[Bunty]

Hi Valley Girl! I feel your anxiety, but as SoCalGirl writes, there are some new drugs on their way to us HER2 metsters. I've just passed 12 years Stage 4, and December is my cancerversary - 19 years since first diagnosis. I've had a lot of treatment at Stage 4, and sometimes it's been a roller coaster, with hiccups along the way.

In a nutshell, Herceptin since Stage 4 for about 10 years, with quite a bit of chemo during the early Stage 4 years, e.g., Taxol, Abraxane. I had to stop Herceptin (subcut) because of low EF, so have been seeing cardiologist for the past 18 months, and on beta blockers and ACE inhibitor with much success - EF sits at about 65%. When this all stabilised I stared Kadcyla, and continue with that. However, I also have had local intervention prior to Kadclya, such as liver resection of a large met, SBRT on lung met, and on a very large lymph node in my abdomen which caused all sorts of problems (the node not the treatment as such). It had crushed my liver bile duct so have had a few stents inserted and replaced, but now all good again (although the radiation treatment caused a duodenal ulcer to develop, which is managed by meds). I do have a few small mets in my lungs and liver, but they are stable with the Kadcyla, however, 8 weeks ago a 12mm brain met in the cerebellum was treated with SRS, and then on the review MRI last week a 4mm brain met in the right temporal lobe was detected, and treated on Monday this week with SRS. At the end of last year, and it's still a bit of a mystery, I was very sick and nearly kicked the bucket with pericarditis, and cardiac tamponade. But it seems not to have been related to the cancer or treatment, but maybe because our bodies do take some battering with all that it endures? (I was struck down with pneumonia 3 months before, so perhaps that also contributed?)

What I'm hoping to convey is that perhaps the disease progresses and presents in new places the longer on Stage 4, but there are still options such as trials, and local interventions, such as surgery and targeted radiation - and we are watched closely for any changes. When I first was diagnosed Stage 4, doctors were quite reluctant to even consider local interventions, but with longer survival rates, I have found this attitude much changed.

To be honest I do feel sometimes like it's catching up with me, but then hope returns. I still lead quite an active life, just back from a lovely holiday (sporting an injury from falling on a dance floor from too vigorous dancing, and maybe a few glasses of wine!!), and heading off again next week for another week away. I like to find joy where I can, and I give much thanks for being watched over by my medical team, and maybe a higher being??

And of course, we are all here for each other, and this site has inspired and educated me beyond belief.

Best wishes, Marie