2 questions

MJo · 10-23-2006, 08:46 AM

My finger and toe nails didn't fall off, but they got very brittle -- they broke, they peeled, etc.
During A/C my finger nails turned black!! It might have been more attractive if they had fallen off. They grew out finally. My nails are still soft -- I suspect from Herceptin. The nail on my right big thumb is pitted. Rest of nails, including toe nails, look ok, but the break very easily

Marlys · 10-23-2006, 09:06 AM

LindyJo,
I, too, have oncologists who do not do scans without symptoms. I had a lumpectomy times 2 (second to get wider margins). I am Stage 1, HER2+++,ER+++,PR+. After I joined this board I asked the medical oncologist if he did tumor markers and if so had he done them on me. He replied he considered them to be highly unreliable because of too many false positives and only did them rarely. As to scans I get a mammogram on the affected breast every 6 months, and on the non-affected breast every year. Because of what I read here I am content to let the oncologists be the doctors. That said if I thought something was wrong I would raise holy hell to get whatever treatment or test I felt was indicated.
Incidentally welcome to the board. I have found so much hope and comfort, not to mention information since I joined.
Hugs & prayers,
Marlys

P.S. I didn't lose any toenails but my fingernails and fingertips are a real mess.

Kaye · 10-23-2006, 12:15 PM

Hi Lindyjo, my onc said the following to me--when people talk of the cancer 'coming back' where does it come back from? The pathology lab? I laughed but knew what he meant. What is important is to get the cells up front. If it 'returns' it didn't come back but was always there. Hopefully the treatment(s) we get will take care of them, so they do not show up again.
Sometimes the treatments alone work. There may be things that we can do to boost treatment. I had read that eating cruciferous vegetables and/or vegetable juicing may boost the effects of radiation. I think I also read that staying away from caffeine during radiation was recommended, too--but would research that to verify.
My best thoughts are with you and hope this is soon all behind you. Take care!

tousled1 · 10-23-2006, 05:12 PM

Lindyjo,

My oncologist does not believe in tumor marker tests -- too unreliable. If you are on Herceptin the best test you can have is the Bayer Serum HER2 test. There is a thread on the board here dealing with the Serum Test if you do a search you will find it. A good rule of thumb is if you have any symptom that lasts for 2 weeks it is best to get it checked out. Whether that means an MRI, CT, bone scan or a PET/CT scan.

sadie · 10-23-2006, 09:46 PM

My onc feels the same way....and I'm glad.
I just had my annual physical which included mammogram & breast mri and muga scan and ct scan. I had the cat scan of my abdomen & pelvic area due to trace of blood in urine.
When I had the mammogram, they called me back in right after the mamm so they could do a magnified view. They said it was to compare with a previous magnified view. (yeah, right...was my 1st thought)
The wait for results on all of these tests was agonizing. All of those old feelings/memories came back. The scan results did show a small 7mm spot on my liver, but my onc said not to worry because of all of the false-positives. She truly does not believe it would be cancer of the liver.
But, she said she will now have to do another scan in 3 months to see if the spot is still there,shrunk or whatever. Now, I'm nervous about that!
By the way, no more blood in urine after taking antibiotics. Probably just a bladder infection according to my dr. All other tests came back negative for cancer.
I hate all of the anticipation.