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Beverly, here is a condensed version of my journey from poor prognosis to today. My story begins years ago, in 1989 when I found a smallish lump in my left breast. I went into immediate and complete denial, not seeking medical help or advice of any kind. My husband's family had a lot of cancer, and I just didn't want to know, I guess. I convinced myself it was just a fibroid cyst, and we'll never know if it was or not. It did seem to fit the profile, and so for 10 years I went on. But in '99 it started enlarging and changing, and I finally woke up and got myself to a doctor (thanks to my husband). After blood work and lung/liver/bone scans showed no apparent spread, which seemed pretty miraculous, I was scheduled for a biopsy with immediate mastectomy if the biopsy showed cancer. It did; Stage 3, 5 of 5 nodes positive, ER/PR negative, and thanks to my surgeon I was also tested for Her2nue (3+).
I started treatment right away; six months of chemo; Adriamycin/Cytoxin followed by Taxol, and 6 weeks of radiation. I was fine for six months, then began showing symptoms of recurrance. My oncologist was expecting this, and even though scans came back negative, we were sure the cancer was back as I had enlarged nodes in my neck and collarbone, a strange rash over my collarbone(all of this on my left side) and enlarged nodes under my right arm with my right breast also swollen and tender. I also had several small peppercorn sized bumps in the scar area. My surgeon did a biopsy of the neck node and also the rash, and both confirmed the original cancer was back. So I started weekly treatments with Herceptin/Navelbine on January 29, 2001.
After 6 months I was determined to be NED! I continued with Herceptin monotherapy until March of this year when I again started Navelbine in combo with Herceptin, after scans this spring revealed a 2nd recurrence to the same lymph nodes. Latest CT showed nodes normal in size, so in a few more weeks will have additional scans to determine if NED.
Your mom should not fear that because she has disease in the lymph system, it has spread elsewhere. If it has, it CAN be controlled and even beaten back for a good long while.
You didn't say whether one of the scans ordered is a brain MRI, but that is a must. Scary, but necessary.
BIG Hugs to mom from me!
Love, Lolly
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