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04-05-2004, 02:07 AM

Been there done that. Get a second opinion and read " research and read some more.
I was dx in Oct. 2002 with 1.2cm in left breast. Had lumpectomy with sential node (came back neg). I had 2nd lumpectomy in Dec. because tumor did not have clean margins (sugeon said it was a fluke...). I did it just to be ""sure"". My path was grade 1" node neg er-/pr- " Her2/ neu 3+. I had 4 cycles of AC and then 33 rads. (finished in early June). They didn't offer taxotere at that time for my ""risk level"" and only at the end of my treatments in a clinicial trial. I felt great in July" tired in August. I started feeling sharp pains in my left side in late August. Told my onc. at my 3 month check up. Told my PCP at my yearly physcial in Oct. I really think she thought it was all it my head but I did have a CT scan (without contrast--big mistake on her part) and chest x-ray which came back negative. I found a hard lump (swollen lymph node) under my clavicle in late January and immediately went to my Onc. CT (with contrast) and bone scan showed mets to liver bone lymph in chest and pleura. Pet scan confirmed. I had a pleural effusion that took up my whole left lung!
Now I am on 3 week cycles of taxotere carboplatin and weekly cycles of herceptin. The tumors have shown a dramitic decline in 6 weeks. But i can't help but think that it would have been nice to beat it the first time around. I think I had mets when the tumor was discovered (my baseline mamo in 2000 showed nothing!) but my onc. thinks it spread after first round of chemo. I think it's to cover his behind " or because he really just doesn't know. I do know I was very tired for a few years prior and had dwelt with a loved one's serious car accident two years before (some info. says stress can ""activate the cancer"" into hyperdrive).
All this to say: INSIST on a 2nd opinion. You can get into clinical trials for high risk" " node negative (which is sounds like your partner fits). As stated before the danger is with the ""A"" part of AC. So they add the herceptin after you're done with AC.
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04-05-2004, 02:07 AM	#8
Cathy Guest Posts: n/a	Been there done that. Get a second opinion and read " research and read some more. I was dx in Oct. 2002 with 1.2cm in left breast. Had lumpectomy with sential node (came back neg). I had 2nd lumpectomy in Dec. because tumor did not have clean margins (sugeon said it was a fluke...). I did it just to be ""sure"". My path was grade 1" node neg er-/pr- " Her2/ neu 3+. I had 4 cycles of AC and then 33 rads. (finished in early June). They didn't offer taxotere at that time for my ""risk level"" and only at the end of my treatments in a clinicial trial. I felt great in July" tired in August. I started feeling sharp pains in my left side in late August. Told my onc. at my 3 month check up. Told my PCP at my yearly physcial in Oct. I really think she thought it was all it my head but I did have a CT scan (without contrast--big mistake on her part) and chest x-ray which came back negative. I found a hard lump (swollen lymph node) under my clavicle in late January and immediately went to my Onc. CT (with contrast) and bone scan showed mets to liver bone lymph in chest and pleura. Pet scan confirmed. I had a pleural effusion that took up my whole left lung! Now I am on 3 week cycles of taxotere carboplatin and weekly cycles of herceptin. The tumors have shown a dramitic decline in 6 weeks. But i can't help but think that it would have been nice to beat it the first time around. I think I had mets when the tumor was discovered (my baseline mamo in 2000 showed nothing!) but my onc. thinks it spread after first round of chemo. I think it's to cover his behind " or because he really just doesn't know. I do know I was very tired for a few years prior and had dwelt with a loved one's serious car accident two years before (some info. says stress can ""activate the cancer"" into hyperdrive). All this to say: INSIST on a 2nd opinion. You can get into clinical trials for high risk" " node negative (which is sounds like your partner fits). As stated before the danger is with the ""A"" part of AC. So they add the herceptin after you're done with AC. "