HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Stressful event(s) --contributing factor?

StephN · 09-16-2006, 11:31 AM

Some say that most of us have had the cancers we are dealing with for up to 5 years and maybe longer. This is an interesting question, as when does the cell group upgrade itself to "fast dividing - grade 3"?
This is my pathology at the time of the biopsy. If it was fast growing did it only take a year? Was it slow growing for 2 or 3 years and then change to more aggressive?
All I know is that the rate that my cancer was growing and spread right after treatment, it could not have been 5 years like that.

About the stress. For several years before 2000, I had a great deal of stress. Coming from all quarters - family, taking care of the grandma's and great aunts on both sides; hubby's business partner trying to shaft us in a power grab and more. Maybe, as someone mentioned, I internalized this, as we have to find a way to keep up with daily life and move forward.

My life is much calmer now that all those people and problems are gone. And believe me we do not go looking for trouble. Maybe this is why I am able to keep the cancer beat back and stay NED. I turn more of my energy inward for my own healing and peace of mind.

09-16-2006, 11:31 AM	#19
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	When does the cancer cell divide and thrive? Some say that most of us have had the cancers we are dealing with for up to 5 years and maybe longer. This is an interesting question, as when does the cell group upgrade itself to "fast dividing - grade 3"? This is my pathology at the time of the biopsy. If it was fast growing did it only take a year? Was it slow growing for 2 or 3 years and then change to more aggressive? All I know is that the rate that my cancer was growing and spread right after treatment, it could not have been 5 years like that. About the stress. For several years before 2000, I had a great deal of stress. Coming from all quarters - family, taking care of the grandma's and great aunts on both sides; hubby's business partner trying to shaft us in a power grab and more. Maybe, as someone mentioned, I internalized this, as we have to find a way to keep up with daily life and move forward. My life is much calmer now that all those people and problems are gone. And believe me we do not go looking for trouble. Maybe this is why I am able to keep the cancer beat back and stay NED. I turn more of my energy inward for my own healing and peace of mind. __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.