HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post

Lani · 10-24-2007, 10:36 AM

The chemo itself usually makes one menopausal (that's what they think whatever benefit there may be in her2-ER+ breast cancer patients treated with chemo stems from...) and estrogen has antiinflammatory effects on joints (so lack of it is associated with joint imflammation)

That said, arthritis at the "base of thumb joint" is one of the most common joint complaints of those women over 40 years old. Your lack of estrogen (from the chemo despite your age) may have manifested itself in that joint "feeling like a rusty door hinge with less lubrication" Spurs on that joint often "strum" against ligaments, like strumming a guitar string, hence the noise. Just presumptions/creative scenarios on my part...may be entirely wrong.

I have previously posted that I have read that over 90-95% of bone mets in breast cancer happen above the ankles or above the wrist level making mets in the hands and feet exceedingly rare.

Since there is an extrremely common trouble which would explain your symptoms and an exceedingly rare explanation which would prove to be mets, I know which one I would choose!

Hope this helps!

10-24-2007, 10:36 AM	#7
Lani Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 4,780	I see from your profile you are ER-PR- and (by age) premenopausal The chemo itself usually makes one menopausal (that's what they think whatever benefit there may be in her2-ER+ breast cancer patients treated with chemo stems from...) and estrogen has antiinflammatory effects on joints (so lack of it is associated with joint imflammation) That said, arthritis at the "base of thumb joint" is one of the most common joint complaints of those women over 40 years old. Your lack of estrogen (from the chemo despite your age) may have manifested itself in that joint "feeling like a rusty door hinge with less lubrication" Spurs on that joint often "strum" against ligaments, like strumming a guitar string, hence the noise. Just presumptions/creative scenarios on my part...may be entirely wrong. I have previously posted that I have read that over 90-95% of bone mets in breast cancer happen above the ankles or above the wrist level making mets in the hands and feet exceedingly rare. Since there is an extrremely common trouble which would explain your symptoms and an exceedingly rare explanation which would prove to be mets, I know which one I would choose! Hope this helps!