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Pink Girl, I visited this community often in the early days of my early stage breast cancer. I learned a lot. When my cancer came back, I joined. This community is like my other breast cancer support network, which I joined several years ago before my recurrence. It meets once a month. One member had stage 1 bc 10 years ago and still comes to meetings. Another member had stage 1 bc nine years ago and just had a recurrence in her other breast. Several members are newly diagnosed. Some have celebrated five-year anniversaries. Two were diagnosed with IBC. One had a bone marrow transplant in 1996, and is now looking forward to her daughter's college graduation, which she thought she'd never see. Then there's the incredibly sad part. My good friend Janet from the group became an angel in January leaving behind two college-aged children. And my other friend Fran is home from the hospital but on oxygen. But we all have breast cancer in common. Joan
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Diagnosed stage 2b in July 2003 (2.3 cm, HER2+, ER-/PR-, 7+ nodes). Treated with mastectomy (with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction), AC + T/Herceptin (off label). Cancer advanced to lung in Jan. 2007 (1 cm nodule). Started Herceptin every 3 weeks. Lung wedge resection April 2007. Cancer recurred in lung April 2008. RFA of lung in August 2008. 2nd annual brain MRI in Oct. 2008 discovered 2.6 cm cystic tumor in left frontal lobe. Craniotomy Oct. 2008 (ER-/PR-/HER2-) followed by targeted radiation (IMRT). Coughing up blood Feb. 2009. Thoractomy July 2009 to cut out fungal ball of common soil fungus (aspergillus) that grew in the RFA cavity (most likely inhaled while gardening). No cancer, only fungus. Removal of tiny melanoma from upper left arm, plus sentinel lymph node biopsy in Feb. 2016. Guardant Health liquid biopsy in Feb. 2016 showed mutations in 4 subtypes of TP53. Repeat of Guardant Health biopsy in Jana. 2021 showed 3 TP53 mutations, BRCA1 mutation and CHEK2 mutation. Invitae genetic testing showed negative for all of these. Living with MBC since 2007. Stopped Herceptin Hylecta (injection) treatment in March 2020. Recent 2021 annual CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis and annual brain MRI showed NED. Praying for NED forever!!
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