Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Just joined the 10 years out club - diagnosed in Oct. 2006- had a breast reduction (after a clean mammogram and breast u/s 3 months earlier) - my plastic surgeon found my tumour. Then the whirlwind began.
Herceptin had been approved for early stagers in Canada about a year before my diagnosis. My onc. had high hopes for me. And here I am, 10 years later.

Looking forward to celebrating many more decades of being cancer free.

all the best
caya

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Congrats on 10 years Caya. It’s very hopeful for new people like me to hear that there are people like you out there!

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12/15 – First mammogram
01/16 – Second mammogram and ultrasound.
01/16 – Meet surgeon and go for third mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy. Surgeon confirms cancer in left breast and lymph nodes and sets surgery date.
01/16 – Chest scan and bone scan done– all looks good
02/16 – Surgery - left breast mastectomy and 16 lymph nodes removed (8 had cancer)
02/16 – CT scan done – small nodules on lung but Doctor advises it’s normal. They will continue to monitor just in case.
03/16 – Meet radiation oncologist and find out results of Pathology Report. I’m told that I have locally advanced breast cancer, based on the size of my tumour (7 cm!) and the fact that they found cancer cells in eight lymph nodes. Also told that I’m HER 2 positive, and that my cancer is stage 3, grade 2.
03/16 – Meet oncologist and am told that my cancer is actually grade 3, and that I should have done chemo before surgery. Too late now!
03/16 – Start first of six doses of chemo (Carboplatin and Docetaxal) and Herceptin (for one year).
04/16 – Have port put in.
04/16 – Get second dose of chemo, but Docetaxal is left out due to liver enzymes being high. I was unable to get a full dose of Docetaxal after my first treatment.
06/16 – Finished chemo! One month off and then I start radiation.
06/16 – Start Tamoxifen
07/16 – First radiation treatment – 24 more to go!
08/16 – Went for Genetic Testing to see if I have the BRCA gene
08/16 – Radiation oncologist biopsies “scar tissue” on my scar.
08/16 – I am told that I have a “local recurrence” and need to have rush surgery.
09/16 – Meet surgeon who advises that I need to meet with a plastic surgeon, as they will need to do a skin graft to close me up after surgery.
09/16 – Go for rush ultrasound, bone scan, breast MRI and CT scan.
09/16 – Meet plastic surgeon and all looks good. A surgery date is set for October.
09/16 – Meet oncologist who advises that ultrasound and bone scan look good, and that MRI shows three small masses at surgery site, but lymph nodes are clear. Still awaiting the results of the CT scan, but we are positive it will look good.
09/16 – Get a call from my oncologist, who advises that CT scan shows small spots on my lungs, and a large lymph node in the middle of my chest. This means the cancer has spread! She looks into getting me funded for TDM1 and cancels my surgery.
10/16 – Meet oncologist, who advises that I have to take Perjeta before I can take TDM1. I start Perjeta/Herceptin every three weeks for an indefinite amount of time, and Taxol, which I will take two weeks on, one off for 8-16 treatments.
10/16 – Stop Tamoxifen
10/16 – Meet surgeon, who reviews my CT scan and advises that the spots on my lungs may not be cancerous, and that he doesn’t see a lymph node in my chest. He thinks it’s a spot on my lung. I’m feeling very confused! He advises that my oncologist doesn’t want me to have surgery to remove the three small masses on my scare line, as she wants to use them as a way to determine if the treatment is working. He advises that if they have not shrunk in 6 months, he will revisit surgery.
10/16 – Take first CEA blood test to determine Tumour markers. Asked for PET scan, but am told I don’t qualify.
10/16 – Waiting for brain MRI to confirm that cancer has not spread to brain!
10/16 – Get results of CEA blood test, and it is normal (my results were 2.7). My doctor advises that this could mean two things: (1) that the treatment is working, and the tumours are shrinking, or (2), that I'm one of those people who never get elevated CEA levels. Given that some people never get an elevated CEA level, this test doesn’t seem very accurate to me!

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Caya, that is AWESOME!

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Congratulations! I'll be joining you next summer.

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Congratulations!

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Congrats!! Wonderful to hear!!

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Yay, congrats!

Carol Ann

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Caya - Yes - Congratulations on 10 Years!!!! I always love to see these post. They are nuggets of hope for all of us following in your steps. Pam (4 years NED in Dec)

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Sorry I'm a day late but huge congrats on reaching this milestone!

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Wonderful! Congratulations!

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Congrats dear friend and many, many more decades to you.

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Thanks for the many congrats! I am eternally gratefully to this website for the help, advice and support I received in the early years of my diagnosis.

I pray for NED status for everyone.

all the best
caya

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Congratulations Caya! Thank goodness for good doctors, good meds and our site. Happy for you and wishing you many more years to add to this milestone.
Do the happy dance!

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

So pleased for you Caya - 11 years beginning next year for me.

Good news for all the newcomers.

Janie

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

That's wonderful news, Caya! Thanks for sharing it with us.

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

And here you are!!!! Superbe! xo Cathy

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Caya...that is fabulous news !!! YAY!!!

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Congratulations ! My Lorraine passed the 10 year Stage IV milestone in Sept. Dx. in 2006 with a met to liver . Progressed on many chemo combos until Kadcyla wiped it out in 2011 . So 5 yrs NED as of last month .

Re: Add me to the 10 Years Out Club!
 

Caya,
Congratulations on your 10 year mile stone!
Your news make me smile.

Hugs,
Jean