TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP
Comments
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Cyndy,
I'm very sorry to hear about your mom, esp. at such a difficult time in your life. Cheek hugs are pretty good if you can pull your kids close and just snuggle cheeck to cheek a bit and smell them.
Good luck today!!! Let me know how it goes. I start next Monday. Ugh! I'm scared too.
Angela
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Cruth - Good luck today!! Remember to drink lots of fluids and eat small amounts often.0
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For those of you with te pain, instead of pain killers ask for a muscle relaxer. Take it the night before and morning of a fill. Ot helps a lot.
I really didnt need to use them execpt one time when he did a double fill, but it made a big difference0 -
I used Aleve for expansion pain.
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I got a March newsletter from Canadian Cancer society. There is one breakthrough in 2011 about a Canadian-led clinical trial that found additional radiation tratment improves disease-free survival in women with early breast cancer by 30% and reduces the risk of cancer recurrence. It stated that this finding could change the standard treatment for these women. This discovery was recognized by teh American Society of Clinical Onco in June 2011 as one of the most important cancer treatment breakthrough.
I did not get the original study, but assume it meant for ladies with BX as radiation is standard for lumpectomy. I have BMX but when I asked my onc about radiation. He said absolutely NO. I will show him the newsletter, altough I am sure he knows and see what he says.
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meglove I was in a gray area for rads but I got a pass. Typically tumors larger than 5cm get rads. I think we really need to see the study to understand MX/Lump and if it included both local and distant recurrence.0
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Herceptin #18 tomorrow. Just wanted to say Thanks to everyone for all the support over the last year! I don't post alot, but "lurk" and learn so much from you guys:)
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kriskat - Yay!
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kriskat - Whooo Hooo!!!0
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HI all...I am just popping in to introduce myself...I have typed out my biography on a couple of the other boards (Just Diagnosed and March 2012 chemo) so I won't bore you with the details. Ok, I lie, yes, I will. Real quick. I am 38, married, 2 kids, 3 cats, and 2 parents living in their RV in my yard to help out right now
APN found a "ridge" in breast at annual exam on 2/5/12, diagnostic mammo, biopsy, meeting with surgeon, MRI, sentinel node biopsy, meeting with oncologist all followed within the last few weeks. All I have left diagnostically is a PET scan tomorrow and a MUGA and CT and port insertion Friday and then I should start chemo on Monday. Diagnosis so far is IDC, grade 3, tumor around 3 cm, sentinel node negative, then 1/3 of the other nodes was positive. ER+/PR+/Her+.
Plan of attack is neoadjuvant chemo (8 cycles but I wasn't paying attention enough to note the drug names in the meeting with the oncologist - even though I carry a 3 ring binder that I call my "book of knowledge" for all my notes, lab reports, records etc...) and then Herceptin for a year and then whatever that pill is for the 5 years. I was very up on my research and terminology until the oncology visit and I kind of dropped the ball on the names of the meds but I will catch up. Unless I change my mind before then, I am planning on a double masectomy after chemo. There was a spot on the mammogram in my other breast that really couldn't be identified on the u/s and didn't light up on the MRI but that is enough to make me want to go ahead and do the whole deal.
So anyway, that is that...don't want to be here but now that I am, I hope to get to know y'all.
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Kriskat......congratulations !
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Meg,
This is the study I've referenced here many times.
While "most of the women had one to three positive lymph nodes...10 per cent had high-risk, node-negative breast cancer."
(This study was done on women who had lumpectomies who were getting whole breast radiation anyway, but they added radiation to the axilla for them all...then extrapolated for the entire BC population because as you said, lumps already get WBI...this was really all about axilla radiation and the benefits of cooking it.... for lumps and MXs....)
What it comes down to is:
If a woman's cancer was considered high-risk, such as a tumour larger than 5 cm or more than three positive axillary nodes, she often received rads BEFORE THIS STUDY.
However, the 1-3 positive lymphs were unstudied...so each Onc did their own thing with the axilla.
This study looked specifically at the 1-3 positive node group (and a small node neg high risk group.)
However, this study showed "After a five-year follow-up, interim analysis of the data showed a greater than 30 per cent improvement in disease-free survival for those receiving radiation. This resulted from a 41 per cent lower rate of recurrences in the breast and lymph nodes and a 36 per cent lower rate of cancer recurrence in other parts of the body."
From your stats I see you are triple pos with no nodal involvement with BMX. This study does not, in any way, indicate you should have rads.
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Hello kitb04,
You'll learn so much in the coming weeks. Some you will learn here and some from your MO. Unfortunately you'll have the lingo down in no time. Ask questions here. The answers are an honest assessment of what others have learned and experienced. Good luck to you.
Angie0 -
Kltb04, sorry you're here, but welcome. You will find so much support and help here. Good luck with everything - -very I had a notebook of knowledge too during treatment, and now that I just finished chemo, I use it to jot down paraben free products, bras, etc that I see posted on here and want to try. Its a good way to keep running lists of questions for all your docs.
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Welcome kltb04 - I like the way you call it your 'plan of attack'. Perhaps you are having AC-TH chemo - adriamycin/cytoxan followed by taxol/herceptin. The other main kind for the triple positive is TCH which is taxotere/carboplatin/herceptin. Glad you found us!0
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kltb02 welcome to the group that no one wants to be on.
I'm new too. triple positive. Had a double mastectomy two weeks ago. (I think I'm going to be ok with no boobs when the pain stops) Port put in yesterday. (ouch, but better today) start chemo next week TCH, then Herceptin for year and Tamoxifen for 5 years. Sounds like a similar treatment to you. It's nice to have someone to share this journey with.Angela
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I'm considering being part of a clinical trial where you take meds for heart issues with your chemo to see if it prevents heart issues from happening. Anyone else doing this or know anyting about it? I just got my packet in the mail and need to read up on the drugs to see what side effects they have. I'll put more when I've read more.
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HI everyone -- I'm back & the infusion went as smoothly as possible -- 6 hours, but no troubles. I go back for the Neulasta (sp?) shot tomorrow -- does anyone else onc reccommend that from the outset for TCH? Thanks ofr the support last night -- I needed it!
kitbo4 -- sorry to hear of your diagnosis, and welcome to a sisterhood you didn't ever want to join, but will give you much support and guidance when you need it. It's amazing to think of how fast things move and how much happens after a diagnosis and you're in the middle of this surreal world, so go easy on yourself for missing some things, like the names of drugs -- just knowing you have to re-ask the question is an accomplishment! I have opinions on the DMX/SMX issue, but don't want to offendanyone here as everyone has their own story & issues thatl ead to their decision, so if you'd like to get my thoughts on why I reached my decision (DMX), please feel free to send me a private message.
Kriskat-- Great Day for you! Enjoy! as I sat there today getting my 1st infusion, I already was thinking about how I will feel next March when I'll be there getting my last -- I imagine it to be a freeing feeling -- I hope that for you today.
I'm going to try to do better sleeping tonight -- they said I could take an Ambien, so I'm looking forward to la-la land! Peace to all -- Cyndy
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angela - What are the heart meds that they use? Glad your port is feeling better.0
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Angela44... I have heard of this trial. My oncologist gave me the paperwork to lookover. I would have to transfer my treatment up to Mercy in order to participate. Not ready to do that as I LOVE my oncologist. I think it's a great opportunity and you should go for it if it feels right for you..
Sorry about the pain from your port. You will be thankful you have it, I promise it will feel better soon!!
{{HUGS}}}
Brooke
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Quick welcome to the newbies. You will all have your PhD in breast cancer soon enough.
CRuth glad everything was uneventful. I had nuelasta from the start. I had my husband shoot me up so I didn't have to go back to the treatment center. The first one can cause the most bone pain so be sure (with your oncs approval) you take Claritin. Not sure which kind though since I didn't do that. I was already on Zyrtec so I couldn't do both.
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cruth - glad it went smoothly, 1 down! I also had neulasta from the start. I used the claritin 24 hour for about a week or so. Keep up your fluids!!0
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The meds are Lisinopril, Coreg CR, and a placebo. Anyone ever taken any of these? I just finished reading the paperwork and quite honestly, the possible side effecs of the meds scare me. I'm going to talk to my husband about it when he comes home tomorrow.
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cruth - take a Claritin (not Claritin D) an hour prior to your injection and then continue every 24 hours for a few days, this helpd prevent bone pain associated with Neulasta.
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When did you all start your Tamoxifen? During chemo/herceptin or after?
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dance - I started tam after rads which was after chemo which was after surgery.
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Omaz - but during Herceptin?
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Dance - I started the tam after rads and definitely during herceptin!0
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Thanks!
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I started Anastrozole 5 weeks after chemo but during herceptin
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