It's back...scared!

[IRENE FROM TAMPA]

My story is a long one, so I will make it short....

I pray that what I about to tell you gives you both hope. I hesitate sometimes to tell my story because I fear it will discourage someone because I have not been cured. I just felt I wanted to let you both know that life can go on and never, never give up. I can feel your desperation.

I have been a breast cancer survivor for the last 11 years. Mine first metatisized to my liver and I had two tumors there for several years. I was on Herceptin for 6 years after having a stem cell transplant done in 1999 even with recurrences since we believed that maybe, JUST maybe it WAS holding it off some from spreading further. I had the abalation procedure done and unfortunately it recurred in the liver(that does not mean everyone's would do the same) Some people have been successful with this procedure.

. The next year we resected half of my liver and it has been clean since. That was in 2004. I must say that I have had another recurrence in two lymph nodes outside of the liver, but with new treatments I continue to go on.I am on the TYKERB/XELODA trail since last August and so far so good.

What I mean to say Eric and Caryn - I am STILL living after 11 years and hope to go on for many more. Never give up hope. The crazy thing about this is that everyone needs to find what works for them. It's not an easy process to go through and I spend a lot of time checking out new procedures.

I am an example of a person "LIVING" with cancer for the last 11 years (as stressful as that may sound) I consider myself very blessed.

I hope I did not go on too much but just wanted to let you and Caryn know that there is always hope.

My prayers for Caryn. If there is anything or questions I can help you with, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Good luck

[jessica]

Eric & Caryn~
I'm so sorry you guys are going through this! This discovery is a scary period, but hang in there, you'll find your way & we are all here to help! You've already gotten some great advice & I just want to reinforce all the great stuff that's been mentioned above & contribute my thoughts & prayers.
Like Irene, my disease has followed a strange and convoluted path. Distal mets, local recurrence, multiple methods of treatment-chemo, RFA, liver resection. NED here & there...Inspite of it all, we are both, like many here, not just LIVING, but THRIVING.
I never abandoned Herceptin. My docs & I like to ponder the thought that the Herceptin has helped control & minimize my disease recurrence & progression. But each time we needed to, we added Taxol , the lesion would melt away, then it was Herceptin solo again. TH has been my "Magic Cocktail" -maybe Gemzar+Herceptin is Caryn's.
It is a hard decision to make-go back to what you know worked before, but what if it doesn't work again and the disease progresses? Or try something new...but what if it doesn't work, and the disease progresses? Not to metion, I'm sure Caryn's gotten quite accustomed to having hair again...It would be such a bummer to lose it AGAIN...It always is, regardless of how many times you've already been bald
The first time my single liver met recurred this is what we did:
Weekly TH x 2 weeks, RFA the lesion, then weekly TH x 2 weeks
My hair thinned a bit, but nothing I couldn't work around. Unfortunately, inspite of the RFA, the spot did pop up again - BUT that is b/c the lesion was so close to the main portal vein that they couldn't get a good burn radius around the spot. As Irene says, Caryn's circumstances (location of lesion) could be totally different and this option is certainly one worth checking out.
Liver resection (aka partial hepatectomy) is also an option. It's a big surgery & docs don't like to jump into it lightly-My docs watched me for a year, on & off chemo, b/c we had to be confident that the disease was truly isolated to that single met. Like Irene, my liver's been NED ever since too. KK1 recently had the same surgery & she's recovering beautifully, as did I & we've been talking about how to get her back into shape for skiing!

Keep the Faith, Eric. There are still so many options to explore.
Hugs & comfort to you both~

[eric]

Thanks to ALL of you!! The support, love and quality information has helped a bit. I'm still scared but less so, and certainly don't feel quite as helpless. I look forward to hearing back from Seattle and happy she did that as the reinfusion certainly couldn't hurt. I also hope that Caryn's Onc doesn't cross herceptin off the board since I believe it's played such a big role for her. Nice to read the quality info and the wonderful success stories.

I am truly thankful for all of you.

I'm not the most religious person but GOD bless all of you and Caryn.

Love and light (hope you don't mind me using that Mel...it always warmed my heart when Lisa wrote it and continues to do so as you honor her greatly)

Eric

[kk1]

Eric and Caryn;

Sorry to hear you had a reoccurrence but as Jessica and the others said there are lots of options depending on the details. The fact that Caryn has been NED for so long before the reoccurrence bodes well that she can return to long term NED.

I just had a liver resection in Jan for a single met and now continue on herceptin--it was a tough surgery but very do able. I have a bunch of research articles on surgical options for single liver mets if you would like me to send them.

kk1

[Lolly]

Eric and Caryn,
You can do it again! And as the others have said, Herceptin could still be on the table; I've recurred 3 times, and am still on Herceptin. My onc believes a successful chemo can be revisited also, so each recurrence has been treated with the addition of Navelbine; did finally have to move on to other chemos as this latest recurrence didn't respond as well.
And Tykerb is there as backup!

You've gotten much excellent advice, just wanted you to know you're in my thoughts and prayers as you contemplate options and plan your strategy.

<3 Lolly