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03-10-2007, 04:56 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Riverside, CA
Posts: 484
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Update on brain mets
I had my new 3mm lesion treated via gamma knife at Cedars-Sinai on mon. the 5th of March.
The previously treated lesion in my cerebellum, had grown 4 mm in the last week! Based on that new inf and the fact that I began feeling compromised balance even just walking around, I went ahead and had the surgery to remove it on Wed the 7th. I'm home now, I was released from Cedars-Sinai at about 10 am this morning.
The best part is that the surgery was a success. The tumor was poised to make itself at home, developing tentacles to embed itself in the brain, but it had not yet happened. There was virtually no radiation necrosis due to the previous X-knife in Jan 2006, it was all cancer tissue growing.
They were able to get a clean removal of the tumor, leaving nothing behind.
So for me, apparently this was the right decision to make at this point.
I underwent full speech, occupational, and physical therapy evaluations while in the hosp, they rec some short term phy therapy, which I will do, it will be beneficial in recovering quickly, I'm sure.
Glad to be home and recovering well!
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03-10-2007, 05:13 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Newton, MA
Posts: 951
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Hi Esther,
I'm glad to hear that everything went well. I'm sure that it won't be long before you are back to doing all your normal activities. For me the Decadron was the most difficult issue to deal with.
Best wishes,
Barbara H.
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03-10-2007, 05:30 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: MS Delta in Clarksdale="Home of the Blues" (near Memphis,TN)by Misssissippi River/levee's highest pt.
Posts: 224
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kat in the delta
Hi Esther,
Glad to hear you are doing so well after all you've been through. Will you take Tykerb once it is approved ?? kat in the delta
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03-10-2007, 06:13 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: IOWA
Posts: 243
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Esther - glad things turned out so well for you. My you have a speedy recovery.
__________________
Andi
-- ------------------------
Stage IIIC, 17 of 20 Nodes +, E+, Her2+++
Diagnosed 6/30/05
Lumpectomy 7/13/05
Dose Dense A/C x 4
Weekly Taxol + Herceptin x 12
Remainder of year Herceptin Every 3 weeks (completes 9/13/06)
Radiation completed 2/28/06
Currently on Tamoxifen
Dec 06 - Pleural effusion treated with pleurodesis
Now er/pr-, her2++
1/07 started weekly Navelbine plus Herceptin
Discontinued Tamoxifen
4/27/07 CTshowed progression
5/01/07 Began Tykerb/Xeloda + Zometa
5/22/07 Stopped treatment due to great progression
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03-10-2007, 06:39 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,756
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Esther, I'm so encouraged by your progress through this difficult terrain. You rest now, and thank you thank you thank you for the update 
<3 Lolly
__________________
Sept.'99 - Dx.Stage IIIB, IDC ER/PR-, HER2+++ by IHC, confirmed '04 by FISH. Left MRM, AC x's 4, Taxol x's 4, 33 Rads, finishing Tx May 2000. Jan.'01 - local/regional recurrence, Stage IV. Herceptin/Navelbine weekly till NED August 2001, then maintenance Herceptin. Right Mast. April 2002. Local/Regional recurrence April '04, Herceptin plus/minus chemo until May '07. Gemzar added from Feb.'07-April '07; Tykerb/Abraxane until August '07, back on Herceptin plus Taxotere and Xeloda Sept. '07. Stopped T/X Nov. '07, stopped Herceptin Dec. '07, started Avastin/Taxol/Carboplatin Dec. '07. Progression in chest skin, stopped TAC March '03, started radiation.
Herceptin has served as the "Backbone" of my treatment strategy for over 6 years, giving me great quality of life. In 2005, I was privileged to participate in the University of Washington/Seattle HER2 Vaccine Trial.
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03-10-2007, 07:18 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Norridgewock, Maine
Posts: 778
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Good to hear you are home and on the road to recovery. I am sure you are glad this one is behind you. Now, are you off on another trip soon? I often think of your three pugs. I still need to post pictures of mine he is so funny! Wishing you well. hugs, Sandy
__________________
Dx. 03/01, Rt. IBC
AC/Taxatere
Rt. MRM-with graft Lt. simple
5 rads-skin mets
Herceptin, taxol, carboplatin (taxol seem to be the magic drug)
Navelbine & xeloda (did not work)
topical miltex for skin mets
Tykerb/xeloda
thoracentesis x 2 left lung fluid shows cancer cells
Port removal (4 years) with power port replacement
Doxil
Updated 05-07 Scans show no bone or organ involvement we shall see!
I shall not pass this way again. Any good I can do or any kindness that I can show let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again.
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03-10-2007, 07:30 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Acworth, GA
Posts: 2,104
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Esther,
Glad to hear that things went so well for you. It certainly was the right decision made at the right time. Now you can begin to plan your next trip. You are truly an inspiration.
__________________
Kate
Stage IIIC Diagnosed Oct 25, 2005 (age 58)
ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3, Ploidy/DNA index: Aneuploid/1.61, S-phase: 24.2%
Neoadjunct chemo: 4 A/C; 4 Taxatore
Bilateral mastectomy June 8, 2006
14 of 26 nodes positive
Herceptin June 22, 2006 - April 20, 2007
Radiation (X35) July 24-September 11, 2006
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
Stage IV lung mets July 13, 2007 - TCH
Single brain met - August 6, 2007 -CyberKnife
Oct 2007 - clear brain MRI and lung mets shrinking.
March 2008 lung met progression, brain still clear - begin Tykerb/Xeloda/Ixempra
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03-10-2007, 08:26 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 1,055
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Glad to hear positive news. Bev
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03-10-2007, 09:37 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 589
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Atta girl Esther. Glad to hear everything went well. Eric
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03-10-2007, 09:41 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: New York
Posts: 90
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Best News!
You made my day! I can tell you are in good spirits and feeling well!
God Speed
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03-11-2007, 12:08 AM
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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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Great news Esther. I'm sure you'll be back full steam ahead soon.
________
MEDICAL CANNABIS SEEDS
Last edited by sassy; 08-22-2011 at 09:11 AM..
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03-11-2007, 12:34 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Misty woods of WA State
Posts: 4,128
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Dear Esther -
Great news that the "bad actor" is out of your noggin.
I am glad there was not a "false start" this time with you being wheeled a U-turn at the OR door like before. This seemed to not feel right to you and our guts are often better than some scans. Glad you are so in touch with your body as this is the time we need that talent!
Amazing that part of the tissue excised was NOT necrosis. It is most often a combination of tumor and necrosis when they actually do the path report.
That is why we keep on our scan followup schedule!
__________________
"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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03-11-2007, 05:03 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ireland
Posts: 3,463
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Great news
Good news is always welcome and I wish you a quick recovery and well done on making the right choice!
My friend had surgery recently to remove a brain tumour but they could only remove 40% of it without leaving her with some brain damage because of where it was situated so I'm really glad it did work for you.
Blessings
Tricia
__________________
Tricia
Dx July '05 IDC 1.9cm Triple positive 3/9 nodes positive
A/C X 4 ..Taxol/Herceptin x 12 wks then herceptin 1 yr
Rads x 36 ..oophorectomy August '06
Currently taking Arimidex..
June 2011 osteopenia/ zometa x1 yearly- stopped Zometa 2015 as Dexa show normal bone density.
Stopped Arimidex July 2014- Restarted Arimidex 2015 for a further two years on the advice of my Onc.
2014 Normal Dexa scan
2018 Mammo all clear, still NED!
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03-11-2007, 06:38 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Chicago
Posts: 36
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Yippee!
I was sending positive vibes your way all week! Wishing you a very quick recovery.
__________________
Michelle
Stage 2 '99, triple negative, 5 nodes involved
mastectomy, AC + T, rads, '01 TRAM flap
Stage 4 '06, lung mets, ER/PR-, HER2++
07/06 - 11/06: Taxol + Herceptin to 'strong partial remission'
11/06: Herceptin every 3 weeks indefinitely
01/07: brain mets, finished WBR, NED in head!
04/07: Xeloda and Tykerb for lung met progression
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03-11-2007, 08:57 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 306
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Esther!
This is amazing news and I am SO VERY glad for you!
Here's to a speedy recovery...
with hugs,
pattyz
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03-11-2007, 09:35 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 3,154
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Esther,
I am so very happy for you....fast recovery wishes are being sent.
Regards,
Jean
__________________
Stage 1, Grade 1, 3/30/05
Lumpectomy 4/15/05 - 6MM IDC
Node Neg. (Sentinel node)
ER+ 90% / PR-, Her2+++ by FISH
Ki-67 40%
Arimidex 5/05
Radiation 32 trt, 5/30/05
Oncotype DX test 4/17/06, 31% high risk
TOPO 11 neg. 4/06
Stopped Arimidex 5/06
TCH 5/06, 6 treatments
Herceptin 5/06 - for 1 yr.
9/06 Completed chemo
Started Femara Sept. 2006
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03-11-2007, 11:07 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Ft. Collins, Colorado
Posts: 546
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happy to hear from you
And happy that the procedures went well and that they got good margins! I'm sorry you had to go through all of that, though. Let's hope that your head stays empty from NOW ON!. Your attitude is so fantastic-thank you Esther! Sending you love and prayers.
__________________
with love and gratitude,
joy
dx stage I 2/2000*er/pr+; her- per IHC*lumpectomy*4 rounds A/C*30 rads*tamoxifen*dx stage 4 5/2002*huge mets to liver*tiny mets to lungs*stopped tamoxifen*5/02 taxotere/xeloda*her 2 checked with FiSH-her2+++herceptin *2/03 stopped chemo femara w/herceptin*zolodex*04 switched to aromasin w/herceptin*05 high estrogen tx*11/05taxol/carbo*7/06 stopped chemo; megace/herceptin*9/06navelbine/herceptin*5/07tykerb/xeloda great response*4/08 progression in liver; ooph/ faslodex /herceptin
6/08 began Herceptin DM-1
9/08 progression
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03-11-2007, 03:21 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Riverside, CA
Posts: 484
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Thanks for all the good wishes. I'm feeling better quickly, just tired of resting and recuperating, this bed thing is for the birds!!!
I know it's what my body needs right now, so I'm going with it. Staples come out next week, they want them in for 14 days.
Taking it one day at a time, so far so good.
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