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Joan M · 10-08-2008, 07:30 PM

Thanks everyone for your support!

Brenda, I appreciate your letting me know about your experience with SRT, especially without Decadron. The rads onc said that I'll also have a mask which is like netting, and be given Decadron. But perhaps I'll ask him whether I might be able to try the treatment without it. I took Decadron for 21 weeks when I took Taxol in 2004 when I had early stage bc. At first it was okay, but then it really started to bother me. The SRT is supposed to start 3 weeks after the surgery.

Barbara, thanks for reinforcing that this surgery might be easier than I might otherwise think. That's what the surgeon keeps saying, too. That if I went through lung surgery (even the video-assisted minimally invasive kind), then I can do the brain surgery. I asked the surgeon about anti-seizure medication as I know this is often prescribed even if a patient is not having seizures, and she doesn't use it prophylactically. That is, if I'm not having seizures before the surgery, then they don't use it.

The surgery is scheduled for Oct. 17, so it will be coming up really fast.

Joan

10-08-2008, 07:30 PM	#18
Joan M Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,851	Thanks everyone for your support! Brenda, I appreciate your letting me know about your experience with SRT, especially without Decadron. The rads onc said that I'll also have a mask which is like netting, and be given Decadron. But perhaps I'll ask him whether I might be able to try the treatment without it. I took Decadron for 21 weeks when I took Taxol in 2004 when I had early stage bc. At first it was okay, but then it really started to bother me. The SRT is supposed to start 3 weeks after the surgery. Barbara, thanks for reinforcing that this surgery might be easier than I might otherwise think. That's what the surgeon keeps saying, too. That if I went through lung surgery (even the video-assisted minimally invasive kind), then I can do the brain surgery. I asked the surgeon about anti-seizure medication as I know this is often prescribed even if a patient is not having seizures, and she doesn't use it prophylactically. That is, if I'm not having seizures before the surgery, then they don't use it. The surgery is scheduled for Oct. 17, so it will be coming up really fast. Joan __________________ Diagnosed stage 2b in July 2003 (2.3 cm, HER2+, ER-/PR-, 7+ nodes). Treated with mastectomy (with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction), AC + T/Herceptin (off label). Cancer advanced to lung in Jan. 2007 (1 cm nodule). Started Herceptin every 3 weeks. Lung wedge resection April 2007. Cancer recurred in lung April 2008. RFA of lung in August 2008. 2nd annual brain MRI in Oct. 2008 discovered 2.6 cm cystic tumor in left frontal lobe. Craniotomy Oct. 2008 (ER-/PR-/HER2-) followed by targeted radiation (IMRT). Coughing up blood Feb. 2009. Thoractomy July 2009 to cut out fungal ball of common soil fungus (aspergillus) that grew in the RFA cavity (most likely inhaled while gardening). No cancer, only fungus. Removal of tiny melanoma from upper left arm, plus sentinel lymph node biopsy in Feb. 2016. Guardant Health liquid biopsy in Feb. 2016 showed mutations in 4 subtypes of TP53. Repeat of Guardant Health biopsy in Jana. 2021 showed 3 TP53 mutations, BRCA1 mutation and CHEK2 mutation. Invitae genetic testing showed negative for all of these. Living with MBC since 2007. Stopped Herceptin Hylecta (injection) treatment in March 2020. Recent 2023 annual CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis and annual brain MRI showed NED. Praying for NED forever!!