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09-18-2006, 08:50 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bryn Mawr, PA
Posts: 22
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What is CTCA?
Skibunny
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09-18-2006, 09:46 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Central Coast, CA
Posts: 3,207
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Skibunny
CTCA is Cancer treatment Centers of America. They are known for taking a more integrative approach to treatment, incorporating "traditional" therapies (surgery/chemo/radiation) as well as nutritional and mind-body approaches. You may see their ads on TV.
__________________
Chris in Scotts Valley
June 2002 extensive hi grade DCIS (pre-cancer-stage 0, clean sentinal node) Mastectomy/implant - no chemo, rads. "cured?"
9/2004 Diag: Stage IV extensive liver mets (!) ER/PR- Her2+++
10/04-3/05 Weekly Taxol/Carboplatin/Herceptin , complete response!
04/05 - 4/07 Herception every 3 wks, Continue NED
04/07 - recurrence to liver - 2 spots, starting tykerb/avastin trial
06/07 8/07 10/07 Scans show stable, continue on Tykerb/Avastin
01/08 Progression in liver
02/08 Begin (TDM1) trial
08/08 NED! It's Working! Continue on TDM1
02/09 Continue NED
02/10 Continue NED. 5/10 9/10 Scans NED 10/10 Scans NED
12/10 Scans not clear....4/11 Scans suggest progression 6/11 progression confirmed in liver
07/11 - 11/11 Herceptin/Xeloda -not working:(
12/11 Begin MM302 Phase I trial - bust:(
03/12 3rd times the charm? AKT trial
5/12 Scan shows reduction! 7/12 More reduction!!!!
8/12 Whoops...progression...trying for Perjeta/Herceptin (plus some more nasty chemo!)
9/12 Start Perjeta/Herceptin, chemo on hold due to infection/wound in leg, added on cycle 2 &3
11/12 Poops! progression in liver, Stop Perjeta/Taxo/Herc
11/12 Navelbine/Herce[ptin - try for a 3 cycles, no go.
2/13 Gemzar/Carbo/Herceptin - no go.
3/13 TACE procedure
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09-19-2006, 05:27 AM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 9
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Brrr
Good Morning everyone! Thank You Sheila for sending us your cold weather LOL. It's 51 here so looks like we're about the same as far as weather goes. Last night my husband put on a jacket! I had a nerve racking day yesterday, the closer I get to flying out the more nervous and emotional I get. I feel like I'm going to have a nervous breakdown before I get there and actually meet with the drs. Why can't they just fly to our homes and do all the testing??? :-)
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Sher
So Far:
Lump found 08/06 right breast.
DX 09/08 Invasive Lobular Carcinoma RB, Stage IV.
9/25 First Surgery - Complete Mascetomy w/expander and port placed.
ER/PR/HER2-, 15/20+
Major tissue damage.
METS to skin, liver, brain, sternum, lymph nodes.
10/3 Second Surgery - fat donated from lower ab and skin grafts from pubic area to chest
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09-19-2006, 06:28 AM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bryn Mawr, PA
Posts: 22
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Is there a list of the CTCA?
Thanks,
Skibunny
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09-19-2006, 08:03 AM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 9
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CTCA Url
Here's a link to their site:
http://www.cancercenter.com/
__________________
Sher
So Far:
Lump found 08/06 right breast.
DX 09/08 Invasive Lobular Carcinoma RB, Stage IV.
9/25 First Surgery - Complete Mascetomy w/expander and port placed.
ER/PR/HER2-, 15/20+
Major tissue damage.
METS to skin, liver, brain, sternum, lymph nodes.
10/3 Second Surgery - fat donated from lower ab and skin grafts from pubic area to chest
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09-19-2006, 12:07 PM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bryn Mawr, PA
Posts: 22
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Thanks so much
Skibunny
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09-19-2006, 12:34 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Misty woods of WA State
Posts: 4,128
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Seattle has beautiful facility
Some of you may be looking for such a center who live on the west coast.
The head oncologist here is one I consulted with as a third opinion. I was very impressed with his ideas and ability to explain complicated treatment in detail. At that time they were not in the present facility and I chose SCCA which was going into a brand new building with all the latest, bright, shiny and new. As well as a brilliant med onc who had few openings but was interested in my case.
If I develop another cancer, I would think seriously of seeking treatment at the Seattle branch of CTCA.
P.S. Sher - I am sure they will take wonderful care of you and put you at ease as quickly as possible. The fear of the unknown is the worst.
__________________
"When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau
Live in the moment.
MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~
Found suspicious lump 9/2000
Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement
Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR -
Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds
36 rads - very little burning
3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum
Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED!
2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa
Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18
All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET
Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying
Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa
Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?)
2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava
2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec.
Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011
STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer
7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones
Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED
2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED.
Same news for 2016 and all of 2017.
Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.
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09-19-2006, 09:59 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Streetsboro, Ohio
Posts: 365
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I had wonderfull care while being treated at CTCA in Zion, Ill.
Sher I can't believe you have to go all the way to Zion when CTCA is right in your backyard in Tulsa.
We have anthem Blue Cross which is not in their system, but they still accepted my insurance as payment in full. I did have to pay deductable and co-insurance but it was the same as if I were in network. Maybe things have changed since I was there in 2004.
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