dumb test results

margaret · 09-06-2006, 02:14 PM

Joy,
You have a Great name!! It must be difficult for you now especially when you read info like that study. Give yourself a big hug. Let your emotions flow. It's not good to hold them in. After feeling the feelings then try to remember that many times there are studies done to try to prove the value of a certain test so that the company that makes those tests can sell a lot of tests. Their motivation is to try to create a big impact so that more doctors will use their tests. They'll use dramatic points to try to sell their product.
Remember no matter what, no one can predict the future. Find your faith and believe in yourself. With each and every breath that's given there's a choice of what you do with that life force. Find joy in each and every breath and keep surrounding yourself with as much positive energy as possible. Surround yourself with positive, loving supportive people and rest your mind of the fears.
Sending you positive energy.....
Margaret

Julie2 · 09-06-2006, 04:57 PM

Please throw away the ctc test results. You will be fine. Many people on this board proved the statistics wrong.

Julie

KathyH · 09-06-2006, 05:05 PM

Hi Joy!

I can only imagine how unsettling that article must be to you. But is that article about how Joy is going to respond? NO!! Does something that we read in an article change God's plan for us? NO!! You will probably be the patient that proves all that wrong. Statistics like the ones in that article always feed my fear, but for me, fear is just imagining the circumstances ahead without God in them. I will pray that he will hold your hand tightly and help you to focus your thoughts on getting better and being the patient that does so well that they write a journal article about YOU!!

Love, Kathy

RhondaH · 09-06-2006, 05:22 PM

increase the prayers. Take care and God bless.

Rhonda

chrisy · 09-06-2006, 05:24 PM

Dear Joy,
I sure don't blame you for being "jacked up", but I agree with what has been said already. Do not despair, give the new chemo a chance to work.

It's a crappy coincidence, having that information in your face just as you got your test results, but it's not a "sign". It's just "information" - and although I DO think you're very special, I seriously doubt that God sent you that email!
Statistics are just that, this was a small study and you are not a statistic.

Do not lose heart.

I'd recommend a mini-drinkapalooza but since your liver is working overtime already, maybe a little dark chocolate would be better...

take care
Chris

Sheila · 09-06-2006, 06:43 PM

Joy
I can see how overwhelming all this can be, but take a deep breath, relax and let the new chemo do its work...these are JUST statistics....they don't apply to everyone...WE ARE NOT STATISTICS...many on this board have proven
"STATISTICS" wrong over and over again. A big hug to you and get that positive spirit up and running....you are a fighter...and a SURVIVOR!

09-06-2006, 07:03 PM

Joy - Sheila says it all... I too am in your shoes... herceptin not working, mets to liver grown & added mets to brain...(not much left!) oh bone mets appear stable for today!

To DO:
1 - have a brief 'pity party' as I call them (feel sorry for yourself, get mad pissed off...whatever works for you!)
2 - take a deep breath, review the options, talk to your oncs
3 - know that there are MANY at this site who are here to listen, give you support & 'commune' with you...as I have found.

We are not a statistic - we are people dealing with a chronic disease, each one of us unique and special!

Bev · 09-06-2006, 07:11 PM

Let us know how the next results are. I hope you and the chemo kick some butt. More prayers coming your way. BB

julierene · 09-06-2006, 07:39 PM

One of the BIG things that aren't in this are :

1. What chemo/treatment are these women on?

Another BIG PROBLEM is that everyone has a different biology and genetic makeup that makes their cancer cells respond differently to the different treatments. I would make 1 assumption from this study. High CTC's are only indicitating poor survival because they aren't finding the targeted therapies that work for these women.

Once the CTC cell lands, they take on different charachteristics that are more easily combatable for targeted therapies to work. Right now, doctors don't have very good ideas for what drugs work best for people. We have a handful of things we can test for like HER2 and hormone status, but not everyone responds the same even if they have the same markers. It's a big puzzle - STILL. CTC's I have heard are the traveling cancer cells in the blood. High levels of CTC's just mean that the disease isn't under control YET. If you have a treatment that works great for you, you can potentially go back to it later down the line. I responded so well to Herceptin/Carboplatin/Taxol that he wants to use it if I am NED for over a year and a half. My PET was completely clear after only 3 months. My CA 27/28 went from 12 at that point when I was clear, to 9 just 3 months later. This treatment worked REALLY well for me. BUT... I can almost guarantee I had a high level CTC before I started the treatment. I had a Stage 2a that was supposedly clear everything - but the CTC probably is why it traveled. I wish I had that test before to try to have the chance to lower the numbers. But I hear that doctors have theorized that CTC's are in a "stem cell kind of state". During that state, it's hard for the chemo to work because it's not a "fast dividing cell at that point". It only becomes a fast dividing cell when it lands. So don't get freaked, just work on finding a treatment that gives good results on your PET scans.

Tykerb just came out with some really exciting news, have you looked into getting onto a trial with that? What a novel idea of fighting HER2 inside the cell while Herceptin is fighting the outside receptors!!!

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/sho...225758?order=2 Check this one out.

Hang in there! Julie