NED at 90

[LoisAnn]

We are celebrating my Mom's great Fri the 13th PET scan results: NED at age 90.
Following disastrous age-biased advice to "skip" her yearly mammogram at age 86, my Mom was diagnosed with BC at 88. Had she followed the yearly schedule, her invasive tumor would have been detected a yr. earlier.

Despite inadequate margins & removal of pectoral muscle fascia & a single positive node with "extra-nodal extensions," age bias based advice advised against pursuing chemotherapy for my Mom's HER2+ disease.

Following skin, bone, & lung mets within a yr post mastectomy, she was hospitalized with compression fractures to the spine, pneumonia due to fluid, due to lung mets, & cardiac complications. We demanded a port be placed.

Following an uneventful treatment with Navalbene & Herceptin, my Mom returned to her normal active schedule.

One year later her tumor markers have returned to normal. Her PET scan results confirm status as NED. Echo results are normal as well.
Current plan is to continue Herceptin to age 100. That IS actually the current plan... we have decided that after 10 yrs of treatment, if she chooses to discontinue at that time, assuming NED, this is reasonable plan of action.

She continues to enjoy her exercise classes, fast-walking & stair-climbing for exercise, as well as a full schedule of other activities.

When I arrived this past Wed Mom had just finished doing her normal daily routine of 5 flights of stairs for exercise, as well.

Despite having returned to work at 89 following her mastectomy (that was "no big deal"), she continues to assure me she's definitely now retired.
In the meantime, Mom is far too busy going about the business of living to take time out of her busy schedule for work.