Could use some positive thoughts
 

Hi,

I don't post often (don't even have my stats on my signature). I was diagnosed w. her2+++, er+, pr- stage 2 breast cancer in Aug. 2013. I had a bilateral mastectomy and immediately switched hospitals to UCSF. Despite having surgery already, I was able to get Perjeta as well as perception and the lymph node that had been missed in surgery showed no evidence of disease at my Pet scan in Feb. 2014.

I had a follow up CT scan (every six months) just yesterday that came back with a question regarding a node in my liver. The node had been there before in my first CT Scan in Sept. 2013. It was unchanged in Feb. 2014. It was there again in August and had grown 2mm. I grew again since then, a total of 2mm in the 7+ months since my last scan. However, this was the first time it triggered any concern by radiology.

My doc emailed me at 10 pm about this last night and said that it could very well be benign growth but they wanted more imaging. I managed to get a PT/CT scan this am and am sitting here waiting. I have two young boys (4 and 8), I JUST finished reconstruction and as you all know too darn well, this is a really, really tough roller coaster ride.

Thank you for your support. I am here a lot, just kind of quiet in the background.

Kathryn

Re: Could use some positive thoughts
 

Sorry, Perjeta as well as HERCEPTIN (darn autocorrect!).

Kathryn

Re: Could use some positive thoughts
 

Kathryn,
You are already in my thoughts and prayers.
Hoping it will be nothing out of the ordinary.
Fondly,
Cindy

Re: Could use some positive thoughts
 

Thank you, Cindy. Your note actually really calmed me down.

Kathryn

Re: Could use some positive thoughts
 

You must be beside yourself, Kathryn. I think sometimes that waiting is worse than knowing.

I found a small lump on my anterior axillary fold a couple of weeks ago. I stayed calm--at least outwardly--and I had planned to wait until my regular check to have it looked at, but then I felt myself becoming...unsettled. Okay, I was flat out unnerved, so I finally broke down and saw the onc early. He said "scar tissue," and he offered me an ultrasound, but he didn't think I needed it, so I turned it down. Scar tissue is good by me.

My hope for you is that the additional scans will give you a similarly innocuous result. From what you describe, it really does sound like that's the case. I did a quick Google about benign liver growths, and this was the consensus:

Benign liver tumors are relatively common. Same for liver cysts. Most often, they're not even detected unless a patient undergoes a scan for some other reason, because they rarely cause discomfort.

Hold that thought.

Rhonda

Re: Could use some positive thoughts
 

Hey Kathryn,

Years ago before B.C., I had a transvaginal and pelvic ultrasound (for various reasons). The scan found a cyst on my gallbladder - I had no symptoms, no discomfort, but because it was found, I had to been seen by a specialist. Of course I was a wreck until I saw him - he was very reassuring, told me that 99.9% of the time these cysts are benign, but that we would have to watch it for a few years. If it grew or I had any symptoms, out it would come. So for about 10 years I had to have the pelvic u/s, they would measure the cyst, nothing changed, and then the doc told me after 10 years I did not have to continue with the yearly u/s.

I am praying for you that your "growth" is also benign, as most are.

all the best
caya

Re: Could use some positive thoughts
 

Ladies, You were so helpful to me tonight. My oncologist called at 5 pm to tell me all was fine and that my PET was negative. This 1 year mark CT scan really had me scared. And, when it came back with something suspicious….my mind just kept fast forwarding. On the plus side of all of this, I got a PET scan as well as CT (which normally wouldn't have been approved by insurance) and all is clear in the brain and other areas.

I have come to this site so many times in the last 1.5 years and read so many stories. I knew that even if the news was not good, so many women on here have many, many years of good health despite setbacks.

Thank you so much for helping.

Kathryn

Re: Could use some positive thoughts
 

Yayyyyyyyyyyyyy!

So glad for this result.

Re: Could use some positive thoughts
 

I am happy to read this good news Kathryn!

Re: Could use some positive thoughts
 

Hi Kathryn,
So happy the news was good. Herceptin and now with Perjeta added are great drugs. Life savers
Enjoy your children.
be well
love sarah

Re: Could use some positive thoughts
 

Kathyrn,

So glad your news was positive! I'm sure that you are breathing a huge sigh of relief. You were diagnosed at the same time I was so we're both pretty early on in the "no treatment" stage. Although I'm really glad to be done with completing the one year of Herceptin, it is taking some getting used to not having treatments. Its hard to not constantly worry about a recurrence of some kind. Worrying never changes anything but it hard not to.

Take care

Re: Could use some positive thoughts
 

Hi Kathryn. I had some spots show up in the liver and change a bit at first too. As mentioned above, probably they were there before any bc, but I had periodic ultrasounds for the first couple of years.

A controversial measure that I and my doctors were able to use along with that was that both I and my PCP and my onc all favor the use of markers (either CA 15-3 or CA 27.29). It is true that they aren't accurate for everyone, and may not even be accurate for anyone ALL of the time. But it gave me and my doctors one more very rough factor to consider in deciding whether to scan when we were on the fence about scanning. The facilities vary in whether their lab uses the CA 27.29 or the CA 15-3, and at first I was having the CA 27.29 and then later was changed to the CA 15-3.

I would like to note that for me, I have not recurred in over 12 years, and the only time my markers were a bit above normal range was during the time I was doing chemotherapy (which is a cause of great inflammation in general). Since completion of tx, mine have remained entirely within the normal range.

It is just a suggestion to consider.

A.A.

Re: Could use some positive thoughts
 

Kathryn,
This time, your note really calmed me down. : ). I am so happy to hear your news!
Keep the faith,
Cindy

Re: Could use some positive thoughts
 

Wow. Thank you so much for all of your kind words, suggestions and just acknowledgments of how damn scary some of these moments can be. I feel fortunate to have found this group.

Take care,

Kathryn