Recurrence In Other Breast

[Meeskas]

I was diagnosed stage III 2 years ago, 3.5 cm tumor, 13/15 nodes positive. HER2+++. ER/PR-. I had a masectomy, 4 AC, 6 weeks of radiation, 4 Taxotere, and 6 months of weekly Herceptin. Finished Herceptin in April 2004.

Had a mammogram the beginning of January. A few weeks ago I got called back, they said they needed to mark the scars from my port. When I did the re-check, the tech took the xrays into the radiologist, he came out and told me everything looked fine, just scar tissue.

Yesterday, I got a letter from the breast center that there was finding on my mammogram that was not significant, but requred follow-up in 6 months.

Have not talked with my doctors yet but I feel that given my history, 6 months is too long to wait and that if it is something, it must be pretty resistant to the chemo and herceptin that I've already had.

Has anyone else had a recurrence in the other breast? How long after treatment? What was the treatment plan?

[Lyn]

Hi there, I am going through the same thing, I had my mastectomy in 1998, about 3 years ago my right nipple and aerola went white and thick, I was told my my onc, rads onc, and skin specialist that it was an oedema. Six months ago it looked weird so I had mammo and ultra sound and all fine. Three months ago I had biopsy on nipple and no disease. One month ago it had a red rash and was biopsied last week and result in is positive for BC from original site, BUT in the mean time I have been dealing with a lump on the neck which came about not long after the nipple change and took 12 months to diagnose after MRI and biopsy which said similar cells but not same as original site, and have had chemo andd radiation and finished 26 weekly doses in November, last test came back New Years Eve all clear no sign and then this. I had mammo and ultra sound and inconclusive but changed in 6 months from previous film. This BC is not the same as previous one, there was a lump and invasive before and breast did not have any red marks, but did swell up huge, this time it looks like inflammatory, has not swollen but looks bigger and path report says that from the punch biopsy there is solid tumour. As I had just come off chemo I will be starting 6 daily weeks of rad and oral Xeloda for the whole course of rads, 500mg but only 1 a day and apparently more toxic than two weeks on and 1 week off. I feel that the lump in my neck has mutated from the Herceptin and has been less agressive and that the Breast may have been first but unnoticed this being the case it has been there for about 3 years Weird I know but I cana't think of any other explanation and they say it is not a secondary but a primary from the first and still eostrogen and progesterone negative and HER 3+ . I have had Xeloda before for skin mets on the chest site of mastectomy and before I saw onc I started myself on Xeloda so had 1 weeks worth before diagnosis and now I have to stop until I begin rads but I am sure that the rash is less red and my onc said it was skin mets but deep, so this will be one for the books when I come out the other side. So you are not alone in this one so I will keep the forum informed.

Love & Hugs Lyn

[Kristen]

Hi,
I saw a genetic counselor today and the booklet she gave me was of course on BRCA. If you are a carrier and have a gene mutation your chances of a secondary primary breast cancer is 48-64%. The general population is 2-11%. That is all the statistics I know. I hope it isn't anything and I wouldn't be able to wait 6 months either. Take Care k