Two options left - what does this mean?
Hi all,
Posting on behalf of a dear dear friend of mine who is living with MBC. She was first diagnosed in 2015 with mets to liver and bone - she is also now one of the unlucky 1% to have a singular met in her mandible.
It looks like she will need radiation (which she is terrified to have near her face) and to change her medication. At the moment she is on Piqray I believe but it has given her a godawful rash that she cannot bear.
Her onc has told her she has two lines of treatment remaining - one oral chemo and one IV.
Am I right in thinking that if/when each of these fails, that's the end? That is a terrifying thought. Two treatments left does not sound like very much time at all.
I don't want to ask her too many questions as she's completely overwhelmed and terrified. I try googling and learning on these boards but I get so confused by all the different drugs and terms.
Has anybody been down to one or two treatments left and been able to stay on them for a good while? In need of some hope.
Thank you XX
Comments
-
Mariabrosa75 - That doesn't sound right to me. There's a lot of information that we don't know here, like how many lines of treatment she's already tried, type of breast cancer, genetic mutations, etc. Even so, I think if I had a doctor tell me I had only two lines of treatment left I would explore a second opinion and/or clinical trials. Just my opinion for what it's worth.
0 -
Were you the one with her when MO said there were only 2 treatments? If so, that was the opportunity to ask for clarification. If not, your friend might consider you someone she can vent to (and knows more, but didn't go into it). Maybe she hasn't had IV chem before and that unknown concerns her. Without knowing dx, tx, etc. it is impossible to answer your question. If you read these stage 4 forums, you will see a wide range of outcomes & experiences.
Here are a couple of anecdotes from my experience. When I started current tx, DH asked MO what happens if this one does't work. Her answer was "we'll talk about that when the time comes". We both got her meaning.
I made a comment to old friends that I was trying to be hopeful about this drug I'm on now as "I'm running out of arrows in my quiver to fight this thing". It was my way of conveying that I'm nearing the end of possibilities and know it. They complimented me on my great attitude and encouraged me by booking a trip to visit me next month. Wow! Those words & actions are really all we're looking for. Be there to listen & encourage.
0
