***What was your date of dx, stage, treatment and current status...???***

[gin-tx]

Dear Rhonda,

It amazes me the details that people know about their diagnosis to the most finite items. I understand what drs are talking about but can't remember all of it. But here goes, I have printed report from him. First diagnosis in 1995, only received radiation, 2nd diagnosis April 2006, surgeon said I should have had chemo, tumor was large. No one mentioned that.
Here goes: Ductal cardinoma in situ, involve large ducts and intraductal papilloma. Her 2/neu grade. One Sentinel node involved, others clean.

Hope this finds you doing well. I also had malig tumor on spine that showed up in bone scan and mri. So that had to be dealt with first, 18 radiation treatments. Also changed chemo treatments, doing herceptin and aridia, for how long I don't know.

Keep in touch, I care about people who have sent e mails and am interested in their recovery.

ginkott1@aol.com

[SusieQ]

I was Diagnosed at Age 41 on 10/6/06 with a 3cm Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in my left breast Stage II.

ER+ 45% Moderate and PR+ 62% Strong; HER2/neu +++
Sentinel Node Biopsy - Negative Four Nodes; ~BRAC1/BRAC2 Negative

Neo-adjuvant Chemo:6 rounds-every Three Weeks of Taxotere &
Carboplatin & Herceptin Weekly Completed on 2/7/2007.

Lumpectomy 3/12/2007 Post-op Pathology: The neo-adjuvant Chemo and
Herceptin slowed the tumor growth down, shrunk it ---- AND ---changed it
from an infiltrating (invasive) ductal carcinoma, poorly-differentiated to a
"residual" high grade ductal carcinoma "in situ" or "contained." Great
treatment result!!!!

Switched to every 3-week Herceptin infusion beginning on March 21, 2007
for nine more months. Radiation possibly to begin April 2007.

Receiving MUGA Scans every 2-3 months and more scans six months from
now. Bloodwork tested each time I receive infusion. Keeping an eye on a
right lung nodule that is not lighting up with PET. Maybe scar tissue or ????

Hormonal Therapy TBD -- may go the inhibitor route based on early studies
and their results. Pre-menopausal prior to cancer diagnoses. Period stopped
during chemotherapy and has not returned.

[BethSh]

Mine are below..just finished radiation. Starting Arimidex tomorrow.

[dhealey]

I had a normal mammogram July 2006, found lump in my breast myself Oct. 2006. Had lumpectomy Friday 13th, 2006, Oct. 20th, 2006 Left breast mastectomy, 2.5 cm tumor, negative nodes, ER/PR positive, Her2 Positive comfirmed by FISH. Stage IIA. Started 4 rounds A/C Nov. 2006 followed by 4 rounds Taxol/Herceptin. Continued with herceptin until Jan 8, 2008. Was started on Arimidex March 2007. June 2007 prophlactic mastectomy Right breast (no reconstruction) Stopped Arimidex Aug 2007 due to severe joint pain and was started on Aromasin stopped this Dec. 2007 due to severe joint pain and bruising. Brain MRI Oct 2007 showed pineal cyst no cancer/ PET SCAN Dec. 2007 negative. Now have lump in Right side of neck, onc thinks this is a lymph node, but all test including tumor markers normal. When all this started I was age 52 now 53 and still going strong or trying too!!!

[Joanne S]

Rhonda, Following is my breast cancer information.

[michka]

See my signature. This is an interesting initiative Rondah! I see that I am not the only one who had a mammo 1 year or less before the finding of a large tumor by herself. Who knows what the reliability of a mammography is? do tumors "explode" in one year? You read everywhere that tumor grow slow and they are there about 10 years before we can see them.
This drove me crazy of anger and despair. My mother had BC, my aunt and cousin died from it so I thought I was serious and would catch a cancer at the beginning. And they always told me during the 10 years I had mammos that my breast were easy to read.
Michka

[Believe51]

My 50 year old husband's journey is in his signature. Nice post>>Believe51

[Sueinuk]

Diagnosed in 2003 with bc in right breast. Had chemo first followed by surgery then rads. Re-diagnosed two years later with local recurrence. Stage 3. Now on Herceptin and Capcitebine. NED.

[theresaw]

One thing I didn't put on my sig. was that I am er-/pr-.

[DEBBIE S]

Hello All ...
I was first dx in Oct. 2004 ; I had a routine mam. in April 04 and was called back in for a follow-up with a magnification of test and was then
told to come back in 5 months ... I do belive if they had done an ultra-
sound my tumor would have been found .. but hindsight is 20/20 ...
Was dx Stage 4 with 3.2 cm tumor and spot on liver ....
HER2 +++ ER - PR -
Currently doing hercp every 3 weeks and my onc has agreed to let me do
chemo ( taxol & carboplatin ) every 6 weeks ...

[dlaxague]

I was just going to post my signature but it says my message is too short if I don't type something.

Debbie Laxague

[romo9]

Diagnosed oct 2004 her+++ 3cm tumour 18 positive nodes. Chemo,radiotherapy. herceptin 2 years. 3 years NED. Romo9

[tweet7805]

I was diagnosed 10/11/2005; Lumpectomy 11/22/2005; Path report results: Stage IIB; 1 node with micro cells; Grade 3; ER/PR neg; HER2+++. Treatment: 4 X AC every 3 weeks; 3 X Taxol/Herceptin wkly. Had bad reaction with side effects to Taxol onc stopped took 2 wk break restarted 7X Taxotere/Herceptin wkly. 6/15/06 blood oxygen dropped to 75% rushed to ER all chemo/herceptin stopped put on oxygen for 3 months restarted Herceptin 8/2006 every 3 wks & 33 daily rads to left breast; 9/22/06 Rads completed; 12/4/06 MUGA scan shows dangerous drop in blood flow from 85-50% Herceptin stopped 4 months early and will not be restarted onc feels I have had enough to kill all cancerous cells. No other treatments have Mamo on left breast every 6 months annually on right. So far I have stayed in remission since. I do continue to have long term side effects: Neuropathy all limbs; perm lung dmg caused by chemo; Glaucoma to eyes; Extreme Fatique; Chemo Brain-No short term memory; Multitasking out of the question; have trouble thinking correct words to use etc. But at least I am still in remission just had to retire permanently.

Hugs
Cindy

Live simply. Love generously.
Care deeply. Speak kindly.
Then leave the rest to God

[Lien]

Great to read all those positive stories. You rock, ladies!

Lien

[trailrider]

My signature has nearly everything.
Has normal Mammo 4 mos before dx. Only Ultrasound found tumor. Have done 1 year of Tamoxifen will start an AI soon.

Am getting ready to have my third uterine biopsy.

[DanaRT]

El, Your story inspries me. Now that I have noticed some dimpling under my arm, and even if it is scary news, I know things will carry on and I will have many years. Like you, I have two daughters who have completed college, one is in high school. I plan to see much more of what life has to bring and watch the girls prosper in their careers. I am grateful for this site-seven months ago it frightened me.
Herceptin is saving my life. I see the Dr. tomorrow.

Dana

[rebecca0623]

My info is in my signature - great idea especially for those of us new to this board to be able to see who is out there and what their expreriences are!

[DanaRT]

Whynow?,

Adorable children!

Dana

[Henny]

I was diagnosed 3/07 after "odd" mammo and PEM (PET mammogram)and US guided biopsy. Her+++ ER- PR-
3/07 Bilat mastectomies with recon
4/07 left lymph node dissection-1 pos node
A/C 4 DD
Taxol/ Herceptin
10/07 recon with silicone implants
1/08 nipple recon
Finished herceptin 6/08.
Port out last week
Was able to work and exercise (slowly and not like I used to but did nevertheless)
Last PET/CT 3/08 was clear
Love to wear the little t-shirts and not have saggy boobs

Henny

[Ginagce]

I'm just checking in as suggested. It's been a year plus a couple months since I finished my Herceptin treatment. I am still NED!

Was on Herceptin for 2 years after completing bi-lateral mastectomies, reconstruction and ACT chemotherapy.

Had bi-lateral lumpectomies and radiation to one side only seven years prior to that.

Doing well and again, NED. So, since first diagnosis, now 11 years, since 2nd....4 years!


Bless you ALL!

Ginagce