Does anyone have neck lympth node involvement?

[Nathan]

Hello.* I'm* 46 years young and I have a question about my wife's cancer*and was wondering if there is anybody else like me.* My wife was originally diagnosed in 2001 with Stage 3c, HER2+, Estrogen+, Progesterone-, breast cancer with 13 of 15 lympth nodes testing positive.* She had a radical mastectomy followed by AC/Taxotere chemotherapy, and radiation.* This put her in remission for 5 years until last December when it recurred.* She now is Stage 4 with metastices to her bones, liver and lymph nodes in her neck.* She*started undergoing chemo 3 months ago* (Gemzar and Carboplatin) as well as Herceptin.* The treatments aren't working as determined by CT scan recently and we are about to switch to something else.* The problem my wife is having is that her lymph nodes in her neck are filled with tumor that is basically and slowly strangling her.* She is always tired and nauseated even during her off week from chemo treatments. If you have a similar case, I'd love to hear from you.* The only way that I've been able to hold up through this is from the support of friends, family, my faith in God and my two young children ages 10 and 6.* This has been a terrible 6 years to stand by and helplessly watch this horrible disease happen to your soulmate of twenty years.

[DonnaD]

Nathan,
First, I am so sorry for this very hard time for you, your wife and family. I do not have info for you but am sure someone on this site will. So much knowledge here. You have come to the right spot for help and encouragement. Perhaps the next treatment will help.

I will keep you all in my prayers.
Donna

[Odette]

Dear Nathan,

I had a similar situation with cervical lymph nodes (very scary) as you see from my signature.
I went for a second and a third opinion, if you e-mail me I'll give you my phone # and details of my history,

Love hope and prayers,

Odette

[Sheila]

Nathan

I have mets to my neck nodes, so far they have been maintained with Herceptin and Xeloda.....I have been battling this for 4 years now. It sounds like she would be a candidate for Tykerb Xeloda, and that might do the trick...it is helping Lolly with neck nodes!
I hope your wife feels better. She is in my prayers.

[Lolly]

Hi Nathan

I've been treated for neck, clavicular and axilla nodes since 2001, and this latest recurrence which actually started showing activity in 2005 is finally showing a good response to Tykerb/Abraxane. Previously, Herceptin in combo with Navelbine was very effective against these, when Navelbine lost it's "punch" then Xeloda was tried with some success. Then Gemzar was added and I must say of all the chemo's it was the least effective, but that's most likely because Herceptin had also run it's course for me.
I would hope your wife's oncology team will be offering new options asap. There are many other chemo's, some of the side effects are hard but these neck nodes can be very frightening and it may be necessary to hit them with some pretty big guns to knock them back.
Thinking of you both and hoping for better days soon!

<3 Lolly

[dede10]

I, too, have had a problem with cervical nodes. They popped up over a yr ago, and although during the navalbine, they stabilized, I think I am getting ready to advance to something else.

It sounds like those nodes are a popular place for the cancer to hang out?