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10-02-2008, 08:41 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 503
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Onc appt tomorrow- 6 month check-up
Well, this is my first appt in 6 months since all previous treatments have concluded... not taking anything now.
I feel great and don't expect anything weird (other than my period came back... again !)
I was wondering what imaging I should ask for considering I have no symptoms of anything can feel.
I did get a brain MRI; CT of neck and Chest X-Ray in 10/07. I also had a breast MRI and mammo in 4/08.
But its been at least 2 yrs since any bone scans or PETS.
I can easily ask for any scan I want and although I feel good, I know I need to remain vigilant.
QUESTION is -What should I ask for ? What would you ask for ?
Maria
__________________
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Dx'd 8/04 at 41
Stage 1 for some onc's; Stage II for others (if you add up the sizes of all tumors).
Infiltrating DCIS
HER2+, ER+10% & PR-
.9cm tumor not visible on mammo, but palpable; visible on ultrasound
Lumpectomy/ clear margins, no nodes
Had Breast MRI after lumpectomy that revealed two more tumors in same quadrant(.4cm and 1.6cm) that were not visible on either mammo or ultrasound.
Re-excision
DD AC+T; Herceptin one year
Rads
NED/Taking Tamoxifen reluctantly
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10-02-2008, 09:08 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,519
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Hi Maria! You should come to San Antonio for SABCS with us in December!!
Me - I would at least get torso CT, brain MRI and bone scan. I think PET is reserved usually for once there is suspicion of mets, because without an idea that they are chasing something specific, it can leave them chasing their tails.
Do you all follow tumor markers or Her2 serum?
__________________
Brenda
NOV 2012 - 9 yr anniversary
JULY 2012 - 7 yr anniversary stage IV (of 50...)
Nov'03~ dX stage 2B
Dec'03~ Rt side mastectomy, Her2+, ER/PR+, 10 nodes out, one node positive
Jan'04~ Taxotere/Adria/Cytoxan x 6, NED, no Rads, Tamox. 1 year, Arimadex 3 mo., NED 14 mo.
Sept'05~ micro mets lungs/chest nodes/underarm node, Switched to Aromasin, T/C/H x 7, NED 6 months - Herceptin only
Aug'06~ micro mets chest nodes, & bone spot @ C3 neck, Added Taxol to Herceptin
Feb'07~ Genetic testing, BRCA 1&2 neg
Apr'07~ MRI - two 9mm brain mets & 5 punctates, new left chest met, & small increase of bone spot C3 neck, Stopped Aromasin
May'07~ Started Tykerb/Xeloda, no WBR for now
June'07~ MRI - stable brain mets, no new mets, 9mm spots less enhanced, CA15.3 down 45.5 to 9.3 in 10 wks, Ty/Xel working magic!
Aug'07~ MRI - brain mets shrunk half, NO NEW BRAIN METS!!, TMs stable @ 9.2
Oct'07~ PET/CT & MRI show NED
Apr'08~ scans still show NED in the head, small bone spot on right iliac crest (rear pelvic bone)
Sept'08~ MRI shows activity in brain mets, completed 5 fractions/5 consecutive days of IMRT to zap the pesky buggers
Oct'08~ dropped Xeloda, switched to tri-weekly Herceptin in combo with Tykerb, extend to tri-monthly Zometa infusion
Dec'08~ Brain MRI- 4 spots reduced to punctate size, large spot shrunk by 3mm, CT of torso clear/pelvis spot stable
June'09~ new 3-4mm left cerrebellar spot zapped with IMRT targeted rads
Sept'09~ new 6mm & 1 cm spots in pituitary/optic chiasm area. Rx= 25 days of 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the tumors.
Oct'09~ 25 days of low dose 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the bone mets spot on rt. iliac crest that have been watching for 2 years. Added daily Aromasin back into treatment regimen.
Apr'10~ Brain MRI clear! But, see new small spot on adrenal gland. Change from Aromasin back to Tamoxifen.
June'10~ Tumor markers (CA15.3) dropped from 37 to 23 after one month on Tamoxifen. Continue to monitor adrenal gland spot. Remain on Tykerb/Herceptin/Tamoxifen.
Nov'10~ Radiate positive mediastinal node that was pressing on recurrent laryngeal nerve, causing paralyzed larynx and a funny voice.
Jan'11~ MRI shows possible activity or perhaps just scar tissue/necrotic increase on 3 previously treated brain spots and a pituitary spot. 5 days of IMRT on 4 spots.
Feb'11~ Enrolled in T-DM1 EAP in Denver, first treatment March 25, 2011.
Mar'11~ Finally started T-DM1 EAP in Denver at Rocky Mountain Cancer Center/Rose on Mar. 25... hallelujah.
"I would rather be anecdotally alive than statistically dead."
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10-02-2008, 09:28 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 503
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I am not sure which markers we follow... Duh!
Whattya think ?
Regarding brain MRI... every year then ? (Since the last one was 10/07 )
Onc usually orders chest X-Ray... should I request the torso CT instead ?
I would love to go to San Antonio... my brother lives there and I have not seen him in a while. BUT, we are going to Chile (sis lives there) for Thanksgiving and I am afraid we will be spent out ! Have a chocolate martini for me.
How are you feeling dahling ? I feel like a whimpo when I pose my trivial questions when I know you are jumping higher hurdles.
Maria
__________________
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Dx'd 8/04 at 41
Stage 1 for some onc's; Stage II for others (if you add up the sizes of all tumors).
Infiltrating DCIS
HER2+, ER+10% & PR-
.9cm tumor not visible on mammo, but palpable; visible on ultrasound
Lumpectomy/ clear margins, no nodes
Had Breast MRI after lumpectomy that revealed two more tumors in same quadrant(.4cm and 1.6cm) that were not visible on either mammo or ultrasound.
Re-excision
DD AC+T; Herceptin one year
Rads
NED/Taking Tamoxifen reluctantly
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10-02-2008, 09:36 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,519
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Your questions are NOT trivial -
I am feeling great... I am just busy waiting for the hair to fall out of the 5 spots that they targeted with radiation, and then I will have my new "autumn mange" look perfected, it should be all the rage!
You know, you had no node involvement, and I am no expert, but I would feel safe with once year for brain MRI... we actually had gone 19 months when we decided to do a follow up MRI on mine, and found my itsy bitsy little bitty pesky buggers.
I just say torso CT because that's what my onc likes. It shows more detail than x-ray, that's for sure.
__________________
Brenda
NOV 2012 - 9 yr anniversary
JULY 2012 - 7 yr anniversary stage IV (of 50...)
Nov'03~ dX stage 2B
Dec'03~ Rt side mastectomy, Her2+, ER/PR+, 10 nodes out, one node positive
Jan'04~ Taxotere/Adria/Cytoxan x 6, NED, no Rads, Tamox. 1 year, Arimadex 3 mo., NED 14 mo.
Sept'05~ micro mets lungs/chest nodes/underarm node, Switched to Aromasin, T/C/H x 7, NED 6 months - Herceptin only
Aug'06~ micro mets chest nodes, & bone spot @ C3 neck, Added Taxol to Herceptin
Feb'07~ Genetic testing, BRCA 1&2 neg
Apr'07~ MRI - two 9mm brain mets & 5 punctates, new left chest met, & small increase of bone spot C3 neck, Stopped Aromasin
May'07~ Started Tykerb/Xeloda, no WBR for now
June'07~ MRI - stable brain mets, no new mets, 9mm spots less enhanced, CA15.3 down 45.5 to 9.3 in 10 wks, Ty/Xel working magic!
Aug'07~ MRI - brain mets shrunk half, NO NEW BRAIN METS!!, TMs stable @ 9.2
Oct'07~ PET/CT & MRI show NED
Apr'08~ scans still show NED in the head, small bone spot on right iliac crest (rear pelvic bone)
Sept'08~ MRI shows activity in brain mets, completed 5 fractions/5 consecutive days of IMRT to zap the pesky buggers
Oct'08~ dropped Xeloda, switched to tri-weekly Herceptin in combo with Tykerb, extend to tri-monthly Zometa infusion
Dec'08~ Brain MRI- 4 spots reduced to punctate size, large spot shrunk by 3mm, CT of torso clear/pelvis spot stable
June'09~ new 3-4mm left cerrebellar spot zapped with IMRT targeted rads
Sept'09~ new 6mm & 1 cm spots in pituitary/optic chiasm area. Rx= 25 days of 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the tumors.
Oct'09~ 25 days of low dose 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the bone mets spot on rt. iliac crest that have been watching for 2 years. Added daily Aromasin back into treatment regimen.
Apr'10~ Brain MRI clear! But, see new small spot on adrenal gland. Change from Aromasin back to Tamoxifen.
June'10~ Tumor markers (CA15.3) dropped from 37 to 23 after one month on Tamoxifen. Continue to monitor adrenal gland spot. Remain on Tykerb/Herceptin/Tamoxifen.
Nov'10~ Radiate positive mediastinal node that was pressing on recurrent laryngeal nerve, causing paralyzed larynx and a funny voice.
Jan'11~ MRI shows possible activity or perhaps just scar tissue/necrotic increase on 3 previously treated brain spots and a pituitary spot. 5 days of IMRT on 4 spots.
Feb'11~ Enrolled in T-DM1 EAP in Denver, first treatment March 25, 2011.
Mar'11~ Finally started T-DM1 EAP in Denver at Rocky Mountain Cancer Center/Rose on Mar. 25... hallelujah.
"I would rather be anecdotally alive than statistically dead."
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10-02-2008, 09:50 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 503
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... autumn mange... only you.
__________________
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Dx'd 8/04 at 41
Stage 1 for some onc's; Stage II for others (if you add up the sizes of all tumors).
Infiltrating DCIS
HER2+, ER+10% & PR-
.9cm tumor not visible on mammo, but palpable; visible on ultrasound
Lumpectomy/ clear margins, no nodes
Had Breast MRI after lumpectomy that revealed two more tumors in same quadrant(.4cm and 1.6cm) that were not visible on either mammo or ultrasound.
Re-excision
DD AC+T; Herceptin one year
Rads
NED/Taking Tamoxifen reluctantly
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10-04-2008, 07:51 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: indianapolis, indiana
Posts: 1,544
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hope the check-up went well. let us know!
__________________
dxd 9-04, lumpectomy,
st 1, gr 3, er,pr-, her2 +,
2 tac,33 rads,6 cmf
1 yr herceptin,
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