Hi Joannie,
I don't know that I'm the best person to post any answers as I'm in the middle of treatment for IBC myself. I am also in British Columbia, Canada.
I finished chemo on Jan. 8th (4 AC and 4 Docetaxol) and start radiation next week. I am on herceptin and will be on tamoxifin once radiation is done. I will then have surgery.
I'm locally advanced (breast and lymph), with no mets anywhere else. No mets anywhere else is key. I am ER+, PR+ and HER2/neu +.
In Canada, herceptin is given only to HER2/neu + patients. Tykerb is curently not available to me nor in a clinical trial in my area. It is also given in HER2/neu+ cases.
My oncologist says that all my results are "treatable" and he and his team are treating me with intent to cure.
Yes, this is a scary breast cancer. But it can be beaten. I have met many women online who are LONG TIME survivors.
Believe.
__________________
Gayle
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Live Strong
IBC dx August 9/06
ER/PR +2
HER2/neu +
chemo August 11/06 - January 8/07
herceptin - 17 treatments, every 3 wks - end Jan 2008
IMRT rads 5 weeks
surgery May 1/07 bilateral mastectomy (left modified radical, right simple)
prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy March 2008
letrozole, 2.5 mg daily, start June 2008
lymphedema, left arm, April 2008
osteoporosis, lower spine, August 2010 - fosamax 70 mg
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