HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - A must read for biphosphoate users ...CAUTION

StephN · 07-03-2006, 04:00 PM

Robin -
Thanks - that article IS rather graphic with the photos and all.

However, for a stage IV BC patient, I think we have a greater percentage of chance to have disease progression than we have of getting the jaw necrosis.

In my own case, after having round after round of hard chemos for adjuvent treatment and then mets, my bone desity was quite a bit lower than the average for my age at that time. It was felt this put me at risk for further mets as well as other problems with my bones down the line.

I have not mentioned that I also took Fosamax during the 6 months of hard chemos for mets. And, even after THAT, I had the lowered bone density. Plus I did take Calcimate and try to eat dairy and other calcium rich foods.

It seems it is really hard to compensate for the bone loss that continued chemo treatment will cause. The quandry is clear, but each of us has to find out about the status of their bones, and monitor carefully to prevent too high a degree of ostopenia.

07-03-2006, 04:00 PM	#9
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Rather frightening Robin - Thanks - that article IS rather graphic with the photos and all. However, for a stage IV BC patient, I think we have a greater percentage of chance to have disease progression than we have of getting the jaw necrosis. In my own case, after having round after round of hard chemos for adjuvent treatment and then mets, my bone desity was quite a bit lower than the average for my age at that time. It was felt this put me at risk for further mets as well as other problems with my bones down the line. I have not mentioned that I also took Fosamax during the 6 months of hard chemos for mets. And, even after THAT, I had the lowered bone density. Plus I did take Calcimate and try to eat dairy and other calcium rich foods. It seems it is really hard to compensate for the bone loss that continued chemo treatment will cause. The quandry is clear, but each of us has to find out about the status of their bones, and monitor carefully to prevent too high a degree of ostopenia. __________________ "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.