Calling all TNs
Comments
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I know that follow ups vary with the different Doctors. I was a little disappointed when I went to my first 3 month check up with my oncologist. I ended up seeing the Nurse Practioner, not the doctor, and any ache and pain that I talked about she said it was chemo related. No blood was drawn to be tested for any "signs" that IT came back. I feel like the "every 3 month" check up is a waste of time...Are there any TNBC women out there that do not get blood drawn at their 3 month check up? Thank you and I hope everyone is having a good day and a stress free holiday.
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Heidi: Although I worked with an integrative dr throughout all of my treatments and surgery he is also an MD and told me I not only had to have chemo but I had to have the MX. TN is such a fast growing cancer and, hello, last time I heard there isn't a cure. Vitamin C in high doses taken intraveniously can be helpful if you have cancer but it is no way a cure. My tumors didn't shrink until I had 4 x TC and nothing else worked, not the diets, not the Vit C infusions-nothing. However, as a preventative, I believe it can up our odds. I also believe sugar "feeds" cancer though this too is debated quite frequently. I think the only things doctors agree on is eating lots of fresh, non processed foods is much better for us then foods grown, sprayed and filled with chemicals but I think that's just a no brainer. I also think that it's no coincidence that everyone is getting cancer today compared to pre WWII when there wasn't any chemicals in our food supplies. I think that it's great that these films are shown to young people so they can dismantle the war mongers who decided that using chemicals instead of maneure to grow food, filling our animals up with chemicals and antibiotics and genetically changing the makeup of our natural foods, poisoning the air, the water, the earth. Global warming? Don't get me started. Sorry, I am ranting today, but it's raining and I am stuck inside and reading your post struck a nerve that, one, there isn't a cure and two much of disease is manmade. Only a very small percentage of people who get cancer carry the cancer gene and then there is the rest of us. So I agree with you and I disagree with you. I haven't seen the movie but I have seen Food Inc. and I've read and seen documentaries by Mark Pollen and I do agree with him. I try to eat only organic now, if I eat meat I try to have it be organic and grass fed, I take supplements to fill the gaps and to build my immune system back up and I try not to eat lots of sugar as it causes a huge inflammatory response in the body and it is breading ground for many diseases and cancer. I try to shop in the outside aisles of grocery stores, I only eat cheese from Europe if I eat it at all because it doesn't have RBSt in it. Okay, I am off my rant, sorry if I offended, I am officially off of my soapbox.
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Laurajane: I hope I helped and didn't confuse. You are correct, they do things differently East Coast vs West Coast, not completely, but often enough to notice. I had all of my treatment at Norris Cancer Center, a prestigous research, state of the art treatment center. I can't wait until they finish research on the Cyber knife so that women will no longer be radiated and the knife does it all with surgery, ending so much pain and misery. Hugs.
Fighter: Your name says it all. You will get through this and before you know it a year will have gone by and you will be so much better and have hair and your brain will start to come back.
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MBJ- I didn't realize there was anything to agree or disagree on in my last post. I simply stated that after watching that movie I wish it were as simple as eating organic and avoiding the "bad" stuff which, as this movie claims, is just about everywhere. Why get up in the morning? Everything's bad for us! That was *my* rant (and I don't have a soapbox).
FWIW
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Heidi: I know there wasn't anything to agree with or disagree with. I guess that was my point. It struck a nerve and I ranted. Hope I didn't offend. I can't believe that everything is bad for us, or I just wouldn't get up in the morning. I too wish it were so easy. Sigh.
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Hi MBJ - you can eat cheese and milk from Canada as RBSt is banned here too.
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Sugar: Yes!!!! I do. And from Austrailia and New Zealand, too. It's just the US that is so backwards and profit motivated.
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Teka: The grass is at least a healthy green eleswhere, lol. You too, Teka!
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Ok..ladies...I'm a farm girl..that bst that is given cows is not something new...it is a natural hormone that cows produce anyway.......we can talk endlessly and not get anywhere about where our breast cancer came from..especially tn..because no one knows yet..we are special I guess...
I also work in the food industry..our food supply is safer and better now than it ever was..meat and produce and fish is inspected more than ever .the restrictions and regulations are something we deal with every day..meat can only be cut and out in the case a very short time, we have to put COOL (country of origin) on every fresh product we sell...foods have to be held hot or cold at a certain temperature or we are fined..big time fines.
Dairy Farmers, Beef Farmers, Pig Farmers...Chicken farmers..they have to follow a certain protocol to even get their product to the market...these farmers will follow that protocol because that is their livelihood...
My kids raised pigs as a 4-h project...yes..we gave them a tad bit of antiobotics very early, to prevent them from getting sick...You are not allowed to give them these medicines after a certain time in their growth because it has to be out of their system b-4 they go to market..these pigs were fed the best feed ever, excercised. We even had them on pink carpets to protect their legs and feet...and oh yeah..I petted them and cooed over them because I really did love the little guys...I cried when we sold them..anyway.
Oh well..enough rant or whatever I just said...
I'm not one to go to the extreme of anything..I take my supplement, excerise...but I'm as sure as heck not going to give up my wine or a nice filet mignon now and then...
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Or dark chocolate!
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Hi MBJ,
Is it sugar, or fat, that 'feeds' cancer? Or both? Have you read the diet recommendations of Dr. Keith Block - and if so, what do you think? Why hasn't my oncologist even heard of him?
tx for any opinion..
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If sugar really feeds cancer I would be dead instead of NED... The only thing that settles my stomach is Mt. Dew, lolly pops and Steak, man reason I got a big dentist bill but it got me through treatments. Too much water makes my tummy very mad.
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Heiditoo: Interesting information about PARP. I wonder when it will be available to any of us that need it.
MonikaV: Love your new picture.
About sugar and cancer, I don't know if "sugar feeds cancer", but I have read in several places that triple negative patients are more likely than other breast cancer types to have "metabolic syndrome", which is associated with insulin resistance. This would explain why exercise and a low-fat diet would benefit us especially.
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How do you test for insulin resistance if you're not a diabetic? I've had a fasting glucose tolerance test (trying to find reasons for my insomnia and fatigue), which was normal.
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Hi Ladies.
Just wanted to pop in and say hello. I had my lumpectomy and SNB yesterday. Still quite a bit sore.So far, they did not find anything in my sentinel nodes!! I have follow ups with everyone on Jan 4th.
Happy Holidays to everyone!
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I've not been posting much due to finally feeling a bit better. My fever finally broke Wednesday when I switched antibiotics, and my back pain went away too. Just had chemo #2 yesterday... halfway done! They reduced the amount some and getting Neulasta today. Just wanted to pop in a moment and wish everyone Happy Holidays!
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Titan~ WHat do you do in the food industry? Just curious...
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Titan~ WHat do you do in the food industry? Just curious...
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Hyde- water makes me sick too!! I can only take very small sips and have tried everything from tap to filtered. I read that the carbonation irritates the stomach lining, thus stimulating it to begin digestion, so that Mt. Dew is doing its work. As much as I'm sick of coke, etc., I include a few sips with lunch and dinner. My motto: everything in moderation. (and I think I will begin to watch my Country of Origin).
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Ruth I think I agree everything in moderation. It's all so confusing at times! All I can do is try my best to beat this monster.
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I know I've seen this posted somewhere, so I apologize if it was here, but I have to ask. What kind of follow up is everyone getting?? I would expect that with TN we would be checked more often?? My onc. doesn't want to see me until next Sept. that's a long way away, and it makes me very nervous. Am I being paranoid or is this the norm. for you??
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Kelben - that IS a long time before seeing your onc. Do you see anyone else? I know some see BS and or radiology onc too. I see my onc every three months with blood work done the day before. Other than my PCP that is it. My onc is also in the no scan unless or until symptoms suggest they are needed camp which not everyone is comfortable with. I think you'll find 3 months is fairly common.0
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thanks Gilly for the info. I will be seeing my GP in Feb. for my yearly check up, so I guess that's when I'll ask about scans, bld. work etc. I may call the cancer clinic for more info., as they were the best during chemo.
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slcst12: Congratulations! Rest up and take it easy and be well.
Titan: I am all about local farming and small farming it's big companies that do awful things with our food supply. Ever since I saw that movie Food, Inc I can no longer have anything to do with non organic dairy products. I ate all of the food off of my inlaws farm and it was delicious. Corn fed anything equals fat and we TN's need to keep our weight down and grass fed has been the natural way until...well, I am not going to rant this morning, I promise. I worked in the food industry while putting myself through college and there are many regulations in the US, but after going to Europe and comparing quality of what we get here, it really opened my eyes. Compare an orgainc egg against mass produced, thin shelled, tasteless corn fed eggs and you still don't come close to the problem. Chickens that never see the light of day and that live on top of each other in each others poop produce enemic products with no vitamin D! Cows are fed to fatten quick to market not to produce a quality product. The corn industry and the fat that it creates in us is out of control. I agree with the local farmer that would rathjer give a sick animal medicine rather then putting it down, but again, I am talking about mass produced food in unsanitary conditions. Sorry, I did say I wouldn't rant. Oh yeah, our food is grown in soil made of war byproduct chemicals not grass fed cow maneure. So we aren't getting the vitamins and nutrients that we would.
I eat dark, organic chocolate, I drink Red Wine, I eat grass fed meat. I also eat lots and lots of vegis and fruits. I am no angel here, I just think we need to get back to the basics in farming and putting the health of the animals first and on their natural diet in a healthy enviornment so that they produce healthy food.
Getting down off of my soapbox. Now. sorry.
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cc4npg: So glad you are feeling better and that they switched your meds. Hugs.
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Claire82 - thanks for reminding us that "When we hit 5 years, we are better off than them". Makes me have smile on my face today.
Yeah! the study was pretty awesome, as I am currently in the process of making my decision. I mean my case is a little different because I have high risk on the right side, having atypia cells, etc. Even then, I feel that I would rather be on close watch and high risk, then have a mastectomy, not sure why. I guess I am just too attached to my girls, which really shouldn't be the case. One should make the right decision based on all their findings.
MBJ - I love all your posts, thanks. I am doing much better today, 6th day after taxol, taking a cough suppresant and seeing a nurse this afternoon, I guess so that she can just check my chest. I have been coughing, although I now feel that it is probably coming from a slight infection due to phlem. The Oncall doc recommended a chest xray, but I really hate to have that, any radiation scares me as I have those atypical cells in my R. Breast, which will always worry me from now on, hoping they won't turn into cancer.
Anyone going back to work with a wig on? I don't think I can stand that thing for 8 long hours, it drives me crazy even after a few hours. I may be finishing rads by mid Feb and I am certain my hair will not grow an inch by then. I am completely bald right now, however, I had heard somewhere that hair starts to grow a little bit, by the time of your second last treatment. I have one more treatment to go, but was hoping my hair would at least sprout some by now. But no way, my head seems to be shining even more. Does anyone have any great hopeful hair growth experiences?
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Lovelyface
My hair is currently like a low army boy hair cut. I have started using Mindoxil on it and it's maintaining but I have two more treatments to go so we shall see.
And I am African American btw and I use bonding glue which is applied to your hair/scalp, and it feels so much more comfortable and looks absolutely REAL. Thank GOD my AA sisters loving WEAVES or I would be loss. I can't do the wig it's so uncomfortable.
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SUMMARYOncologySTAT Editorial TeamEvidence from the last 30 years indicates that women with breast cancer who are obese have a poor prognosis compared with their leaner counterparts. In this study by Ewertz et all, Danish investigators examined the effect of increased body mass index (BMI) on the risk of recurrence and death from breast cancer or other causes. The investigators retrospectively analyzed data from the Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group (DBCG) database, which includes information from nationwide clinical trials of adjuvant treatment of early-stage breast cancer from 1977 onward. Follow-up data for death were obtained via linkage to the Danish Civil Registration System. Cause of death obtained from death certificates was related to breast cancer or other causes.The analysis included 53,816 women treated between 1977 and 2006. Systemic treatment regimens until 1999 consisted of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil. From 1999 to 2006, treatment consisted of cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, and fluorouracil. Docetaxel and trastuzumab were received by 32 and 294 patients, respectively. Tamoxifen was given for a duration of 1 to 5 years. Aromatase inhibitors were used in approximately 3000 patients. Patients were followed for a 10-year period or until recurrence, second malignancy, or death.Patients were categorized into four categories based on BMI: < 25 kg/m2, 25 to 29 kg/m2, ≥ 30 kg/m2, and unknown. Women with unknown BMI (n = 34,849) tended to be older and postmenopausal, and to have tumors with more favorable pathologic factors. Compared with women who had known BMI (n = 18,967), their tumors were more likely to be estrogen-receptor (ER) positive and adjuvant therapy was less likely to be given. ER status did not differ significantly among women with known BMI (P = .40).Women with BMI > 30 (n = 2338) were significantly older (P < .001) and more likely to be postmenopausal (P < .001), as well as having larger tumors (P < .001), ductal grade 3 tumors (P = .04), and a higher number of positive lymph nodes (P < .001) than women with BMI < 25 (n = 11,490), but had less invasion of deep fascia (P < .001).After a median follow-up of 7.1 years, 4180 locoregional recurrences and 7278 distant metastases were reported, including 1544 and 3277, respectively, in women with known BMI. No significant difference in incidence of locoregional recurrence was observed among the groups with known BMI at 10 years (cumulative incidence, 10%, with overlapping 95% confidence interval [CI], 8.2%–11.2%). However, significant differences in the incidence of distant metastases became evident after 3 years. At 10 years, the cumulative incidence of distant metastases for the BMI < 25 kg/m2, BMI 25 to 29 kg/m2, and BMI > 30 kg/m2 groups were 20.1% (95% CI, 19.2%–20. 9%), 22.4% (95% CI, 21.1%–23.8%), and 24.3% (95% CI, 22.1% –26.5%), respectively. In an analysis adjusting for prognostic factors, BMI > 25 kg/m2 was significantly associated with increased risk of developing distant metastases (from 42%–46%) beginning at 5 to 10 years of follow-up.After a median of 11.4 years, 15,197 patients had died from breast cancer. Among patients with known BMI, a trend for increased risk of death with increasing BMI was observed. The cumulative of dying from breast cancer at 30 years for the BMI < 25 kg/m2, BMI 25 to 29 kg/m2, and BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 groups were 46.4%, 53.4%, and 57.2%, respectively. The same was true for the risk of dying from a non–breast cancer related cause (cumulative risk: 28.2%, 29.6%, and 34.0%, respectively).In multivariate analysis, the risk of dying from breast cancer increased after 10 years with increasing BMI. Compared with the < 25 kg/m2 group, the hazard ratios (HRs) for the BMI 25 to 29 kg/m2 and BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 groups were 1.26 and 1.38, respectively. The risk of dying from non–breast cancer related cause at 10 years was also increased in the BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 group when compared with women with lower BMI (HR, 1.31).During the first 10 years of follow-up, the efficacy of adjuvant therapy was similar among all groups with known BMI. However, after 10 years both chemotherapy and endocrine therapy appeared to be less effective in the BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 group (HR, 1.33).The results of this large retrospective study support those of previous trials, confirming that women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer who have a BMI exceeding 25 kg/m2 are more likely to present with poor-prognosis disease and are at higher risk for distant metastases and death than are leaner women. In addition, adjuvant therapy appears to lose efficacy in these women after 10 years.0
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Thanks Heidi..really needed to read that after I have had candy and Christmas cookies and chips all day..couldn't you have waited to post that until AFTER the Holidays?
I will go for a walk tonight...me and my muffin tops!
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