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I am Isabelle in CT. I am happy to be turning 45 this month.
I have a long story because I have been living a pretty normal life now for 6 years with various treatments to keep me going. I just finished Whole Brain Radiation and I am waiting for my next MRI of my brain and cat scans of my body which will happen in May. Here is my story:
5/1999, age 39, diagnosed with infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Found by me after nursing 3rd child. Confirmed in mammogram.
First Treatments all 1999: Mastectomy of right breast. 20/36 nodes positive. ER+ and Fish +++.
Chemo started 7/99. A trial at Yale Univ. dose intense, higher dose chemo. (not stem cell support, just neupogen). \ Biweekly, high doses of one drug at a time. A then T then C.
Radiation of chest wall and axillary area for 25 days.
Jan 1999 - Oct. 2002 Tamoxfen for almost 3 years in remission.
10/ 2002 bone mets found after months of rising tumor markers.
Treated with Aromasin and Zoladex. BUT, found not to be postmenopausal even of zoladex. Ovaries removed 7/03 continued on Aromasin.
2/2004 Cancer progressed into more bones and liver possible lung nodule. Started Herceptin and Navelbine weekly. Zometa monthly. Tumor markers fell to almost normal. Liver spot gone. All things stable, smaller or gone as of Feb 05. Dropping Navelbine ands witching from weekly to herceptin every 3 weeks.
2/2005 Had MRI of brain at my request after reading this website. No real symptoms. 2 mets found in my brain. One tiny on right side, a 2.9 cm tumor on left. 3/2005 WBR radiation for 20 days. May need stereotactic on tumor in brain. Continuing on Herceptin every 3 weeks.
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