HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Is there benefit in surgery for stage iv's

vonny · 09-07-2012, 03:05 PM

Hello there I am a newbie that would like some help please. May 8th 2012 my daughter Lorna then 21 years old was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer. She has just had her 22nd birthday. Basically she found a lump in her right breast, tests were done, and they also found her lymph nodes were also infected. From there she had CT, MRI and BONE scans which showed it also in her spine. The oncologist said the only scan that picked up the cancer in the spine was the mri as it is only just there, she used the words 'very subtle' When Lorna was first diagnosed we were told the plan was to have treatment first of Docetaxel, Herceptin and Zometa for the bones, 6 sessions every 21 days last one on the 14th Sept, but would stay on Herceptin and Zometa indefinitely. This was to shrink the tumour so when they did surgery it would hopefully not be so invasive. Then she would have radiotherapy. After 3 chemo’s an mri showed the secondary in the spine was stable. However today we had an appointment with her oncologist. Fantastic news is that she had to have a good old feel for her to be able to find the lump which is brilliant as before she had no trouble finding it! It has shrunk significantly but there is a but, and a rather big but as far as I’m concerned so I’m hoping someone might be able to put my mind at ease.
Lorna’s oncologist told us today that it is very unlikely now that Lorna will have surgery as she has secondary to the spine, she will continue to have Herceptin indefinitely along with Zemeta after her last chemo next week! They will then monitor her. Surely they need to remove the remainder of the lump from her breast otherwise the cancer is still there?? Her oncologist did explain how Herceptin works but I still don’t understand why they are not going to remove the lump or even the breast. I just want it out of her!! If the primary is still there can it not then spread further? Lorna’s oncologist did say though that she was going to discuss Lorna’s case with her surgeon who is the man we saw in the first place when we first found the lump. The oncologist wants to see Lorna again around 26th October to access and see where we go from there. This does give us a little time to do some research ourselves but I think a second opinion could be on the cards.
Any help or advice would be really appreciated!
Many Thanks
Yvonne

09-07-2012, 03:05 PM	#1
vonny Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Essex United Kingdom Posts: 38	Is there benefit in surgery for stage iv's Hello there I am a newbie that would like some help please. May 8th 2012 my daughter Lorna then 21 years old was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer. She has just had her 22nd birthday. Basically she found a lump in her right breast, tests were done, and they also found her lymph nodes were also infected. From there she had CT, MRI and BONE scans which showed it also in her spine. The oncologist said the only scan that picked up the cancer in the spine was the mri as it is only just there, she used the words 'very subtle' When Lorna was first diagnosed we were told the plan was to have treatment first of Docetaxel, Herceptin and Zometa for the bones, 6 sessions every 21 days last one on the 14th Sept, but would stay on Herceptin and Zometa indefinitely. This was to shrink the tumour so when they did surgery it would hopefully not be so invasive. Then she would have radiotherapy. After 3 chemo’s an mri showed the secondary in the spine was stable. However today we had an appointment with her oncologist. Fantastic news is that she had to have a good old feel for her to be able to find the lump which is brilliant as before she had no trouble finding it! It has shrunk significantly but there is a but, and a rather big but as far as I’m concerned so I’m hoping someone might be able to put my mind at ease. Lorna’s oncologist told us today that it is very unlikely now that Lorna will have surgery as she has secondary to the spine, she will continue to have Herceptin indefinitely along with Zemeta after her last chemo next week! They will then monitor her. Surely they need to remove the remainder of the lump from her breast otherwise the cancer is still there?? Her oncologist did explain how Herceptin works but I still don’t understand why they are not going to remove the lump or even the breast. I just want it out of her!! If the primary is still there can it not then spread further? Lorna’s oncologist did say though that she was going to discuss Lorna’s case with her surgeon who is the man we saw in the first place when we first found the lump. The oncologist wants to see Lorna again around 26th October to access and see where we go from there. This does give us a little time to do some research ourselves but I think a second opinion could be on the cards. Any help or advice would be really appreciated! Many Thanks Yvonne