HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Breast Cancer Gene Linked To Disease Spread Discovered

v-ness · 01-07-2010, 05:49 AM

i agree about wanting a drug faster than the speed of light for all those who need it now and for those who might in the future. i just found the 30-40% sentence a bit terrifying and also the idea of testing positive for this gene before there is even anything available to combat it since drugs take so long to develop.

the line about cells breaking away from the tumor breaking away at an early stage struck me because my oncologist and her partner, and no doubt many, think that all humans have cancer cells developing and circulating in our systems at all times and that our immune systems fight them back. i remember just before i was diagnosed i'd had a complete blood count and my primary care doc was a little concerned about my lymphocyte number being too high, she thought i might have a virus and should have my blood re-done again in 2 wks. meanwhile, i felt fine, but i had just found the lump above my breast. i called and asked if the lump could have anything to do with my blood results and was told no. however, i checked with my shrink, who orders the CBC's every three months. come to find out the very same numbers were normal in january, a little up in march (when i had my mammo that showed nothing), and higher than normal range in august when i found the tumor. when he ran the very same test again in november voila, my lymphocytes were right back in Normal range after the tumor was removed and i was on chemo. to me, that means my immune system had indeed been fighting something and that something was cancer. i don't believe the spike was just coincidental.

anyway, i guess part of me is happy that scientists have found this gene and can now work on doing something about it - but the other part of me is freaked out that it even exists and that all the efforts i am currently going through - chemo and herceptin and later radiation and tamoxifen - could be for naught because a gene might have already made the decision.

i have herceptin this morning and definitely plan to ask my oncologist about this. my husband died of stage 4 cancer only 10 wks after diagnosis so i guess perhaps i have that coloring my reaction. the anniversary of his death is a week from today and i have noticed that i am not the same person i was a couple weeks ago about anything having to do with this disease. valerie

01-07-2010, 05:49 AM	#6
v-ness Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: western ma Posts: 280	Re: Breast Cancer Gene Linked To Disease Spread Discovered i agree about wanting a drug faster than the speed of light for all those who need it now and for those who might in the future. i just found the 30-40% sentence a bit terrifying and also the idea of testing positive for this gene before there is even anything available to combat it since drugs take so long to develop. the line about cells breaking away from the tumor breaking away at an early stage struck me because my oncologist and her partner, and no doubt many, think that all humans have cancer cells developing and circulating in our systems at all times and that our immune systems fight them back. i remember just before i was diagnosed i'd had a complete blood count and my primary care doc was a little concerned about my lymphocyte number being too high, she thought i might have a virus and should have my blood re-done again in 2 wks. meanwhile, i felt fine, but i had just found the lump above my breast. i called and asked if the lump could have anything to do with my blood results and was told no. however, i checked with my shrink, who orders the CBC's every three months. come to find out the very same numbers were normal in january, a little up in march (when i had my mammo that showed nothing), and higher than normal range in august when i found the tumor. when he ran the very same test again in november voila, my lymphocytes were right back in Normal range after the tumor was removed and i was on chemo. to me, that means my immune system had indeed been fighting something and that something was cancer. i don't believe the spike was just coincidental. anyway, i guess part of me is happy that scientists have found this gene and can now work on doing something about it - but the other part of me is freaked out that it even exists and that all the efforts i am currently going through - chemo and herceptin and later radiation and tamoxifen - could be for naught because a gene might have already made the decision. i have herceptin this morning and definitely plan to ask my oncologist about this. my husband died of stage 4 cancer only 10 wks after diagnosis so i guess perhaps i have that coloring my reaction. the anniversary of his death is a week from today and i have noticed that i am not the same person i was a couple weeks ago about anything having to do with this disease. valerie __________________ 8/09 - IDC 1.8 cm triple positive, lumpectomy left breast 10/09 began chemo (taxotere & carboplatin) and weekly herceptin. 1/21/10 finished chemo, continued on herceptin every 3 weeks until 10/2010. 2/10 began 7 wks of radiation 6/10 mom dies of primary peritoneal ovarian cancer 8/10 got my last remaining ovary out 10/10 mammogram all clear 3/11 MRI shows 5 'spots' in right breast, largest 1 cm unidentifiable on US needle biopsy proved the largest to be old inflamed cyst -phew! 7/10 switched to Arimidex 8/9 switched to Femara - allergic to arimidex Femara made me lose hair quickly so switched to Aromasin Aromasin made my hair fall out too and the bone pain was too much. back on Tamoxifen 1/2013. blood clot from trains and planes 5/2014 so on coumadin per onco for as long as i am on tamoxifen tamoxifen was supposed to be up with my 5 yrs in may but my boyfriend was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer so i am staying on tamoxifen indefinitely because i want some ammo against BC, given the stress. lost my husband in only 10 wks in 2007 to stage 4 esophageal cancer. cancer's screwing with another man i love 2/2016 - 6yrs in remission, off tamoxifen and off coumadin - yay!