How are people with liver mets doing?
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Hi ladies, I hope all of you are doing well. My mom has been fighting stage IV breast cancer for three years now. Previously she only had bone mets but now it has spread to her liver since the past three months.
In a recent pet scan it was noted she has two spots on her liver and some mild ascites in the pelvis I think. Her recent ultrasound showed that after three months of treatment the biggest lesion reduced from 17 to 14 mm.
My question is that both her ultrasounds, the first one three months ago and the latest one didn't pick up and ascites but the recent pet scan is showing it. What could this mean?
Also is 14 mm a big lesion?
I'm sorry if the questions don't make sense. I'm having a hard time processing all this.
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Hi teejay92. There are lots more people who will comment and will have alot more experience than I do. I was diagnosed with MBC a year ago and the first site was liver. 8 tumors across both lobes. No where else. I started on Ibrance/letrozole but my ANC was too low so switched to Verzenio/letrozole and have had a complete metabolic response by PET of liver mets at about 9-10 months. So happy until the first bone mets popped up on L1/L2. Now dealing with those by adding xgeva and faslodex and will see in a couple months if that helps. Regarding ascites, the tumors might be blocking a bile duct or similar causing the fluid. Your Mom's medical oncologist should talk her through the possibilities and what they can do to alleviate it. If you cannot be with her during appointments, have your Mom give her your number so you can talk to the MO. I do not know what treatment your mom is on and it may be systemic. There are also local treatments, like Y90, that can be used to control, reduce, eliminate liver mets. 14-17 mm is not "huge"....consider that 2.54 cm = 1". However, your Mom and MO will work to get the liver mets under control now. There is also another link specify to treatments for liver mets, which might be very useful for you. I would also encourage you to email Anne Loeser, bestbird@hotmail.com, and ask her for a copy of The Insider's Guide to Metastatic Breast Cancer". It's chock full of up-to-date and practical information that could be very helpful. She is a real Godsend to have put that together for us.
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Teejay, sorry to hear about your Mom. I have had a liver full of tumors for the last 5 years so my perspective may not align with everyone else’s. When the radiologists can count the number of tumors you have in the liver and none of them have reached 1cm, I consider that “micro” liver mets. The ascites may be caused by the cancer blocking something or may be caused by the cancer itself. Hopefully treatment will help the ascites. Our liver only needs 10% of itself to function. It is an amazing, resilient organ and can also regenerate itself. There was a point 3+ years ago when my liver was 70% mets and I had no symptoms. Still had good appetite, was running 4 miles, 3 times a week, working full time. No fatigue. My point being that our livers can withstand a lot as far as mets are concerned although of course, none of us wants to be living with liver mets.
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I'm very sorry to have to share sad news. Gumdoctor's husband asked me to let you know that she is in the hospital. Her cancer spread to her brain. She texted me a week ago but went downhill very fast. She cannot speak and her Dr Angel advised that she not receive anymore TX.
Her husband seemed at peace with the decisions being made. It sounds like the end is imminent. I'm in tears right now but know she fought the hard fight till the very end. We'll miss her.
Fly away Home, Gumdoctor. 💞
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Grannax,
Thank you for sharing such very sad news. She is such a fighter. I hope the end is peaceful.
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No.no.no.no.
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Grannax, thx for letting us know about Gumdoctor. Sad to hear. 💕
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hey everyone. I'm in a tough spot right now. my scan (after 2 cycles of Xeloda) showed bones stable and only mild progression in the liver. but tumor markers are going up and my bili is now out of range and the CT showed varices.... my liver is no longer functioning normally and everything is showing signs of hyper portal tension.
I am screening for a trial, but my bili has to be low enough to get me on day 1. The current leading contender for a chemo is Epirubicin. Anyone have any experience with Epibucin? Other chemos on the table were ixempra and navelbine.
Anyway... I'm all ears... any advice at all. hope you are all are managing as well as possible
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Oh man... sad news:/ We are praying for Gumdoctor... Thrivingmama, what does your MO say? I mean, sometimes seems that patients have to make decisions and that makes me mad, as these decisions must be made by doctors:/ Saulius
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Hi ThrivingMama, sorry to hear about your current issues on Xeloda. Are you still taking the COC protocol also? I took Navelbine (with Tamoxifen) for 7-8 months and it did work and was tolerable. I haven't taken the other two. What is the trial you are looking into?
So sad to hear about Gumdoctor. Grannax, thanks for letting us know. She and her family will be in my thoughts.
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So very sad to hear about Gumdoctor! I'm praying for comfort and peace for her and her family.
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Grannax - Thank you for letting us know about Gumdoctor. So sad to hear that news.
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Grannax, what heartbreaking news. I was just thinking about her yesterday and going to check and see if there had been any new activity on the boards. I pray for a peaceful passing and I'm holding her family and her beloved kitty cats in my heart.
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Very sad news about gum doctor. Thank you for advising grannax
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Oh sigh..... This is my first experience here since being diagnosed hearing the someone I knew here is dying. I am so sad for her and husband... wow....this is just so real now.
and so discouraging.....0 -
Crying as I read Grannax's post about Gumdoctor. I always felt close to Gumdoctor as she would post she was receiving her treatment as a cancer center fairly close to me. She was in my neck of the woods, so to speak. And she was diagnosed a couple of months after I was.
May her passing be peaceful.
Grannax- If you can, can you post her obit? Or PM me the info. Thanks.
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Her husband, her Prince Charming, told me she was at Barnes. I'm assuming it's in Illinois. I will call him in a day or too and ask about Obituary. I know he'll take care of her kitties. They have two homes, one in the Ozarks in Missouri and one in Illinois. I will also ask for their address. He's not familiar with BCO or FB, he saw my number in her phone. He seemed like a kind, caring man, very willing to share with me.
Pledge PM me if you want more information.
I know she is a strong Christian, so she knows she's going home. PTL 💞
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Thank you Grannax. Barnes is in St. Louis, Missouri. I am in Southern Illinois. About a 2 hour drive east of St. Louis. I have been to Barnes before. My mom was a patient there before--car accident and air lifted there for treatment. I knew Gumdoctor said she had 2 homes, didn't know one was in Illinois. Shame we could not have met. I too am a cat person. And I am a Christian. I knew I felt a connection with her. God Bless her and her husband. Such a loss. This is so hard. And so unfair.
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Thank you for sharing such sad news. I don't know her, but still crying. I wish her peace and wish comfort for her husband. May God keep them in his tender care.
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Gumdoctor, thank you for being a part of our lives, from showing us photos of your home, your flowers, your beloved cats and being both proud of your military experience but disappointed in how veterans are medically treated. You fought your disease and your insurability when you were the most weak from cancer. That is your legacy. Rest your body and hopefully, your husband can be with you as you transition. Soldier on.
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I wanted to share what my interventional radiologist told me about liver mets. I hope I can remember correctly as I waa being prepped for Liver bx.
The lesions when dead, typically leave calcifications. The area surrounding the shrunken/dead lesion fills in.
So my conclusion is that the inside of lesion there is no parachyma to rebuild, but the surrounded area does..thus regeneration? Do I have that right? I wanted to ask, then the happy meds took effect...
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Gumdoctor, you have enriched my life with your lovely spirit. I know you are a compassionate person who loves beauty and delights in your cats. You saved Whitey and gave her a good life. You are so modest, but I know you did a lot of good in your professional life, too, and were loved and respected there. I want to know that your dear husband is allowed to be with you as you leave. Love from ShetlandPony to you both, and the kitties, too.
P.S. Shame on the military medical establishment that diagnosed you only when it was too late and then kept trying to deny you insurance. You fought valiantly.
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Sandi, I do not know. I’m just picturing you lying there in your gown, saying, “I have ... a ... queeestionnn...” 😴
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Sandi,
I don't know the answer to your question. I just know that after ablation, every time I've had an MRI to check what's going on, they say that the middle of the ablated area has "residue" of blood and tissue, but they also see stuff in a wider area than that which shows that the tissue was treated.
Guess that doesn't answer your question, does it???
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Dear Grannax2,
We are so very sorry to hear about Gumdoctor. Thank you for letting us know of her current situation. We will be thinking of her and her family and all of you who have grown close to her in the community over the coming days. We are keeping all of you in our thoughts.
The Mods
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Grannax2 thanks for letting us know about gumdoctor. She had to fight enemies of the US and then fight for her rights as a veteran, then fight “C!”
I remember the beautiful view she shared with us. May God make it easy on you gumdoctor.
Tany
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in my thoughts gumdoctor.
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Shetland, you are so right. I think they started that IV fentanyl,versed quickly just to shut me up..
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I am so sad to hear this news. Her flowers so beautiful, always willing to share. I missed her when she slowed down posting. But always kept an eye out for her. My heart is so heavy as I accept what's happening to another sister. Helpless but sad. Sending thoughts at this time to those family and friends. May. They find peace in knowing how strong she truly was as individual who gained respect everywhere. (Except the military, where it should have been of the ut most ) be free from cancer, peacefully dream.
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hey my mom has only liver Mets but massive . Like 16 cms. She is currently on Ibrance(Palbocyclib)and aramidex (Anastrozole)
I am worried , how did Ibrance work for
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