If you are not Stage IV but have questions, you may post here
Comments
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Cat you will more than likely find that the rads will help heaps with the pain as well. Sometimes it helps pretty much straight away while sometimes it takes a little longer but the end result is usually less pain or virtually no pain. As Deanna suggested getting a different painkiller may also be in order.
Goodluck with your treatment.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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hi everyone,
my MO called me today to tell me my blood work came back and my liver counts were not normal. I have to have a CT scan next week. I was stage lllC to start 7 years ago.....I am so scared, my kids are young and i just wanted to see them graduate from highschool....could it be anything other then mets?? Thank you for any advice at all.....0 -
I think drugs can affect liver enzymes.
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My liver blood work was way too high a couple months ago and I was nauseous and in pain. I was PETRIFIED!!! I understand your fear completely and know how scared you are. I had an ultrasound and the tech stopped being chatty and took a ton of pictures. I was writing my obituary in my head. Turned out to be nothing dire at all and I almost wept with relief. I pray you get results like mine...
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Thank you for all your words...... this waiting game is so awful........it is what it is.....0
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My blood work has been spotty all along for hepatic/renal functions and hasn't turned out to be anything other than I'm just getting old.
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hi everyone, I have a wee question.
I was diagnosed in May this year. I had a CT scan on 17 May followed by a mastectomy on 31 May .
Prior to my scan my mind went mad and everything on me hurt and I convinced myself that the cancer had spread. The relief when I was told it had not spread made all but one of my pains disappear.
I started chemo in early July and now after 4 rounds I still have the pain in the small of my back. It's not worse but it's a niggling aching pain. Worse as the day goes.
How fast can bone mets spread? There was a gap of 8 weeks between scan and chemo
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Hi Helen, it's very unlikely that mets would have developed in just eight weeks. When you had your initial scans your bone scan should have picked up anything that was untoward but if the pain persists I would mention to the doc. It's very probable that what you are feeling is a side effect from the chemo.
I understand the fears that come with this disease and even though you may think you are being a bit of a baby for mentioning these things to your doc, it's important that you do.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Helen, I, too, thought I'd developed mets in my bones as time went on. I was checked out and reassured that it was "just" my degenerative disk disease, spinal stenosis and horrid arthritis. Never had I been so relieved! We have to remember that we are getting older as time goes by and have to accept some new pains as just aging. But, as Chrissy says, do mention it every time you see your onc. They will be able to tell if something is developing that has to be checked out.
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HelenWNZ - like you I was diagnosed in May this year. During the diagnosis process my arm went crazy with tingling and pins and needles. I also had tingling and numbness through my face and an ache/pressure in my lower spine. I also had a ct and bone scan that showed clear. It turned out during the surgery that my axillary lymph nodes were cancerous and wrapped around the nerve that goes down my arm. The surgeon removed them and the arm tingling and pins and needles stopped. I still had the facial numbness/pins and needles and lower back pressure and it has not yet gone away after having multiple chemo rounds.
The scans only pick up cancer spread once it settles in one spot for long enough to get to the size big enough to be seen by the scans which I think is 2mm. Anyway I expressed my concerns that these niggles continued to persist and said that once I finished the chemo I would like to do whatever the next level of testing was. As these issues arose before chemo (so not a chemo side effect) she has agreed tosend me for an mri once I have finished the chemo treatments. Like barbe1958 I was hoping for my initial scans to show some type of degenerative wear in the area of the pain but as my scans were cleaned I am not comfortable ignoring it and am hoping the different scanning method does indeed show signs of wear and tear rather than the spread of cancer.
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Thanks for the advice. Because this pesky pain was there before chemo it's a big worry for me. I too had a very heavy node issue and have lymphedema issues as well. I am seeing my doctor on Thursday with my "list
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I have a concern and it's probably just my imagination and anxiety get the best of me but here's my sitch...
Several months ago I had significantly elevated liver enzymes. PCP ran a bunch of tests including alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and CT scan thinking there was something going on in the liver.
AFP was very slightly elevated at 10.something. Then a month or two later it went up a few more points to 12.something. However, CT was totally normal.
Fast forward to today. AFP has almost doubled and is now 20.2 since the last test in July. Liver enzymes are now totally normal but I do have a slightly decreased RBC (3.69), Hematocrit (33.4). WBC is normal.
I did have an iron infusion for iron deficiency and low Ferritin back in January - my iron is now totally normal but my Ferritin is a little high (372). Ferritin also responds to inflammation and I just had another recon surgery 3 weeks ago so I think that might be related to the increased Ferritin.
Anyone else have elevated AFP issues?
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Are you taking any stomach meds? Theres one that raises liver readings and I'll be darned if I can't think of it right now.
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I've been on Pantoprazole for several years but haven't changed the dosage. Otherwise, no stomach meds. Also, like I said the liver enzymes are now back to normal it's just the AFP that is continuing to rise
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Nexium is the drug I was thinking about.
What is your next step? Lots of things can raise liver markers as I've learned.
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I have no idea. I see my PCP on the 12th and I'll see what her plan is
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I am a 50% caretaker/driver/ear/note taker for my best friend who is stage IV mets to brain. She is NED from neck down. She had WBR 1 year ago this October. My question is this - have any of you heard about:
abemaciclib plus trastuzumab with or without fulvestrant or chemotherapy in women with hormone receptor positive (HR+),
I understand from my friend's neuro-oncologist that this drug is being fast tracked by the FDA (ETA is Q4 2016 or Q1 2017) for woman who have triple negative type of BC and that it hopefully can be used "off-label" for HR+ (triple positive) candidates. My friend was in a clinical at Dana but had to resign due to liver toxicity. That drug is also being fast tracked from our meetings with her oncology team (ARRY-360) - I believe that ARRY-360 is still in clinical and it is not being moved as quickly as ABEMACICLLIB which is the drug we are interested in (it is an immunotherapy drug)..
Thanks for any insight and thanks for this board.
KTF
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Also, in case this will help anyone with low platelet counts, we did a little research and I make her a bone marrow broth stew in the slow cooker which she loves and I pick up papaya's for her whenever I see them (seasonal) and both of these foods raised her platelet count according to my friend; her oncologist chalks the increased platelet count to the platelet transfusions she received but whatever works is his advice.
Thanks in advance.
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Wrenn, my friend had a similar situation with mets to lung but it turned out to be sarciadosis which she was very grateful for, though it is also a tough dx to deal with it was not a true mets. I hope this helps you a bit. She had a nodule on lung, windpipe, cough and hoarsness as her symptoms.
KTF
From a general link: Sarcoidosis is the growth of tiny collections of inflammatory cells (granulomas) in different parts of your body — most commonly the lungs, lymph nodes, eyes and skin.
Doctors believe sarcoidosis results from the body's immune system responding to an unknown substance, most likely something inhaled from the air.
There is no cure for sarcoidosis, but most people do very well with little or only modest treatment. In half of cases, sarcoidosis goes away on its own.
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Hi Wrenn,
I hope you'll spend some time researching metaplastic breast cancer. It's so rare, that there's got to be a few specialists who study it in depth and can predict its possible course and behavior.
Here's a potential resource for you:
http://www.metaplasticbc.com/things-every-metaplas...
My father had primary lung cancer and it turned up as recurrent pneumonia as the "tumors" were disbursed through the lungs as unidentifiable floating objects. Before diagnosis, they'd shown up for years on chest x-rays, but didn't look like discrete tumors.
I've had a lung tumor since at least mid-1999, but never had pneumonia and breathing problems arose only in early 2008 when tumors in my lung linings rose (pleural nodules and effusion/fluid).
We're each so unique.
We will hope with you, that your's is a passing event as cancer seems to over stay its welcome and allowed space/resources.
warmest healing wishes, Stephanie
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Hi there I am new to this and am hoping to find some advice or experience that would relate to my mother's diagnosis.
Mum (now aged 66) was diagnosed with Stage 3 HER2+ breast cancer in 2012, she had a mastectomy, chemo (Taxotere - Docetaxel), radiation therapy and Herceptin, and she has appeared to be cancer free until now. This week she has been diagnosed with metastatic cancer in the lungs, she is breathless and has lost her voice. She is going to have the fluid drained and then the oncologist has advised that the usual treatment would be another 6 rounds of the chemo (Taxotere - Docetaxel) and then Herceptin every 3 weeks for as long as she is alive, possibly in combination with Perjeta - though we live in New Zealand and that drug is currently not funded here.
My question is about the chemo drug Taxotere (Docetaxel). When she underwent the chemo therapy in 2012, the Taxotere had a profound affect on her short term memory - causing severe "chemo brain" (she can go and see a movie and if you ask her on leaving the cinema what it was about she may struggle to tell you), and it has never really improved since that time. I am concerned that if she has to undergo another round of this drug it will cause even more brain problems, leaving her unable to appreciate or enjoy the time that she has left.
Has anyone decided to fight against a metastatic cancer using JUST Herceptin and/or Perjeta and NOT done the chemo drug? If so what has been the experience/success? Or does anyone know anything about the Taxotere (Docetaxel) causing these memory issues and if there is an alternative chemo drug that they believe is better? Any insights much appreciated
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Jen, I am surprised that the onc would offer the same chemo as before. Usually they use a different one, given that the first one failed. There may be a reason in this case, but do you have a way of getting a second opinion? You are allowed to go to the stage iv forum on behalf of your mom. The others with stage iv Her2 positive will know more than I do. Quality of life is especially to be considered with stage iv treatment, and you are smart to ask questions.
Edited to add that I see some women have had navelbine instead of a taxane with H and P.
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Hi there I am new to this and am hoping to find some advice or experience that would relate to my mother's diagnosis.
Mum (now aged 66) was diagnosed with Stage 3 HER2+ breast cancer in 2012, she had a mastectomy, chemo (Taxotere - Docetaxel), radiation therapy and Herceptin, and she has appeared to be cancer free until now. This week she has been diagnosed with metastatic cancer in the lungs, she is breathless and has lost her voice. She is going to have the fluid drained and then the oncologist has advised that the usual treatment would be another 6 rounds of the chemo (Taxotere - Docetaxel) and then Herceptin every 3 weeks for as long as she is alive, possibly in combination with Perjeta - though we live in New Zealand and that drug is currently not funded here.
My question is about the chemo drug Taxotere (Docetaxel). When she underwent the chemo therapy in 2012, the Taxotere had a profound affect on her short term memory - causing severe "chemo brain" (she can go and see a movie and if you ask her on leaving the cinema what it was about she may struggle to tell you), and it has never really improved since that time. I am concerned that if she has to undergo another round of this drug it will cause even more brain problems, leaving her unable to appreciate or enjoy the time that she has left.
Has anyone decided to fight against a metastatic cancer using JUST Herceptin and/or Perjeta and NOT done the chemo drug? If so what has been the experience/success? Or does anyone know anything about the Taxotere (Docetaxel) causing these memory issues and if there is an alternative chemo drug that they believe is better? Any insights much appreciated
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OK thanks I will try the Stage IV forum, appreciated.
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Jen, these threads might be helpful:
"HERCEPTIN and/or PERJETA Threads"
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/8/topics/...
"mets to lung"
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Hey Jen, if you're still reading here, I just heard today that Perjeta has been approved by Medsafe in NZ now!
You can read about it on the Breast Cancer coalition website. So ask the oncologist again when it will be available. I hope your mum can get it soon!
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Hi Ladies,
I had a bone scan in Sept for lower pain on my ride side. Earlier this year i had a MRI of my lumbar which showed modic and disc dissection in L1 to L5. My bone scan was clear except for uptake in L4 which per the report states "most likely consistent" with MRI results. I have read many stories of women being told its just DDD and it was mets or a friend was told it was mets and then biopsy revealed DDD. I almost want another opinion - anyone else have a bone scan similar and it was nothing?
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Hi all,
It is exactly 3 years since diagnosis and surgery for me. Today I noticed a bit of soreness/pain under my arm and when my arm is stretched up I can feel a very very small lump. I am pretty sure it is scar tissue but what would be some signs for concern?
My original lump was unmistakable, I could feel it from every position. This feels different, very small and can only feel it slightly in certain positions. It is right in that space not quite in the underarm and just next where to implant is. I am worried that it's an infected lymph node?
Anyone have input or experience?
I don't want to rush to my doctor for nothing..
I have had a double mastectomy with reconstruction.
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Hi Steph. I know we all go to dark places when we find a lump of any sort. Your first instinct could well be right but I'd just watch it for a couple of weeks just to monitor if there are any changes. If nothing is different I'd leave it until you are next seeing your doc and then bring it to his/her attention.
Keeping everything crossed that it is just scar tissue.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Hi,
I am hoping someone can help me. I was dx'd with IDC ER- PR+HER2- (but treated as triple negative) Oct 2015. I had a CT scan in January 2016 before I started my chemo, and I had a 9mm nodule at the left lung apex, and a follow up was requested. I had the follow up this month (after my treatments were over: AC+T and rads). The new CT scan shows that the nodule grew 2 mm. My oncologist is now sending me for a PET scan, and he has sent me for a referral to a respirologist (lung specialist). From there I will see a surgeon since a biopsy will probably be necessary. I am freaking out. He said it could be bc lung mets, or lung cancer, or maybe nothing. Can anyone who has lung mets help me? How were your lungs mets found? Any advice or info is greatly appreciated.
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