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Treatment progress / CA 15-3
Hello everyone,
I went for treatment 5 of 6 today of my first line chemo treatment. I had a CT scan done last week, and I reviewed the results with the onc. The spinal met looked to the radiologist like it was healing. The lung mets went from quarter-size to tiny.
I knew I was making progress because some of it was palpable -- in the breast, lymph nodes, and liver size.
About the liver...I did not look at my initial CT scan, because I thought it was of no benefit at the time for me to see it. But today the onc said the progress was dramatically better, and I wanted to see how much, so I took a peek.
I'll just say that I am glad that I did not look at it before because I might have been convinced I was a goner. It looked like there was as much cancer as there was liver, or maybe more. Now it's down to a few (relatively) little spots containing necrosis/fluid with no liver enlargement. It's definitely empowering to know how much progress I have made, so I'm glad I looked.
Early on, I asked the onc if I had a tumor marker and he said he had tested it but didn't see it on my chart, but I had one they could use to assist with tracking my progress. I now suspect maybe he didn't want to tell me yet because I told him prior that I wanted only hopeful and positive feedback and nothing that might scare me.
Well, since I'm more brave now with my progress I also looked at my CA 15-3 lab results: 9/4/12 >3000 (!!); 9/21 840; 10/5 321; 10/16 161.
All I can say is wow, and that the progress is energizing!
Thanks!
Love,
Rachael
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7/30/2012 Diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer
8/3/2012 CT scan mets to liver (major!!), lungs, spine, and skin
8/8/2012 Biopsy results: invasive ductal carcinoma
ER+/PR+/HER2+ amplification 4.8 (whatever that means)
8/13/2012 Brain MRI (clear); bone scan verified CT scan
8/14/12 started Taxotere/Carboplatin/Herceptin, 2 rounds (added Neulasta after 9/4 treatment)
9/4/12 CA 15-3: >3000
9/15/12 CA 15-3: 840
9/15/12 started Taxotere/Perjeta/Herceptin, 4 rounds (no Neulasta)
10/29/12 CT scan showed dramatic improvement in all areas - largest liver met 2.5 cm, largest lung met 10 cm
12/17/12 Started Perjeta/Herceptin, 2 rounds
12/17/12 CA 15-3: 17 Yay!!!
1/21/13 CT scan showed improvement - largest liver met 1.9 cm, largest lung met 2 mm
1/29/13 CA 15-3: 12 Started Herceptin only
3/12/13 CA 15-3: still 12 yay!! Back to Perjeta/Herceptin
3/29/13 CT scan more improvement - largest liver met 1.2 cm, some lung mets disappeared!
3/7/14 started Tamoxifen
6/27/13 - 1/2015 CT scan stable
Began a diet of only single ingredient foods and went nearly NED excepts for some tiny lung spots - ask me if you want to know more...
1/2015 - 1/2017 CT scan stable
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