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06-09-2009, 06:18 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Indianapolis
Posts: 46
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Gamma Knife Radiation
Hi All,
Just asking for prayers Thursday as I will have my brains radiated with Gamma Knife procedure. It's the only brain I have, such as it is, and I'd like to keep it! If you don't pray then just think posivitive thoughts. (smile).
Thanks all,
D.W.
__________________
4/06 diagnosed metastatic breast cancer stage III her2nu
4/06-7/06 taxol, carboplatin, herceptin 4/06-4/08 herceptin
8/06 mastectomy, lymph nodes removed
08/06-12/06 taxotere
28 radiation treatments
4/08 mets in brain, spine & hip
4/08 whole brain radiation 10 times
5/08-6/08 spinal radiation 12 times
4/08-9/08 tykerb, xeloda
9/08-present navelbine, herceptin
10/08 MRI shows brain mets just about gone!
4/09-blah more brain mets
6/09-Gamma Knife Radiation to the brain
9/09-three small brain tumors gone, big one shrunk almost in half
3/10 NED (nice)
8/11-more brain mets; shrunken are growing; new one found
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06-09-2009, 07:14 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: I live in Christmas, MI - located on the shores of Lake Superior.
Posts: 606
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I am sorry to hear you have more mets, but I am happy to hear they can treat them. May all go smoothly for you, I will be praying for you.
__________________
Barb
10/03 Radical Mastectomy 3 cm tumor - 1/17 Nodes Stage II B, Her 2 +++ ER-/PR- 11/03 4 AC 4 Taxol 12/05 Stage IV - Lung met , Bone mets - Carbo, Taxotere, Herceptin 9/06 - 2 cm brain tumor 10/06 - Tumor removal surgery - Herceptin Halted 12/06 gamma knife tumor base.1/07 Navelbine/Herceptin 4/07 Rads to R femur 5/07 Stereotactic - new 2 cm brain tumor 4/07 Start Xeloda 5/07 Tykerb added 7/07 Brain MRI clean 10/07 .055 cm brain met found. 12/07 Stereotactic -1 cm brain tumor Start Tykerb 11/07 Abraxane/Herceptin 5/08 Cisplatin, Gemcitabine/Herceptin 6/08 Stereotactic to 1cm 9/08 Stereotactic repeat (growth). 11/08 Pet Scan Good but new tiny met on L lung/dead Brain surgery (no cancer cells found/scar tissue) 1/09 Chemo restarted 2/09 Pet Scan Bad - R larger very active/active L active lymph nodes both sides of chest MRI- mets slight increase 2/09 Start Doxil/Tykerb Treatment
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06-09-2009, 08:48 AM
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#3
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Webmaster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Home of the "Flying Tomato"
Carlsbad, CA
Posts: 2,036
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D.W.
Having witnessed the procedure, it looks more forboden than it really is.
You may be comforted by the fact that Gamma-Knife's success rate is in the 90's.
Regards
Joe
__________________
A Proud webmaster to the internet's most informed, educated, COMPASSIONATE and caring group of breast cancer survivors.
Illegitimi non carborundum
My Album
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06-09-2009, 10:21 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,357
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Best wishes and prayers, D. W. ma
__________________
MA in TX.
Grateful for each and every day....
Diag. 12/05 at age 60
Stage II, Grade 3, 4.5 cm primary tumor
ER/PR- Her2 +3 strongly positive
Her2 by FISH 7.7 amplified
vascular invasion
Ki67 20% borderline
Jan - March '06 Taxotere/Adriamycin X 3 to try to shrink tumor - it grew
April '06 Rt Modified Radical Mas, 7 of 9 nodes positive
April - Aug. '06 Herceptin/Taxol/Carboplatin X 8 (dose dense)
Sept - Dec. '06 Navelbine/Herceptin x 8 (dose dense)
Radiation & Herceptin Jan. 22 - March 1, 2007
Finished Herceptin Dec. 10 '08! One extra year.
Port removed August, 2012.
8 1/2 years since diagnosis! 5 1/2 Years NED!
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06-09-2009, 11:43 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,526
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Praying and sending positive thoughts that this treatment will be a big success.
Ellie
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06-09-2009, 01:38 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Wilmington, Del.
Posts: 1,126
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I promise you that your brain will still be there after your gamma knife radiation. Am praying and sending good thoughts. (smile back)
__________________
MJO
IDC, Stage I, Grade 2
Oncotype DX Score 32
Her2++ E+P+, Node Neg.
Lumpectomy 11/04/05 Clear Margins
3 Dose dense AC (Couldn't tolerate 4)
4 Dose dense Taxol & Herc. (Tolerated well)
36 weeks Herceptin (Could not complete one year due to decrease in MUGA score)
2 years of Arimidex, then three years of Femara
Finished Femara May 2011
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06-09-2009, 05:54 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Bayarea,CA
Posts: 679
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Sending lots of special prayers for you! May God bless you with NED in brain!
hugs,
shobha
__________________
DX: 06-30-2007 - left breast -stage IIIB, Her2/Neu 3+++, ER weakly positive, PR-
Taxol+herceptin weekly for 3 months
FEC+herceptin every 3 weeks for 3 months
BRCA 1 and 2 - Negative
Jan 2008 - Bilateral mastectomy, prophylactic Rt. side.
Radiation for 5 weeks
Completed my yr of herceptin on 07-14-2008
Brain MRI - 3/2/09 Clean
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06-10-2009, 01:19 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Central Coast, CA
Posts: 3,207
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good vibes and prayers coming your way. You should read Courtney's post on her results as well!
__________________
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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06-10-2009, 02:32 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 869
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Best of Wishes....stay strong. Ceesun
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06-10-2009, 03:16 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Southern, CA
Posts: 2,511
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D.W. Keep in mind the high success rate Joe quoted on Gamma-Knife...that's great news.  Although I can only imagine just how anxious you must be to get this all behind you.
You can also count on me to keep you in my thoughts and prayers...hang in there...we are all pulling for you.
Chelee
__________________
DX: 12-20-05 - Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu, 3+++,Er & Pr weakly positive, 5 of 16 pos nodes.
Rt. MRM on 1-3-06 -- No Rads due to compromised lungs.
Chemo started 2-7-06 -- TCH - - Finished 6-12-06
Finished yr of wkly herceptin 3-19-07
3-15-07 Lt side prophylactic simple mastectomy. -- Ooph 4-05-07
9-21-09 PET/CT "Recurrence" to Rt. axllia, Rt. femur, ilium. Possible Sacrum & liver? Now stage IV.
9-28-09 Loading dose of Herceptin & started Zometa
9-29-09 Power Port Placement
10-24-09 Mass 6.4 x 4.7 cm on Rt. femur head.
11-19-09 RT. Femur surgery - Rod placed
12-7-09 Navelbine added to Herceptin/Zometa.
3-23-10 Ten days of rads to RT femur. Completed.
4-05-10 Quit Navelbine--Herceptin/Zometa alone.
5-4-10 Appt. with Dr. Slamon to see what is next? Waiting on FISH results from femur biopsy.
Results to FISH was unsuccessful--this happens less then 2% of the time.
7-7-10 Recurrence to RT axilla again. Back to UCLA for options.
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06-10-2009, 04:01 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Mountains of Virginia
Posts: 2,267
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DW,
Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
__________________
Rhonda (Sassy)
dx age 45
DX 2/15/05 Stage IIb (at surgery)restaged IIIa
Left mast .9cm tumor 5 of 14 nodes
Triple Positive
4 DD A/C
12 Taxol/Herceptin
33Rads
Strange infect mast site one year aft surg, hosp 1 wk
Herceptin for total of 18 months
Lupron Monthly 4 yrs
Neurontin for aches, pains and hot flashes(It works!)
Ovaries removed 11/09 stop Lupron and Neurontin
Arimidex 6 yrs (tried Femara, no SE improvement)
Tried Exemestane-hips got so bad could hardly walk
Back to Arimidex for year seven
Zometa 2X Annual for 7years, Lasix
Stop Arimidex 5/13
Stop Zometa 7/13-Bi-lateral Stress Fractures in Femurs from Zometa
5/14 Start Tamoxifen
3/15 Stem cell transplant to stimulate femur bone growth/healing
5/15 Complete fracture of right femur/Titanium rods both femurs
9/16 Start Evista stopTamoxifen
3/17 Stop Evista--unwelcome side effects!
NED and no meds.......
14 YEARS NED!
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06-10-2009, 04:51 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 260
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Praying for you, DW and sending positive healing energy your way. I had Gamma Knife to 10 tumors on April 21, 2009 and I am doing just fine today. It really works! My brain scan from this past Monday showed that the tumors are nearly all gone - just dead tissue hanging out on the scans. I know this will work for you too! You can do this! Love and prayers, Courtney
__________________
4/17/08: Dx Stage IV at age 30 - extensive mets to liver, lungs, and bones. Er/Pr-, Her2+++
April 08-Aug 08:Taxotere, Cytoxan, Herceptin, Zometa - complete response!
Sept 08-Dec 08: Herceptin +Zometa for maintenance.
Jan 09-April 09: Brain mets. Add Tykerb. Watch and wait.
April 09: Gamma Knife 10 brain mets, add Xeloda.
Sept 09: Gamma Knife to 1 brain met.
Nov 09- April 10: Lung progression, add Gemzar to Herceptin, Zometa.
May 10- Sept 10: HER2 Vaccine Trial
Sept 10: Add Tykerb for more brain mets.
Oct 10: Gamma Knife to 7 brain mets.
Dec 10: Switch from Zometa to Denosumab.
Jan 11: Gamma Knife to 3 brain mets.
March 11: Gemzar/Herceptin for lung/bone progression.
April 11: More brain mets - Intrathecal Herceptin
June 11: Ixempra/Herceptin for lung, soft tissue progression.
Aug 11: Gamma Knife
Sep 11: Abraxane/Herceptin
Future: NED
Send me a PM if you'd like to follow my journey on Caringbridge.
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06-10-2009, 07:11 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Cordoba, Mexico
Posts: 672
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My prayers are with you and with all my sisters here. Be confident that things will be fine. I will be thinking of you tomorrow and sending good vibes.
Paty
__________________
Dx. June 30th, 2006 at age 43
Lumpectomy rt breast
2.2 cm tumor, 13 nodes all negative
ER-PR+,her2+++
6 FAC
32 Rads
Dx. Lung fibrosis due to radiation
Ended 1 year herceptin in March, 2008
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06-10-2009, 08:28 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: RHODE ISLAND
(Ed getting me a latte on 2nd Cancerversary Cruise 2008)
'BELIEVE': To accept as true or real, To have faith in, To presume
ALWAYS BELIEVE
Posts: 2,999
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How 'bout both prayers and positive thoughts? I have complete faith you will be granted your wishes with this procedure. I know it is a little scary but please know that I will be there with you. Look around at the wonderous miracles this procedure has supplied and realize that you will be the next one sharing your experiences. Here is to you girl, here is to your prayers being answered and here is to hearing, "There is nothing in your brain!" (hahaha). Starting my prayers now. Lots of love and hugs.>>Believe51
__________________
9/7/06Husband 50yrs=StageIV IBC/HER2+,BoneMets10/06TaxotereX10,'H'1X wk,Zometa,Tamoxifen4/12/07Last Tax5/18/07Pet=Rapid Cell Activity,No Organ Mets,Lytic Lesions,Degeneration,Some Bone Repair5/07ChemoFail6/01/07Pleural Thoracentisis=Effusions,NoMalignantCells6/19/07+7/2/07DFCI
6/25/07BrainMRI=BrainMets,Many<9mm7/10/07WBR/PelvisRad37.5Gx15&Nutritionist8/19/07T/X9/20/07BrainMRI=2<2mm10/6/07Pet=BoneProgression
10/24/07ChemoFail11/9/07A/Cx10,EndTam12/7/07Faslodex12/10/07Muga7512/13/07BlasticLesions1/7/08BrainMRI=Clear4/1/08Pet=BoneImprovement,
NoProgression,Stable4/7/08BrainPerfect5/16/08Last A/C8/26/08BrainMets=10(<9mm)9/10/08Gamma10/30/08Met=5mm12/19/08Gamma5mets5
12/22/08SpinalMets1/14/09SpinalRads2/17/09BrainMRI=NoNewMets4/20/09BoneScan5/14/09Ixempra6/1/09BrainMRI=NumerousMets6/24/09DFCIw/DrBurstein6/26/09Continue
Ixempra/Faslodex/Zometa~TM now lower7/17/09Stop Ixempra By Choice9/21/09HOSPICE10/16/09Earned His Deserved Wings And Halo=37 Month Fight w/Stage 4 IBC, Her2+++,My Hero!!
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06-14-2009, 06:08 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,851
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Wishing you the best and praying for a good outcome. There's a lot of success with the GamaKnife.
Joan
__________________
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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06-15-2009, 01:59 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Sunny San Diego
Posts: 2,214
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DW
I'll be thinking about you and adding my prayers too.
Let us know how it goes. I don't think you end up like the Wizard of Oz - If I only had a brain! You are just zapping away some unwanted cells.
Best of Luck!
__________________
Diagnosed 2007
Stage IIb Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Pagets, 3 of 15 positive nodes
Traditional Treatment: Mastectomy and Axillary Node Dissection followed by Taxotere, 6 treatments and 1 year of Herceptin, no radiation
Former Chemo Ninja "Takizi Zukuchiri"
Additional treatments:
GP2 vaccine, San Antonio Med Ctr
Prescriptive Exercise for Cancer Patients
ENERGY Study, UCSD La Jolla
Reconstruction: TRAM flap, partial loss, Revision
The content of my posts are meant for informational purposes only. The medical information is intended for general information only and should not be used in any way to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease
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06-16-2009, 06:51 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,486
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DW,
I am sending positive vibes and prayes from Georgia. Let us know how everything goes.
Amelia
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06-23-2009, 04:18 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Indianapolis
Posts: 46
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Gamma Knife Girl
Thank you for all the well wishes and prayers. The procedure went well. I only have two complaints:
1. The device that attaches to the head left some big lumps on the back of my head
2. My head is numb; they tell me that is from the numbing meds used. So I am a numbskull!
Thanks again, all!
D.W.
__________________
4/06 diagnosed metastatic breast cancer stage III her2nu
4/06-7/06 taxol, carboplatin, herceptin 4/06-4/08 herceptin
8/06 mastectomy, lymph nodes removed
08/06-12/06 taxotere
28 radiation treatments
4/08 mets in brain, spine & hip
4/08 whole brain radiation 10 times
5/08-6/08 spinal radiation 12 times
4/08-9/08 tykerb, xeloda
9/08-present navelbine, herceptin
10/08 MRI shows brain mets just about gone!
4/09-blah more brain mets
6/09-Gamma Knife Radiation to the brain
9/09-three small brain tumors gone, big one shrunk almost in half
3/10 NED (nice)
8/11-more brain mets; shrunken are growing; new one found
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06-23-2009, 04:53 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,357
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Great news! I'm so glad things went well. ma
__________________
MA in TX.
Grateful for each and every day....
Diag. 12/05 at age 60
Stage II, Grade 3, 4.5 cm primary tumor
ER/PR- Her2 +3 strongly positive
Her2 by FISH 7.7 amplified
vascular invasion
Ki67 20% borderline
Jan - March '06 Taxotere/Adriamycin X 3 to try to shrink tumor - it grew
April '06 Rt Modified Radical Mas, 7 of 9 nodes positive
April - Aug. '06 Herceptin/Taxol/Carboplatin X 8 (dose dense)
Sept - Dec. '06 Navelbine/Herceptin x 8 (dose dense)
Radiation & Herceptin Jan. 22 - March 1, 2007
Finished Herceptin Dec. 10 '08! One extra year.
Port removed August, 2012.
8 1/2 years since diagnosis! 5 1/2 Years NED!
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06-23-2009, 05:08 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 260
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Glad it went well DW! Rest assured that the side effects (the numbness and lumps) will go away. And you'll be feeling back to normal (or as close as you can get at Stage IV) in no time! Praying for a full and speedy recovery for you!
__________________
4/17/08: Dx Stage IV at age 30 - extensive mets to liver, lungs, and bones. Er/Pr-, Her2+++
April 08-Aug 08:Taxotere, Cytoxan, Herceptin, Zometa - complete response!
Sept 08-Dec 08: Herceptin +Zometa for maintenance.
Jan 09-April 09: Brain mets. Add Tykerb. Watch and wait.
April 09: Gamma Knife 10 brain mets, add Xeloda.
Sept 09: Gamma Knife to 1 brain met.
Nov 09- April 10: Lung progression, add Gemzar to Herceptin, Zometa.
May 10- Sept 10: HER2 Vaccine Trial
Sept 10: Add Tykerb for more brain mets.
Oct 10: Gamma Knife to 7 brain mets.
Dec 10: Switch from Zometa to Denosumab.
Jan 11: Gamma Knife to 3 brain mets.
March 11: Gemzar/Herceptin for lung/bone progression.
April 11: More brain mets - Intrathecal Herceptin
June 11: Ixempra/Herceptin for lung, soft tissue progression.
Aug 11: Gamma Knife
Sep 11: Abraxane/Herceptin
Future: NED
Send me a PM if you'd like to follow my journey on Caringbridge.
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