Ambiguity Resolved

[Mtngrl]

Biopsy results came in this morning. It is metastatic breast cancer in my lung.

I have an appointment to talk with my oncologist Monday morning. I trust her. We'll make a good plan.

As they say, the truth will set you free, but it won't necessarily make you happy.

[StephN]

Sorry for that news, but as you mention, a good plan will come out of it. You know what is happening and can hit those lesions appropriately.

[NEDenise]

Amy,
Better to know than not...but

I'm sure your onc will come through with a good plan. I'm still keeping that gentle hug ready!
Denise

[Mandamoo]

I am sorry to hear this Amy. Did you read the article about surgery for ill aged lung mets greatly increasing survival?
As you say now you know you can plan.
A x

[KDR]

Amy,
Not the news you wanted, but you're now on to the hiding place. You can now design your plan for permanent destruction.
Thinking of you
Karen

[Jackie07]

Amy,

We have many sisters on this board who are long-time survivors of lung mets. And I know you will be getting good treatment now that the mystery has been solved.

Sending you good vibes.

[ammebarb]

Thinking of you, Amy, and hoping you get that good plan of attack soon. In my prayers.

Barb A.

['lizbeth]

Glad you know sooner rather than later. Now you and your doctors can work on eradicating that unwanted addition hanging out in your lungs.

[Jean]

Dear Amy,
I was sorry to read your post...I am sure you will have a strong plan to kick those lung mets to the curb.
Sending you best wishes,
Jean

[karen z]

Hi Amy,
Please look at the recent article mentioned by Mandamoo (you may have already seen). It looks very good ---- like an extremely promising procedure. Thinking of you and sending along good wishes.
Karen Z

[KDR]

Amanda,
Do you have the link to the article? You are the second person who has mentioned it...I love positive new ways of treatment and want to read it--
Thanks
Karen

[CoolBreeze]

I'm so sorry. Let's hope they find a plan that gets you back to NED and for many years.

[KsGal]

I'm sorry to hear the results. Now that you know exactly what you are dealing with, you and your doctor can commence to making a plan to kick cancer's butt. Big hugs to you, and lots of prayers.

[michka]

Amy, you were so right to go for the difficult biopsy. Now is time for the plan that will bring you back to Ned. Thinking of you. Michka

[Mtngrl]

Here's the link to the article: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/258521.php

Thank you, friends! I love you.

[vballmom]

Add me to your team of supporters!

[LeahM]

Amy I join the others in prayer for a kick cancer to the curb plan.
Leah

[caya]

Support and hugs from me too Amy!
Your onc. will come up with a brilliant plan of attack...

all the best
caya

[KDR]

Oh, Germany is on the cutting edge again!
This article seems to point out some pretty clear information. Very hopeful indeed!
Let us know, Amy, your plan options...and thanks for posting the link.
Warmly
Karen

[LoisLane]

Thoughts are with you Amy, you will be on a good plan very soon. Best wishes Lois

[SoCalGal]

6 years stage 4. Lung crap. Never have felt anything but fine - not counting the pooperia side effects from tx. My lungs have been stable for a long time. I think it's the avastin that helped me. Anyhow, really sorry for the news. It is good that you have a fresh biopsy to send out for the most up to date tumor profiling info (I'm assuming your onc is on it)
Keep us in the loop. Am going to read your link next. Take care. Flori

[Joan M]

Amy,

Sorry to hear this. I had a lung met that was removed surgically, and I have not had any others in the lung since 2008.

In 2003, I had stage II bc, which spread to my lung in 2007. I went directly to surgery -- a wedge resection via VATS, based on trial results from France and Japan, which I had read about. With potential NED of up to 5 years.

Unfortunately, even though the margins were clean, the cancer recurred a year later in the same area of the lung. Perhaps my lung could have been radiated after the surgery, but nobody mentioned that to me and I didn't think of it myself. I then had an RFA. That was it, and all has been well since then.

I've been on only Herceptin since advancing, even though I took it off-label for 52 weeks when I had stage II bc. So, go figure about Herceptin (I also had a mastectomy, immediate DIEP flap reconstruction, AC + T, and radiation).

The worst problem with local procedures is that most oncs totally diss them. And if they do them at all, it's usually a last ditch effort after exhausting every chemo available. I'm not sure whether they would be more successful (along with chemo and targeted treatments afterward) if they were done sooner. I was fortunate to be in a local hospital in NYC with an onc who was more open (even though she said about the RFA, I wouldn't do that if I were you). She's the best, and also has a doctorate in molecular biology bc, but she doesn't specialize in bc in the clinic.

I had both procedures done in large NYC hospitals. The RFA was done at Sloan-Kettering. I had been consulting there, but had to fly well under the radar to get the procedure. In the 11th hour, I let the onc know via email, and when I arrived at Sloan at 6 am for the procedure I was told by the IR guy at 8 am (when I'm already in my hospital garments) that the onc had tried to stop the RFA. But we went ahead anyway (the IR guy had to hang tough with medical oncology). He told me afterward that during the RFA he also saw a 2mm nodule in the area when I was in the CT scanner, and he ablated that as well.

Since Sloan ended up having almost all my lung and brain records I switched to them, but with another onc. She was very nice, but they are hard-nosed about local procedures and I didn't want to deal with that. So, I was out of there in a year and now I'm in another large NYC hospital with an onc I love who is more open to local procedures should I ever need them again.

I'll be in Philly next weekend, so if you want to know more just ask me.

Joan

[Mtngrl]

Hi Joan,

I'm looking forward to meeting you.

I've not had any kind of surgery at all. Since both instances of progression have been on the same side as the original tumor, I'm beginning to think it's time to reevaluate the pros and cons of surgery.

I may have more lung involvement than the one met. I've had numerous small nodules all along that treatment appears to have been keeping stable. That could be a contraindication for surgery. We'll see.

I'll definitely update everyone after I talk to my onc. Even with a little progression, I still have a pretty low cancer burden, and I have no comorbidities. I'm relatively young. Except for stage iv cancer I'm quite healthy (haha--I know how that sounds.) You might be right--doing various kinds of interventions on the mets when everything is failing and there are no more drugs left to try kind of sounds like a backwards approach. Seems like you'd want to have a healthy immune system, liver, etc. to help recover from surgery.

[Ceesun]

Amy, I have been dealing with lung mets since June 2006...sometimes NED...mostly not. If I can help in some small way please let me know. Ceesun

[BonnieR]

Add me to your army of supporters! Keep the faith

[Becky]

I am thinking about you too!

[KDR]

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/woman-marks-anniversary-unusual-surgery-article-1.1309785#ixzz2Pnd9I6xn

[Laurel]

I am sorry your news was a low blow, Amy. Good that you followed your instincts so you now know that a battle needs to be waged. Prayers for a good plan and stellar outcome when executed.

[sassy]

Amy,

Sorry the news was not the best, but glad you pushed for answers.

In your corner.

[Jen]

Amy please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. This has been a hard week for me as I have had not 1 but 2 ladies that I (and my Mom Sheila) have known to sucuumb to breast cancer. I really f*cking hate this disease but I am comforted by the fact that because I suffer (their loss) means they are no longer suffering. That is the ONLY comfort I have.

[Redwolf8812]

Prayers for you and yours, Amy!

- Penny

[Mtngrl]

Hi everybody!

Thank you all so much for your kindness, encouragement, information, prayers and love. You are wonderful.

I had a good talk with my oncologist this morning. I'm going to start on TDM-1 in two weeks, when I was scheduled for a Herceptin infusion. I'm also going to have a PET scan to get information on where my cancer is active. Based on what we find out, I might get a lumpectomy.

I talked to her about surgery on the lung lesion. She said she is open to that. Hopefully the TDM-1 will wipe out the little nodules. If it doesn't also eliminate the larger one, then surgery or some other kind of ablation is an option.

The lung biopsy was no fun. I'd rather deal with the lungs medically than surgically.

She also said that my immune system is an important factor in fighting HER-2 cancer, so avoiding chemo is a good strategy. Chemo suppresses the immune system. (I've heard that general anasthesia does too.)

And, Karen, that article about the woman who had that pancreatic cancer surgery was amazing!

[KDR]

Amy,
Glad you and your oncologist are on the same page and going forward with a plan to eradicate.
Yes, the article was particularly moving, so hopeful. May many more doctors follow in his footsteps! Pancreatic cancer, no less!
I had anesthesia two weeks ago (not breast cancer related). For how long does the anesthesia compromise the immune system?
I am getting afraid of all these drugs!

Take care
Karen

[caya]

Thanks for the update Amy.
Glad you will be starting TDM1 soon. Hopefully that will be the magic bullet for you.

all the best
caya

[carlatte7]

Sorry to hear this, but, to quote my surgeon, "what we know about we can treat!" Prayers.