compression fracture.......do a procedure? stage IV
 

Mom (age 63) has stage IV bc with mets to bones. She has been having horrible pain since this all started in august 2011. MRI shows T11 has bad compression fracture. Local hospital/oncolgoist suggested kyphoplasty (small insertion of cement-like bone material to stabilize fracture inside the bone). Her fracture too compressed so now they want to do a variation to the procedure.

Any thoughts? Anyone with cancer had this discussion with oncologist or anyone with osteoporosis.

Sitting down in a recliner, she can tolerate pain or standing short term. Sitting in kitchen chair....no way longer than 30-45 min without major discomfort.


It is a 45 min procedure with small incision. I think major concern is to "open" up the body and the old myth spread the cancer faster.........
Help, thanks
Kim

Re: compression fracture.......do a procedure? stage IV
 

Kim,

I think the myth has been explained by 'angiogenesis' - blood vessels proliferating during the wound healing process and causes more metastasis..

My Mother was 75 when she underwent surgery for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. She's a strong believer of the 'cancer spread by surgery' myth and was reluctant to having the procedure. I had to fly home to persuade her and she had surgery, chemo, and radiation. She's now a healthy 89-year-old.

Seems I've read others having the procedure. My thinking is that if cancer cells indeed get 'stirred up' by the procedure, they will be wiped out by whatever the treatment she's currently receiving.

Re: compression fracture.......do a procedure? stage IV
 

Thanks Jackie

Re: compression fracture.......do a procedure? stage IV
 

Hi there,

I had vertebroplasty (similar to kyphoplasty) in 2006. I was initially diagnosed with bone mets in my spine and the initial chemo did such a good job of eating away the cancer, that it left my T9 vertebrae looking like Swiss cheese...which eventually collapsed. I have to say that it greatly improved the pain and since I am still here 6 years later, I feel it was worth it...feel free to send me a private note if you want more details.

Re: compression fracture.......do a procedure? stage IV
 

I am stage 4 and had 4 titanium rods inserted in my upper back in Feb this year as mri showed it was near to collapsing, which surgeon said would have left me wheelchair bound or could be fatal. My skin mets reared up shortly after, but my oncologist said it seems that the chemo (lapatinib with herceptin) was just barely keeping it at bay and its time to try a new drug. There seem to be a lot of people who have surgery at stage 4 and have nothing sinister start up so if surgery is necessary I would go for it. I wish you all the best for a positive outcome.