Undecided

Is there anyone out there that was diagnosed with BC that had already spread and you had some chemo treatments and then they did surgery ? If so I was wondering how are you doing now? what was the outcome so far?

Donna,
That hasn't been my exact route, but I wonder...what are your fears or concerns?

Love and light,

Lisa

My concern is that I've had BC with bone mets to sternum for 2 1/2 yrs,diagnosed 6/01. After my 4 rounds of A/C with herceptin the 2.5cm tumor had shrank 70% you could no longer feel it it was great, I wanted surgery at that time and radiation on the bone, but my oncologist said once its already spread there is no sense in taking my breast off and messing with the primary tumor when the cancer has already spread that would cause it to really spread so she has been treating me with hormonal therapies until those quit working and the breast tumor wasn't responding so I've now been on 3 rounds of taxol/herceptin and they just did a ultrasound and found a new lesion in the same breast and a lympnode that doesn't look good, so now their telling me I need to have surgery because they want to try this on women when their cancer is only spread to the bone and not a major organ. I am concerned that it will really spread to a major organ if we mess with the primary tumor now that its really active, I think I should be put back on a chemo and hopefully that will shrink it again and then have surgery. The surgeon says that it can spread when you take out the primary tumor but it can also spread thru that lymph node and also the tumor could burst thru the skin so she wants me to have a mastectomy.I just afraid and not sure what to do.

Donna,
YOu may not like my thought, but it sounds like you need a second opinion from both oncologist and surgeon. You need to be confident in your decision. Is there another cancer center or oncology group near you?

Love and light,

LIsa

Donna,
Have you thought about asking your onc for the name of the study or trial which was the basis for her changing her mind about your surgery?
First she said No, then 2 1/2 years later Yes. I sure would want to see the outcome of the bone mets study group on which she based her decision.
I have bone mets to my sternum also.....

Hugs,

Beth