Christine MH-UK
10-16-2007, 04:56 AM
Hi everybody,
I just wanted to say that four years ago today I was diagnosed with a high-risk breast cancer: er-, pr-, her2+, eight out of 19 nodes after pre-surgery chemo. Oh, and I had been diagnosed six months after having had a baby, which is also a very bad thing in terms of survival. The member of the surgical team tasked with giving me my results was optimistic until he realised that I had already had chemo (FEC which is good, but failed for me). When my husband asked my prognosis, the surgeon evaded the question and I didn't want to know anyway, since I knew the odds were dire. The only optimistic thing one nurse could think to say to me was that breast cancers as aggressive as mine always came back fast, so I would know sooner rather than later whether the treatment had worked! She mentioned that I might live to see my one-year old start school if I got on the herceptin trial, only to announce soon after that that trial was closed. Children start school at 4 in Britain, so I was devastated. Trying to keep optimistic, I once pointed out to my oncologist that at least I had a grade two cancer, only to have him respond back that my cancer was a grade two but it acted like a grade 3.
Fortunately after I had surgery my oncologist gave me taxotere, which was unusual in Britain at the time. I also started saving my money to go anywhere where there was an approved anti-her2 vaccine (which I optimistically thought would come out very soon), but it meant at least when the Hera results came out I had the funds to start late herceptin.
Four years on, I am still around despite the odds, with no sign that the cancer has come back. Because I had to go back into treatment late and became very tired on herceptin, I am just now getting everything back into order, but am doing well.
Of course, when I started my treatment back in October 2003 so much less was known about how to treat this type of cancer. I am amazed by the progress that has happened in the last four years. I hope that you have found this story encouraging.
I just wanted to say that four years ago today I was diagnosed with a high-risk breast cancer: er-, pr-, her2+, eight out of 19 nodes after pre-surgery chemo. Oh, and I had been diagnosed six months after having had a baby, which is also a very bad thing in terms of survival. The member of the surgical team tasked with giving me my results was optimistic until he realised that I had already had chemo (FEC which is good, but failed for me). When my husband asked my prognosis, the surgeon evaded the question and I didn't want to know anyway, since I knew the odds were dire. The only optimistic thing one nurse could think to say to me was that breast cancers as aggressive as mine always came back fast, so I would know sooner rather than later whether the treatment had worked! She mentioned that I might live to see my one-year old start school if I got on the herceptin trial, only to announce soon after that that trial was closed. Children start school at 4 in Britain, so I was devastated. Trying to keep optimistic, I once pointed out to my oncologist that at least I had a grade two cancer, only to have him respond back that my cancer was a grade two but it acted like a grade 3.
Fortunately after I had surgery my oncologist gave me taxotere, which was unusual in Britain at the time. I also started saving my money to go anywhere where there was an approved anti-her2 vaccine (which I optimistically thought would come out very soon), but it meant at least when the Hera results came out I had the funds to start late herceptin.
Four years on, I am still around despite the odds, with no sign that the cancer has come back. Because I had to go back into treatment late and became very tired on herceptin, I am just now getting everything back into order, but am doing well.
Of course, when I started my treatment back in October 2003 so much less was known about how to treat this type of cancer. I am amazed by the progress that has happened in the last four years. I hope that you have found this story encouraging.