible outcomes. Your strength has inspired me. You are my sisters.
Love, Paula (Mom Mom)
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Fabulous, Santabarbarian!
HHopeBry, I'm sorry you find yourself in such a difficult quandary. The challenge is that a specific number of chemo treatments is established during the study phase, but I don't know that statistics are carefully gathered for those who deviate from that initial norm, I.e., completing 3 of 4 recommended AC infusions. I hope you find peace with your decision and that your remaining treatments go more smoothly.
Lyn
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Yay Mommom!
Five years is such a huge milestone for those of us with triple negative. Your reoccurrence risk is basically zero at this point. Congratulations.
Trish
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Momom, Congrats...
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mommom, cheering for you!
VLH: Thank you!
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HopeBry, I don't get to post often but they can lower the dose or give you more time to recover instead of a dense dose they can give smaller a.m. mounts more often. Its usually easier on the body. That's what my 69 year old mother did. Her schedule was M-F 10-2. Or switch to another chemo brand. That was an option I was not given until it was too late to do more chemo. I had to stop at 4 out of 4-6 Cycles. I had severe muscle pain couldn't walk. I sometimes have regret and other days I'm ok w it.
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MomMom celebrating with you your 5 year milestone. And you are absolutely correct it’s so important to make plans and go live. I know its catch 22 because so many times we get worried about it returning but we can’t stay in that mindset. Live, laugh and love
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HopeBry, my MO reduced my AC dosage because of what it did to my already low neutrophils. I can’t remember the percentage she’s lowered it, but I’m sure I wrote it down if you want me to look. Maybe it would be enough to help you with your symptoms.
MomMom, good for you!!!
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santabarbarian, - WONDERFUL update!!
MomMom, - so nice to see you here posting and happy!
HopeBry, - I am sorry that you've had such an awful time with AC ! I, too, did not handle it well, so my onc divided the A and the C, which made it more tolerable. I had one dose of full AC, then just C then just A, until it equaled the 4 DD amount. Then I started the DD taxol, which was ok. I hope your onc has a good solution for you!!
As for me and my post a few days ago, my lab results from my reg dr came out ok, (knocking wood here) and I have an appt with an ENT later in the month. I do think it may be a dental issue, so will schedule that, too. Most people wouldnt think 'it may be cancer' , but once we've had our BC diagnosis, it's so hard not to think of it.
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Thank you, AnotherNYCGirl. Crossing fingers for your upcoming appointments!
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Thank you everyone. Its really helpful knowing your experiences.
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thank you santabarb!
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an article that goes into detail re compounds with activity against TNBC:
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Does any take Xeloda and a stage 3b? I was denied today by my RX insurance. MO office will follow up but Im curious.
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urdrago, I hope your MO can bitchslap your insurance
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urdrago71, that’s annoying! I was stage 2b. I had a very small amount of residual and my insurance has been paying no problems. Except, in Jan my deductible reset so this cycles meds cost $1000 but soon i’ll hit the deductible again and go back to a low copay. Good luck getting your rx approved.
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santabarbian, I loved that post about the insurance getting bitch slapped! Hell yeah!
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Met my surgeon yesterday, good news, pathology report after lumpectomy showed no evidence of cancer in surrounding tissues or lymph nodes, chemo wiped my tumors completely out. Needless to say I am happy and scared about going forward.
Waiting for radiologist to call back to set up radiation.
Thank you all for being here during this crappie journey we are on.
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whoooooo! yay volleyball mom!
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That's great, Volleyballmom!!!
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Volleyballmom congrats.. what was the one thing u wanted to do and cldnt as u were doing treatments? Well do it right after rads.. Also radiation depending on which side and where on body u will get rads. Lather twice a day as soon as u start..
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Thank you ladies. Relieved and terrified all at once. Urdrago71 what is the best.lotion to use? Also question to all. I finished chemo about 4 weeks ago. I did taxol first 12, then a/c last 4 rounds. Then had lumpectomy 10 days later. My question is when did you start feeling energetic? Not sure if me but I have no energy to do anything. I get things done but I push. Anyone else?
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I am nearly 7 weeks after my final chemo and I am beginning to feel more like my old self now!
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Volleyballmom, I used aquaphor, and lubriderm. Til i started turning red then the doctors office gave me lotions and creams to apply. I will take pictures of those tonight. I probably wld of made it through without burning but didnt know I should be applying lotions all the way to clavical and along upper back right side. Radition did go thru bcuz its so thin (less fat) there and angle. Any questions ask away...
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Volleyballmom -- yes, radiation was a breeze compared to chemo. I stuck with hydrocortisone throughout and got red -- but never blistered. However, radiation will cause more tiredness. Mine usually hit around 5:00-8:00 pm. You feel great one moment, then your body says "I'm pooped". Congratulations on your pathology report!!!!
Anyone else have joint pain (mine in the knees) post-chemo? I'm 14 weeks PFC, and the joint pain began coming on strong last week. Perhaps a late side effect of Taxotere?
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