HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post

flynny · 04-07-2010, 08:36 AM

Thanks for all this great information.

My mother also had WBR in August 2007. She had two prior SRS tx (May '07 and July '07) and then it changed to leptomeningeal cancer. Due to the fact that she had Multiple Sclerosis they did a 14 day tx of WBR. We knew the risks and seeing my father died at 31 (almost 32) of mets from Melanoma he too had WBR and didn't live much longer after that. My mother's memory and the way she articulated herself wasn't perfect, but her sense of humor was till there and how much she wanted to live was very apparent. Most patients that have leptomeningeal only live up to 6 months at best, but mother lived over 10 months. They tried a few "experimental" drugs - era C (I think) and Alimta. It helped some and then it stopped working.

I think about myself and I hate that I know so much about what she went through and then with my own diagnosis I just pray that I don't follow suite.

04-07-2010, 08:36 AM	#12
flynny Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: New Boston, NH Posts: 275	Re: can you really die from WBR? Thanks for all this great information. My mother also had WBR in August 2007. She had two prior SRS tx (May '07 and July '07) and then it changed to leptomeningeal cancer. Due to the fact that she had Multiple Sclerosis they did a 14 day tx of WBR. We knew the risks and seeing my father died at 31 (almost 32) of mets from Melanoma he too had WBR and didn't live much longer after that. My mother's memory and the way she articulated herself wasn't perfect, but her sense of humor was till there and how much she wanted to live was very apparent. Most patients that have leptomeningeal only live up to 6 months at best, but mother lived over 10 months. They tried a few "experimental" drugs - era C (I think) and Alimta. It helped some and then it stopped working. I think about myself and I hate that I know so much about what she went through and then with my own diagnosis I just pray that I don't follow suite. __________________ -Sarah- Jan '07 felt lump (PCP "thought" it was a cyst) Nov '07 "bloody nipple discharge" (OB-GYN "thought" I had fibrocystic breasts and told me to take 400 IU's of Vitamin E) Note: Mother was dx w/BC in 2004 (ER/PR+ & HER2+) & mets to brain April 2007 (she passed away June 17, 2008) 2/1/08: Biopsy Dx: DCIS (age 34) 2/22/08: Surgery R-side Mast 2/28/08: 1st Path Rpt Dx: IDC 1.8cm tumor & DCIS 2.1cm 2nd Path Rep DFCI - IDC (0.9cm) & DCIS (2.1cm) Stage 1b/Gr 3; ER+(5%), PR+(2%), HER-2+++ 5/5 nodes NEG; Clear Margins Chemo: AC 4 rnds (1st one 3/31/08) finished 6/2/08 TH (Taxol/Hercepin) 12 weeks (1st one 6/25/08) finished 9/8/08 Herceptin 9 mos (every 3 weeks) finished 6/8/09 BRCA 1/2 NEG Bio: Age 39, married to James 1999, 2 boys 12 & 10 yo