bone mets

[KristinSchwick]

I was originally dx with stage IIIc cancer, and about 4 months ago found a recurrence in my bones. My pet scan showed only cancer in 2-3 spots in my back, thankfully. He started me on Tykerb and Xeloda which are pills taken at home. The Tykerb is taken everyday (it is like Herceptin, in that it targets the Her2 receptor) and the Xeloda is taken 14 days on and 14 days off. And the last thing I get is a shot every month of Xgeva to prevent further mets and to stop the degradation of my bones by the cancer cells growing and eating the bone.

If your mom is completely newly diagnosed, she'll probably move right to the hard core stuff, like A/C, FEC, .... the drugs that cause hair to fall out. Not to worry- these are good drugs despite the negative hype. I didn't get more of the intravenous drugs because I'd already had them and they limit the dose of these drugs due to organ damage at high doses. Importanly, your mom should start on Herceptin which has almost no side effects! I would highly recommend the Xgeva shot instead of bisphosphonates, because it has less side effects and in some studies has shown to prevent new mets. She should definitely have some sort of imaging done on her brain- the PET scan can't see into the brain well enough, so an MRI or head CT (with and without contrast) is a good idea.

I am doing great- enjoying life and looking forward to many more years. My bone pain stopped within 2 months of starting my therapy, thereby enabling me to do everything I was doing before treatment. It is important to stay positive despite all the negatives associated with stage IV, every person is different. Sending good vibes your way.