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03-14-2008, 12:06 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Maple Grove, MN
Posts: 67
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Lymphoma
Hello Again,
It seems like everytime I am writing on here it is to get advise. Just an update, the pain in right breast has went away. Now I have a lump in my neck on the left side(same side as breast cancer). I had a ct scan and my onc had two options for me. 1. I can have it remove so they can biospy it, or 2. wait 6 weeks and get a pet scan. (what difference btwn pet scan and ct scan). My family and friends want me to have it removed just in case it is Lympnoma, and if not then what did it hurt. Me on the other hand am undecided. Does anyone know anything about this.
Thanks
__________________
Diagnosis bc june,2006.
3months of taxol and herceptin, nupregin shots weekly. Now herceptin only, her2 positive. stage III. Left breast, mastectomy with reconstrutive surgery.
Herceptin until 10/06. Due to low echogram numbers had to stop Herceptin indefinetly.
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03-14-2008, 12:27 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 190
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Why are you thinking it is lymphoma? If it is anything bad, it's probably the breast cancer again. Six weeks is a long time to wait for a Pet Scan. Is that the only place that does it in your area? Is that the only one your insurance will cover? Maybe I'm spoiled because I live in a large metropolitan area but I make my own scan appointments. I call around and ask who has the next available appointment. A biopsy however, will give you the best answer. Which ever you decide, you need to know soon! If it is anything bad, you can act fast in treating it.
Kim
__________________
8/98 dx right breast
5/2003 tram flap right breast
8/2004 dx new primary left breast with inflammatory bc
er/pr-, her2neu+++
8/19 taxotere and herceptin
1/15/2005 Navelbine/Herceptin
4/2005 radiation and Herceptin
5/15/2005 Herceptin alone
2/12/2008 skin biopsy positive
2/14/2008 met to sternum, possibly right breast
2/27/08 Start omitarg, herceptin, taxotere trial
3/17/08 Kicked off trial because I started too close to my last herceptin
3/19 start tykerb xeloda
Right breast confirmed met
5/15/08 skin mets gone, no hypermetabolic activity in breast, sternum healing
8/24/08 scans still look good. sternum still active with scarring. No evidence of progression
10/08 Progression in sternum
12/08 Start TDM1 trial
1/09 Scans show stable
12/09 1 year on TDM1 still stable
10/10 progression in chest and liver
11/10 false positive of liver mets; tykerb and herceptin
4/11 Tykerb/Herceptin/Xgeva
4/11 Rads to Sternum
5/12/12 NED Herceptin/Zometa
3/16/19 still NED Herceptin/Zometa very 6months
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03-14-2008, 12:36 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Maple Grove, MN
Posts: 67
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Lympnoma
The reason I said lympnoma is because that is what my oncologist said, she didn't say I had it she just mentioned it sometimes occurs in the neck area, she also suggested the 6 week wait period I don't know why. However she didn't seem to concerned because my blood work came back goood, my ct scan did show my lymphnode enlarged so maybe that is why she suggest the pet scan...she also did say it would be breast cancer reacurrence but when nodes are enlarged in the neck it could be lymphnoma.
__________________
Diagnosis bc june,2006.
3months of taxol and herceptin, nupregin shots weekly. Now herceptin only, her2 positive. stage III. Left breast, mastectomy with reconstrutive surgery.
Herceptin until 10/06. Due to low echogram numbers had to stop Herceptin indefinetly.
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03-14-2008, 12:46 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Misty woods of WA State
Posts: 4,128
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Hi -
Not fun to be dealing with this!
By "blood work" do you mean the complete blood count? And does that include tumor markers? If your tumor marker has been checked, then it is wise to know that very often the tumor markers DO NOT WORK for lymph nodes. Tumor markers seem to be best to indicate progression in organs.
The CEA marker can follow nodes better than CA27-29. In my case CA27-29 did not move with development of my brain mets, but the CEA did rise.
There is also the HER2 serum test that has been effective for some like Kate in discovering small mets.
__________________
"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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03-14-2008, 12:59 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Maple Grove, MN
Posts: 67
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Hi StepN-
Yes I believe tumor marker where a part of it, however she just check white blood cell count, red blood cells. She checked something else I can't think of it..I know it starts with lh something. Sorry if I am being so vague about this, it just sometimes when you see your doctor and they tell you things you hear them but you don't hear them at the same time....she did not do a ca27-29.
__________________
Diagnosis bc june,2006.
3months of taxol and herceptin, nupregin shots weekly. Now herceptin only, her2 positive. stage III. Left breast, mastectomy with reconstrutive surgery.
Herceptin until 10/06. Due to low echogram numbers had to stop Herceptin indefinetly.
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03-14-2008, 01:14 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Misty woods of WA State
Posts: 4,128
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Can you get a copy of your lab results so you CAN keep track of markers and blood counts?
My nurse or doctor always gives me my copies.
The PET scan would show heightened activity (light up) in the node or other areas that would likely indicate fast growing cells such as cancer.
Try to have the PET a lot sooner than 6 weeks if you don't have any other blood work or test such as ultrasound.
There should be specific tests that would show the difference between a breast cancer met and lymphoma, which is an entirely different disease.
Good luck, Theresa
__________________
"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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