HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Progression rates from stage IIIC to stage IV?

bejuce · 09-03-2009, 10:22 PM

Thank you all for your support and encouragement. I honestly don't know what to make of stats anymore. I've seen so much inconsistent data online that I'm not sure which number to believe.

Add to that the fact that I had less than 1% chance of getting breast cancer and here I am fighting this, when I hear that I have anywhere from 30, 50 or 70 % chance of getting it again, it sounds so very high to me that I feel numb and afraid.

I love to hear all the survivor stories out there -they definitely strengthen my hope.

Nancy, let us all know what you find out from Dr. Slamon. My oncologist at Stanford told me after running through the Adjuvant Online program that I had a 70% chance of making it to 10 years with Herceptin added to the mix. Because I'm 38 with young kids at home, I have to believe that I have at least 20-30 years left...

Thanks again!

Marcia (bejuce)

09-03-2009, 10:22 PM	#13
bejuce Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 510	Re: Progression rates from stage IIIC to stage IV? Thank you all for your support and encouragement. I honestly don't know what to make of stats anymore. I've seen so much inconsistent data online that I'm not sure which number to believe. Add to that the fact that I had less than 1% chance of getting breast cancer and here I am fighting this, when I hear that I have anywhere from 30, 50 or 70 % chance of getting it again, it sounds so very high to me that I feel numb and afraid. I love to hear all the survivor stories out there -they definitely strengthen my hope. Nancy, let us all know what you find out from Dr. Slamon. My oncologist at Stanford told me after running through the Adjuvant Online program that I had a 70% chance of making it to 10 years with Herceptin added to the mix. Because I'm 38 with young kids at home, I have to believe that I have at least 20-30 years left... Thanks again! Marcia (bejuce) __________________ ER+ (30%)/PR-/HER-2+, stage 3 Diagnosed on 02/18/09 at 38 with a huge 12x10 cm tumor, after a 6 month delay. Told I was too young and had no risk factors. Found swollen node during breastfeeding. March-August 09: neo-adjuvant chemo, part of a trial at Stanford (4 DD A/C, 4 Taxotere with daily Tykerb), loading dose of Herceptin 08/12/09 - bye bye boobies (bilateral mastectomy) 08/24/09 - path report shows 100 % success in breast tissue (no cancer there, yay!), 98 % success in lymphatic invasion, and even though 11/13 nodes were still positive, > 95 % of the tumor in them was killed. Hoping for the best! September-October 09: rads with daily Xeloda 02/25/10 - Cholecystectomy 05/27/10 - Bone scan clear 06/14/10 - CT scan clear, ovarian cyst found 07/27/10 - Done with Herceptin! 02/15/11 - MVA-BN HER-2 vaccine trial 03/15/11 - First CA 15-3: 12.7 and normal, yay! 10/01/11 - Bone scan and CT scan clear, fatty liver found now on Tamoxifen and Aspirin