stage 4, a port and m r i

[gail prince]

my daughter has her 2 breast to liver stage 4. she has a port for delivery of meds. i want her to have m r i for brain. she says is not an option with the port. what do you do for brain check if you have a port? she had allergic reaction to carboplatin after 3 months and is now on herceptin and taxol. 3 weeks on and one off. appreciate any news. her hair is starting to grow back anyone experience hair return while on chemo. thanks, gail

[cathyB]

Gail - first, I cannot imagine that your daughter could not have an mri of her brain even tho she has a port. Could be wrong about this but I would double check with her onc.

I, too became allergic to carboplatinum after about 3 months and continued on with taxotere and herceptin. Once the carbo was stopped, my hair started to grow again - am sure her's will, too.

[Patty H]

I just had a brain MRI today and I have a port. They said as long as it had been at least 8 weeks since the port was put in, so maybe that is why your daughter can't have one yet. Patty H

[Kathy]

I've had dozens of MRI's and I have a port. They tell me the port is plastic so it doesn't make a difference..Good Luck. Kathy

[Lisa]

Gail,
Good for you for pushing the brain MRI. The port should not interfere with the MRI at all. Check with her doctors to make sure she understood correctly.

When one chemo combo doesn't work, another will be tried...and another...until the right combo is found. We are fortunate to have more than one option. Best wishes to her.

Love and light,

Lisa

[celina]

Hi Gail,
It is not unusual for hair to grow back after 5 to 6 treatments. At least that is what my sister was told when her's began to grow back while she was on FEC.
Hope this combo is effective for your daughter..my sis has been doing quite well on it!

[judiek]

I too have had brain mri with port so I would have your daughter ask again. Also, my hair is grwoing back while still on taxol/avastin. It's just growing in a bit slower than first time.

Best of luck to you and your daughter, warm thoughts and prayers your way

Warmly,

Judiek

History

Discovered lump Sept. 2002 (mammo didnÃâ€*t pick it up)
Dx Oct 2002-just turned 41
IDC and pagets disease, stage 2B, grade 3/3, nottingham scale 9/9
3cm, lumpectomy,clean margins
er/pr-pos, her2 neg, 2/25 nodes w/cancer
Nov 2002-March 2003-FEC (5fu, epirubicin, cytoxen)
March 2003- started tamoxifen
May 2003- finished rads (33tx)
June 2003-CT/PET Scan- clear
Started 3 month check ups w/lab
Dec 2003-complete hysterectomy
Jan 2004-extensive mets, both lungs & liver(labs normal)
Jan 2004-stopped tamoxifen
Feb 2004 CEA-23 (0-3 normal) CA27.29-66.1 (0-38 normal)
Feb 23to current-clinical trial, taxol & avastin
April 15th, 2004-CT-significant shrinkage on all tumors/plueral effusion gone
June 8th 2004-CT-all liver lesions decreased in size/lung mets gone
Aug 9th, 2004-CA27.29 is 22.3, CEA is .8)
Aug 9th, 2004-Brain-CT neg, lung mets/pleural effusion still gone, liver mets had slight shrinkage. Largest hypodesne lesion is 2.1cm, 6 others 1cm or less.

[Rozebud]

I also had a brain MRI last week and have a port.

[Sandy H.]

How did you get on the avastin? I saw where it is being used for colon cancer. Is it now being used for breast cancer? How does it work because its not a chemo correct? Hugs, Sandy