***What was your date of dx, stage, treatment and current status...???***

[dawn]

Hi Rhonda,

Attached is my signature. All Chemo is finished and going in 10 days to get the tattoos for my rads. So far things are going really good.

[KellyA]

Still in treatment-

Dx 05/05/06 grade3, ER/PR -, Her2 +++
Mastectomy 05/17/06 (double), immediate reconstruction
3 positive nodes, Stage 2b
4 AC, followed by 12 weekly Taxol, weekly Herceptin till 09/07
seven weeks of rads following chemo

KellyA

[gin-tx]

I'm curious, did you do radiation after or before reconstruction. I've heard some people say that they can't do radiation after reconstruction. This is my second episode of BC, first 10 yrs ago. Left breast, lumpectomy followed by radiation. Then something appeared on right, went to breast surgeon, biopsy looked good. Four days later he called and told me it was malignant, had wider margins and lymph nodes removed, only one malignant, margins clean. But then had bone scan, found spot on spine, followed by MRI, revealed tumor on spine, grade IV metastatic cancer. Am going thru Herceptin/Aridia every 3 weeks, so far it's helping, plus I had 18 radiation treatments to spine. Good luck to you and keep me informed.

hugs,

ginkott1@aol.com

[KellyA]

Hi there-

To answer your question- I did have reconstruction before radiation (with implants). Unfortuneately I did not really have much of a choice. I did not have enough tissue for two breasts (to do a flap). My plastic surgeon and my radiation doc both advised me to get them in. I was told that there was a 50% chance of contracture with radiation, but that they could go in and fix that side afterwards if they needed to. They told me that the skin would probably not expand after the radiation and that they might not be able to get them in at all. So I'm just going to pray alot that they hold up and if they don't I'll get them fixed. I will let you know how it goes.... :-)

Kelly

[gin-tx]

Dear Kelly,

I certainly hope it goes well wth the radiation and reconstruction. I'm learning a lot. I did not have a total mastectomy but a partial and asked my surgeon if I should see a plastic surgeon before my surgery so he could see how I was before. He advised against it. In the beginning I was going to do reconstruction of some type, now I've decided not to. At my age and all that I've been thru, am going to leave things alone. I don't think I could go thru more stuff. If I was young, in 30's, 40's, or even 50's, I would definitely consider it. But at this point in time don't think so. I just want to get thru what I'm dealing with. I do herceptin/aridia every 3 weeks and don't have a clue how many treatments I have left plus I'm dealing with a malignant tumor on spine that is shrinking from radiation but slowly.

Good luck and keep me informed as to your progress.

hugs,
ginkott1@aol.com

[lindaw]

I'm not sure of all details but here goes.

Diagnised October 2002. Large tumor - 9cm - rst of body clear.Pre surgery doxorubicin and doxetaxol.
Shrunk to allmost no disease. Op in Feb, Followed by radiaiton and hera trial( May).
August - small skin mets - this has been ongoing.Off hera trial - onto Herceptin weekly
Had :
Taxol-worked for 4 months.
Navelbine - 5 months.
Xeloda - 6 months cleared - reappeared.
Can't remember order anymore - somewhere in all that got another growth in other breast and had that removed - new cancer- her2 again
Also had - carboplatin, doxil , xeloda again, gemzar - continual chem .
Just complete rads for open skin mets on chest,
Now waiting for Tykerb( lapatinib) - anxiously.New skin mets on shoulder and enlarged lymph gland in neck.


Linda W

[gin-tx]

Dear Lindaw,

Am so sorry you have had such a rough time with new things reappearing. I guess you've read my situation on the web site, nothing new at the moment. Still have malignant tumor on spine, had 18 radiation treatments, it is somewhat smaller. Stil doing Herceptin and Aridia every 3 weeks. Unless things change with my my onc plans to continue with that course of treatment. Surgeon mentioned radiation on the breast (went thru that 10 yrs ago on other side when I had BC diagnosed) and again in June/July 06 for the malignant tumor on spine. I told him I don't think I can go thru it again. Have mammogram scheduled this week, hope it looks good, we'll discuss further at that time. He wants to talk with oncologist after the mammogram results are in.

Good luck and keep me informed how things are progressing.

hugs,

ginkott1@aol.com