mets to lung
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Really? Well, I know I will do it. I just need the biopsy back to give me the full profile. I've gone down too many rabbits holes since my MO recommended treatment. Aromasin hasn't been too bad for me, with the exception of extreme fatigue and trigger fingers, some joint pain.
Thank you so much for your comment. It would be nice to hear from others on how their various treatments for lung mets are doing. Doesn't seem to be much activity on lung mets.
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@hippmark and @exbrnxgrl
I hate the injections and if I lived closer to you Caryn we could trade off driving each other so the injected could take anti-anxiety and or pain meds ahead to f time. Totally respect your decision, but like hippmark, AIs failed me so I don't have that choice.
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I'm certain I won't like them. But I am armed with all kinds of strategies to help make the shots easier. I'm certain it will still hurt, but maybe not quite as much. For me, it's not about the shots necessarily, but the side effects. All we can do, is the best we can do. I just want to be prepared.
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@hippmark make sure you take the weight off the side that your are getting the shot. I put my knee on the chair and all my weight on the opposite side. It really helps. I tensed up once and it was more u comfortable. If you have good nurses it really helps.
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Long Term lung mets for me
I am now on Enhertu which is once every three weeks by infusion
This is my 3RD chemo ..two were tablets andI have also had targeted therapies
These each lasted approx a year
Generally when we post our history will give you the info on the therapies
RReading past posts and search for the drug used will be effective
Lots of info for xeloda
All the best bright
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Bright55. Thank you for your post. You certainly have been through a lot!
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I know I posted this somewhere, but can't remember if it was here, so forgive mes if I'm repeating. I do the same "knee on chair" as recommended by @brutersmom and it works for me too. A nurse recommended about 6 months ago that I apply ice to the injection sites immediately. She said that the injection trauma to the muscles was the first thing to treat, then afterwards I could use heat to help distribute the medication.They pack small plastic bags with ice cubes that I put behind me in the car for the 20 minute ride home and it really helps.
On the advice of my MO, I also add a Pepcid AC to the Claritin that's widely recommended pre-injection. I take these the day before and the morning of the injections.
I have Xgeva injected into my left arm and have no problem with it
Fingers crossed for a tolerable experience!
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Thank you! I had already read all of your tips and will be utilizing all of them! I was going to use a cold spray before the injection and ice packs on my bottom on the way home. Put them in my underwear right after injections. That's radical and I will look stupid walking out of there. That's fine.
I already have the Claritin ready to go and have Pepcid but didn't know that tip.
I have decided to go ahead and get the shot Monday. I am nervous, but I know my AI failed for reason and I need to just buckle up and start.
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I would not recommend ice. The shots are oil based and that would cause them to thicken and leave bumps which would be more uncomfortable. Shots are a scary thought but In six months they have not been that bad. My office recommends walking and heat. No massaging the area for 24 hours. They feel it can release to much to soon. I would see what your office recommends. We are all different. What works for one may not be good for someone else. Go prepared and decide what you need to do after the shot.
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Though I am no longer able to deal with Faslodex, icing was not recommended by my infusion center. It is a thick oily serum that is kept refrigerated. Protocol in most centers to to remove it from the cold about an hour prior to injection so the warm air relaxes the cold thick serum .
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Totally agree that everyone should do what works for them, however this advice was provided by a nurse at the infusion center and approved by the oncologist. Their position is that icing prior to injections is a bad idea, but 20 minutes post-injection is helpful.
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@eleanora if your infusion center suggested it then do it. Not all do. Mine says only heat for the realsonI mentioned. Every center is different. Best thing to is to run your plan by the staff at the facility. The nurses at my facility are great and the will tell you the pros and cons anything suggested here, their facilities recommendations. Mine go out of there was to make sure you are as comfortable as possible. It's possible some people bruise easily and ice could be of benifit especially if you are on aspirin or bloodd thinner then I could see ice might be a good idea to prevent bruising immediately after the shots.
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Hoo boy. Now I'm not certain what to do. I've read both. Ice and heat. Ok, so no cold spray in advance. But ice or heat after? I guess I'll ask. Maybe ice at first, then heat? I'm most concerned about an experienced nurse who does this often. I have to "interview" them to see I guess.
I'll let you know my "experience." I do bruise easily these days and I don't have any fat in my bum, so, we'll see!
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Hippmark. I don't know where you are located or where you get treatment. Unless the nurse is new to the clinic they have a good deal of practice. Let them know you are nervous. They should help walk you through. You will be fine. Follow their directions.
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Hippmark - here to add my 10 cents -
6th year on faslodex / fulvestrant shots and have not had any issues at all . I haven't iced or applied heat . I have a 25 minute drive and sometimes have my car heated seats on in the winter but it's more for cold weather comfort.
Shots are to the side / hip these days and I do take the weight off the injection side and then trade off .
Hope it goes smoothly for you !
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You guys are amazing! 💘
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I have been on this site since 2015 and was recently diagnosed with stage 4, hormone negative HER2+ metastatic breast cancer that has spread to my left lung with tumors on my adrenal gland as well.
Because I have other comorbidities, my oncologist wants to start me on low dose THP which I welcome as it'll lower the toxicity and minimize the side effects but I also fear that it may not be strong enough to completely knock out the tumors.
Has anyone here had success with low dose THP against lung mets?
I was cancer free for 10 years but had a high probability for recurrence based on my oncotype dx score.
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Ok. Had the shots today. The nurse was very experienced. Whew. Did the leg raise protocol and all. I asked her about ice or heat for after. She said they don't really recommend either, but said try heat first, then maybe ice. Also, to do knee raises when I got home to stretch the muscle. That's where it stands right now!
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@hippmark. Glad everything went well. I like to do squats and toe touches to stretch my gates.
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Hi. I'm sorry no one has answered yet. I found out two ways. I go every 6 months to get blood work. My Doctor does the Signatera Test which shows circulating tumor cells from your original tumor in your blood. I was a high positive so right then and there, I knew something was wrong. It takes 3 weeks to get the tests back. But, my CA 25-27 was also elevated and I found out that day of blood work. My MO ordered a CT and there they were, in my lungs. I had no symptoms. You usually don't until it may be far advanced.
That's why you should be diligent in running markers (although they are not always the most reliable). Personally, I would insist on blood work every 6 months if I've had cancer. I asked my Oncologist right after my first cancer how they know if it's back or not. He kind of shrugged. I was mortified. Personally, I think being proactive is doing something every 6 months, not 10 years. Just my opinion. Cancer is sneaky. It can be growing a long while before it even shows on a scan.
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@hopefaith1 I agree more should be done to monitor. I had a distant recurrence to the pleura of my lung 7.5 years later. I couldn't tolerate aromatase inhibitors so at 2.5 year I was discharged by my oncologist. All I ever had was mamograms. I have since learned that where my cancer was located in the breast made me high risk for cancer returning in my lung, ribs, mediastinal lymph nodes, and pleura. I was told I only needed a mamogram because most cancer returned in the breast. I did switch cancer clinics because through my groups I came to realize that my center was still behind other facilities. My treatment now is more progressive and I feel more optimistic about my care. So to answer the question yes I thinks physicians even gp who care for patients with cancer can be more proactive.
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Reaching out Thank you for your feedback. So grateful for you! Going for CT scan on May 23, 2025. Trying hard to keep myself busy and not bet myself up because l didn't know we should be doing our lung follow up scans after our first diagnosis. How l found out was l hand tingling in my hand same side l had breast cancer so family doctor send me to a neurologist she did a Mri found suspiciouss shadow radiologist could not make it clear. She sent back a refer to my family doctor saying this needs to be investigated by CT scan. I do know l am so grateful to the Neurologist! if it wasn't her being proactive l wouldn't know nothing about it. Ladies l agree the lung scans should be done and more communication should be brought to the Breast Cancer Network. Hugs and Hope Thank you again.
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I have a new oncologist and she ordered a guardant360 because I only ever had very basic mutation testing when diagnosed. I have been NED based on scans for 2 years. I wondering if anything might show up and if it does what does it mean.
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Hello, sorry l can't answer your question. Hopefully someone here will answer. Big hug and sending you good vibes.
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Hi. Getting back to the lung mets of this thread. I saw a new Pulmonologist yesterday and I find him amazing. I am going Monday afternoon to get a bronchoscopy/biopsy on a high right paratracheal lymph node, now 12mm. Was 6x5 2 years ago. Signatera and increasing tumor markers got me to the CT scan. Showing 5 new 2 to 3mm lesions.
Lymph node is the only one enlarged enough to biopsy. Pulm said obviously he does not know if all those nodules are cancerous or not. But he is going to test one that is borderline.
I'm nervous for the bronch as it's right against my trachea, but Doc is excellent.
Please send good vibrations for the biopsy. The most I am hoping for is that maybe all those small lesions won't be cancerous and maybe just a few spots. Long roads ahead!
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I love that you said you find him amazing. I really, really feel that when you are comfortable and confident with your medical providers, you eliminate a good deal of stress from a very stressful situation. I am often baffled about why some are afraid to change providers. I did early on and know that it made things much better when I felt that level of comfort with my new mo.
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Well, had the bronchoscopy yesterday. They found a different enlarged lymph node near the collarbone on the left side that had not been seen as enlarged on CT scan. They took a biopsy of that too as well as the enlarged one in the right. I have two lesions on upper left lung so I guess that would make sense.
Surgeon said briefly path initially saw a couple of cancer cells in a lymph or positive cells in lymph. Not sure which lymph. Could be both.
I was prepared for the one lymph, but definitely not the other one. That of course sent me to places I prefer not to go. Just when you think you can just about manage one diagnosis, then something else pops up. Have no idea how they will treat that, but I assume my medication, scan again and then may have to go back to radiation for those lymph nodes.
As always, thank you for listening.
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@hippmark Sorry to hear you were thrown a curveball. Glad your pulmonary doc was successful getting both biopsied. Once you know exactly what your dealing with I'm sure your MO will get right on things with a good combative plan. I know it doesn't make this all any easier to deal with, it just all stinks!! Take a breath and take it one step at a time. Sending you big hugs and strength❤️
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