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StephN · 12-18-2010, 11:34 AM

Dear Michka -

Glad you had the procedure and have a new path report to go on. I must say that your onc was WAY out of line telling a patient who has one small liver met that she probably has less than 2 years to live! He must be from the Magdalenian times ... send him back to caves in Les Eyzies!
You have an excellent chance to live to be a "woman of a certain age"! Put his stupid comment out of your mind.

I am not hormone positive, so can only go on what I know other people I know have been prescribed. Maybe you can post just the one question regarding your new hormone status, and those who understand this area better can answer.

What tumor marker(s) do you get? Do you have a number from before and after the resection? That may to be something to follow that will indicate how you are doing.

Navelbine has worked very well in concert with Herceptin against liver tumors for many of us on this board. I also am not clear as to why your doc wants to put you on the "scorched earth" chemos again, when we have better treatments and understand which patients benefit from which drugs.

Can you get a second opinion from someone at the American Hospital?

12-18-2010, 11:34 AM	#17
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Re: Need help! Calling brains in. Dear Michka - Glad you had the procedure and have a new path report to go on. I must say that your onc was WAY out of line telling a patient who has one small liver met that she probably has less than 2 years to live! He must be from the Magdalenian times ... send him back to caves in Les Eyzies! You have an excellent chance to live to be a "woman of a certain age"! Put his stupid comment out of your mind. I am not hormone positive, so can only go on what I know other people I know have been prescribed. Maybe you can post just the one question regarding your new hormone status, and those who understand this area better can answer. What tumor marker(s) do you get? Do you have a number from before and after the resection? That may to be something to follow that will indicate how you are doing. Navelbine has worked very well in concert with Herceptin against liver tumors for many of us on this board. I also am not clear as to why your doc wants to put you on the "scorched earth" chemos again, when we have better treatments and understand which patients benefit from which drugs. Can you get a second opinion from someone at the American Hospital? __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.