|
12-06-2007, 11:28 AM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,778
|
laser ablation of liver mets (when few) may extend survival a median of five years!
|
|
|
12-06-2007, 12:15 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,380
|
Lani,
The emerging picture I am seeing from this and other published articles is that surgical removal of early brain, lung and liver mets is not only a viable but quite possibly a superior alternative to cyototoxic treatments. Lets hope these therapies become available to more patients very soon.
Hopeful
|
|
|
12-06-2007, 02:07 PM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 3,154
|
hmmmm
To tag onto Hopeful,
Why oh Why do the onc. push for no scans....and tell the patient to
wait for symptoms...it is my insight that through technology treatments
are changing....why are the dr. NOT keeping up ...?
Regards,
Jean
__________________
Stage 1, Grade 1, 3/30/05
Lumpectomy 4/15/05 - 6MM IDC
Node Neg. (Sentinel node)
ER+ 90% / PR-, Her2+++ by FISH
Ki-67 40%
Arimidex 5/05
Radiation 32 trt, 5/30/05
Oncotype DX test 4/17/06, 31% high risk
TOPO 11 neg. 4/06
Stopped Arimidex 5/06
TCH 5/06, 6 treatments
Herceptin 5/06 - for 1 yr.
9/06 Completed chemo
Started Femara Sept. 2006
|
|
|
12-06-2007, 02:08 PM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 3,154
|
Lani,
Thank you for this article..always appreciate your posts.
Jean
__________________
Stage 1, Grade 1, 3/30/05
Lumpectomy 4/15/05 - 6MM IDC
Node Neg. (Sentinel node)
ER+ 90% / PR-, Her2+++ by FISH
Ki-67 40%
Arimidex 5/05
Radiation 32 trt, 5/30/05
Oncotype DX test 4/17/06, 31% high risk
TOPO 11 neg. 4/06
Stopped Arimidex 5/06
TCH 5/06, 6 treatments
Herceptin 5/06 - for 1 yr.
9/06 Completed chemo
Started Femara Sept. 2006
|
|
|
12-06-2007, 02:52 PM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 476
|
Oncs should allow patients to get tests when she has some suspicion of abnormality. The oncs also have a responsibility of advising the patients the cumulative danger of radiation (as well as chemo). Ultrasound and MRI, whenever applicable, should be suggested.
__________________
Ann
Stage 1 dx Sept 05
ER/PR positive HER2 +++ Grade 3
Invasive carcinoma 1 cm, no node involvement
Mastec Sept 05
Annual scans all negative, Oct 06
Postmenopause. Arimidex only since Sept 06, bone or muscle ache after 3 month
Off Arimidex, change to Femara 1/12-07, ache stopped
Sept 07 all tests negative, pass 2 year mark
Feb 08 continue doing well.
Sep 09 four year NED still on Femara.
|
|
|
12-06-2007, 08:04 PM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 589
|
Lani,
Excellent post!
Thank you,
Eric
|
|
|
12-10-2007, 01:25 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 617
|
This is the treatment I did almost 12 months ago.
They treated 3 tumours, very professionally. Their results is similar to resection but with incomparable post op stress, it was done in few hours and went home in the evening. I am eternally grateful to them
__________________
35 y/o
June 06: BC stage I
Grade 3; ER/PR neg
Her-2+++; lumpectomies
Aug 06: Stage IV
liver mets: 6 tumours
July 06 to Jan 07: 2*FEC+6*Taxotere; 3*TACE; LITT
March 07- Sept 07: Vaccination trial (phase 2, peptide based) at the UW (Seattle).
Herceptin since 2006
NED til Oct 09
Recurrence Oct 2009: to internal mammary gland since October 2009 missed on Oct and March 2010 scan.. palpable nodes in May 2010 when I realised..
Nov 2011:7 mets to lungs progressing fast failed hercp/tykerb/xeloda combo..
superior vena cava blocked: stent but face remains puffy
April 2012: Teresa Trial, randomised to TDM1
Nov 2012 progressing on TDM1
Dec 2012 blockage of my airways by tumours, obliteration of these blocking tumours breathing better but hoping for more- at mo too many tumours to count in the lungs and nodes.
Dec 2012 Starting new trial S-222611 phase 1b dual egfr her2+ inhibitor.
'Under no circumstances should you lose hope..' Dalai Lama
|
|
|
12-10-2007, 07:41 PM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,851
|
Lani,
Thanks for the article.
In showing that surgery can offer a benefit in some cases, the article is different from others I've read which indicated that surgery has not been shown to have a survival benefit over chemo regimens.
Oncologists often don't recommend surgery even when it's an option.
When I first learned of a solitary pulmonary nodule in my left lung I asked my onc about surgery. She was very hesitant, saying it was a high price to pay if the cancer spreads.
I had a wedge resection to remove the nodule from my lung, and even if my breast cancer comes back in my lung again or elsewhere, I know it can't come back in that particular spot.
Surgery can also be used effectively for single mets to the breast bone.
__________________
Diagnosed stage 2b in July 2003 (2.3 cm, HER2+, ER-/PR-, 7+ nodes). Treated with mastectomy (with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction), AC + T/Herceptin (off label). Cancer advanced to lung in Jan. 2007 (1 cm nodule). Started Herceptin every 3 weeks. Lung wedge resection April 2007. Cancer recurred in lung April 2008. RFA of lung in August 2008. 2nd annual brain MRI in Oct. 2008 discovered 2.6 cm cystic tumor in left frontal lobe. Craniotomy Oct. 2008 (ER-/PR-/HER2-) followed by targeted radiation (IMRT). Coughing up blood Feb. 2009. Thoractomy July 2009 to cut out fungal ball of common soil fungus (aspergillus) that grew in the RFA cavity (most likely inhaled while gardening). No cancer, only fungus. Removal of tiny melanoma from upper left arm, plus sentinel lymph node biopsy in Feb. 2016. Guardant Health liquid biopsy in Feb. 2016 showed mutations in 4 subtypes of TP53. Repeat of Guardant Health biopsy in Jana. 2021 showed 3 TP53 mutations, BRCA1 mutation and CHEK2 mutation. Invitae genetic testing showed negative for all of these. Living with MBC since 2007. Stopped Herceptin Hylecta (injection) treatment in March 2020. Recent 2023 annual CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis and annual brain MRI showed NED. Praying for NED forever!!
|
|
|
12-10-2007, 10:44 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 312
|
Lung resection and pain
Joan and others
I have a friend in the San Francisco area that has had BC twice, several years apart. (don't know what kind of BC, I think ER+) Now, a few years later, she has a spot on her lung. I strongly urged her to get a second opinion as her doctor was just of the wait and we will rescan and see if it grows, train of thought.
She got the second opinion and they said they will do a biopsy. If it is lung cancer, they will remove it, and if BC, they will do chemo. I have urged her to push for surgery. Now however, I am hesitant to do so as I have another friend who just had a part of his lung removed (no cancer found) and he was in tremendous pain--for a long time.
Can you tell me if you had a lot of pain (it didn't seem so in your post) and where you went for treatment? I would like to be able to recommend alternatives. She is in her 70's, I think, but very active, traveling all over the world. I would hate for her to have chemo, she didn't have it before, if she could have something gentler to the body.
Thanks in advance for any ideas you may have.
__________________
Janet
Endometrial Cancer 2002
Mammogram 11/2004
Lumpectomy 12/2004
Stage 1, 9mm DCIS, grade 2, Her2+++, ER/PR negative
Refused A/C as recommened by two oncs.
35 treatments of radiation that ended March 4, 2005
Changed oncologists and began
Taxotere/Herceptin August 2005. Finished Herceptin July 2006
|
|
|
12-11-2007, 08:33 AM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,851
|
Surgery for lung nodule
Janet,
I'm sorry that your friend is having to go through this after having been diagnosed twice with BC.
I too had a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN). I had a wedge resection to remove it. Recently, I answered someone on this board with a lot of detail about SPNs and biopsies, and CT scan and PET scan results. She had an SPN which showed up on a CT scan. Here is the link:
http://her2support.org/vbulletin/sho...highlight=Erin
It's disheartening that your other friend who had part of his lung removed ended up not having cancer.
I did not have a lot of post-surgical pain because I was able to have minimally invasive surgery, or video-assisted thorasic surgery (VATS). Some surgeons are able to remove a lobe as well with VATS, if they are specialists in this type of surgery. This is something to find out about from the surgeon. I had one surgeon tell me that he could do a wedge resection with VATS, but if he started the surgery and found he needed to do a lobectomy, he'd switch to a thoracotomy in mid-stream. So, obviously, I didn't choose him as my surgeon.
I'm imaging that your friend had a thoracotomy to remove a lobe (or at least to remove more than a wedge). The thoracotomy is known to be the most painful surgical cut of all surgical cuts, resulting in a lot of pain that takes a long time to go away.
The surgeon cuts down from the area of the nipple to almost the end of the ribs in a circular motion that comes back up the back under the shoulder blade (the patient is on their side). The skin is flapped back and a lot of muscle is cut. The muscle is flapped back. The ribs are separated, and in come cases a rib may be removed.
With VATS, I had three cuts of which none was more than 2 1/2 inches long. One cut was made an inch or two below my arm pit, one was down near my lowest rib on my side, and a third was just under my shoulder blade. Two openings were used for the surgical instruments, and a third was used for a videocamera. I may have had a small piece of one of my ribs removed, but I'm not sure.
And even with this minimally invasive procedure, I still had pain and was out of work for a month recuperating.
Someone on this board posted an educational video of a lobectomy via VATS. Here is the link: http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=31422
Please give your friend my best wishes, and hopefully the nodule is something benign.
Joan
__________________
Diagnosed stage 2b in July 2003 (2.3 cm, HER2+, ER-/PR-, 7+ nodes). Treated with mastectomy (with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction), AC + T/Herceptin (off label). Cancer advanced to lung in Jan. 2007 (1 cm nodule). Started Herceptin every 3 weeks. Lung wedge resection April 2007. Cancer recurred in lung April 2008. RFA of lung in August 2008. 2nd annual brain MRI in Oct. 2008 discovered 2.6 cm cystic tumor in left frontal lobe. Craniotomy Oct. 2008 (ER-/PR-/HER2-) followed by targeted radiation (IMRT). Coughing up blood Feb. 2009. Thoractomy July 2009 to cut out fungal ball of common soil fungus (aspergillus) that grew in the RFA cavity (most likely inhaled while gardening). No cancer, only fungus. Removal of tiny melanoma from upper left arm, plus sentinel lymph node biopsy in Feb. 2016. Guardant Health liquid biopsy in Feb. 2016 showed mutations in 4 subtypes of TP53. Repeat of Guardant Health biopsy in Jana. 2021 showed 3 TP53 mutations, BRCA1 mutation and CHEK2 mutation. Invitae genetic testing showed negative for all of these. Living with MBC since 2007. Stopped Herceptin Hylecta (injection) treatment in March 2020. Recent 2023 annual CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis and annual brain MRI showed NED. Praying for NED forever!!
|
|
|
12-11-2007, 08:23 PM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 312
|
Joan
Thank you so much for the information. I will pass this along to her and her daughter so they can make a more informed decision.
Blessings
__________________
Janet
Endometrial Cancer 2002
Mammogram 11/2004
Lumpectomy 12/2004
Stage 1, 9mm DCIS, grade 2, Her2+++, ER/PR negative
Refused A/C as recommened by two oncs.
35 treatments of radiation that ended March 4, 2005
Changed oncologists and began
Taxotere/Herceptin August 2005. Finished Herceptin July 2006
|
|
|
12-14-2007, 10:57 AM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 617
|
Hi just wanted to clarify that laser treatment is forf liver mets not lung mets..
__________________
35 y/o
June 06: BC stage I
Grade 3; ER/PR neg
Her-2+++; lumpectomies
Aug 06: Stage IV
liver mets: 6 tumours
July 06 to Jan 07: 2*FEC+6*Taxotere; 3*TACE; LITT
March 07- Sept 07: Vaccination trial (phase 2, peptide based) at the UW (Seattle).
Herceptin since 2006
NED til Oct 09
Recurrence Oct 2009: to internal mammary gland since October 2009 missed on Oct and March 2010 scan.. palpable nodes in May 2010 when I realised..
Nov 2011:7 mets to lungs progressing fast failed hercp/tykerb/xeloda combo..
superior vena cava blocked: stent but face remains puffy
April 2012: Teresa Trial, randomised to TDM1
Nov 2012 progressing on TDM1
Dec 2012 blockage of my airways by tumours, obliteration of these blocking tumours breathing better but hoping for more- at mo too many tumours to count in the lungs and nodes.
Dec 2012 Starting new trial S-222611 phase 1b dual egfr her2+ inhibitor.
'Under no circumstances should you lose hope..' Dalai Lama
|
|
|
12-14-2007, 12:06 PM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 312
|
Yes, I know but thanks for stating it. Maybe the laser can be used for other mets as it sure beats some of the other choices!
__________________
Janet
Endometrial Cancer 2002
Mammogram 11/2004
Lumpectomy 12/2004
Stage 1, 9mm DCIS, grade 2, Her2+++, ER/PR negative
Refused A/C as recommened by two oncs.
35 treatments of radiation that ended March 4, 2005
Changed oncologists and began
Taxotere/Herceptin August 2005. Finished Herceptin July 2006
|
|
|
12-29-2007, 07:37 AM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,778
|
Havah, it is clear how beside yourself you are but if you can
take a deep breath and clear your brain and put "liver Lani" into the search box you will find many articles I have posted on liver mets and their treatment and prognosis
The first that comes up:
laser ablation of liver mets (when few) may extend survival a median of five years!
http://www.docguide.com/news/content...2573A6008195A2
You didn't say if you had many or few. Where in California did you go? Perhaps someone could recommend someone for you to see.
I recall that I have posted articles showing good results with various treatment modalities.
So put those words in the search engine, put on your seatbelt and go on a treasure-hunt through "the armory of info."
Recently someone posted that the information I provided on Boswellia serrata for brain mets shrunk their tumors ~40% and kept them at bay
for a prolonged period before another treatment became available.
That was gratifying, as even though I had no personal experience in the matter, the product of my research had made a significant difference when brought to the attention of her doctor.
I am not qualified to give advice and really do my best not to even try (other than to try to stay informed and ask questions). But if you are looking for information, I sure post a lot!
HOPE SOME OF THIS HELPS!
|
|
|
12-29-2007, 07:17 PM
|
#15
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: South Dakota.
Posts: 621
|
Lani, that webpage cannot be found...
__________________
Blessings and Peace,
Barbara
DX Oct 02 @ age 52 Stage 2B Grade 3 Mastectomy
"at least" 4.5 cm IDC 1+node ER+61% /PR-
Assiciated Intraductual component with Comedo Necrosis
Her2+ FISH8.6 IHC 2+
5 1/2 CEF Arimidex
Celebrex 400mg daily for 13 months
Prophylactic mastectomy
Estradiol #: 13
PTEN positive, "late" Herceptin (26 months after chemo)
Oct 05: Actonel for osteopenia from Arimidex.
May 08: Replaced Actonel with Zometa . Taking every 6
months.
Accepting the gift of life, I give thanks for it and live it in fullness.
|
|
|
12-29-2007, 09:04 PM
|
#16
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,778
|
here is another try
|
|
|
12-29-2007, 09:05 PM
|
#17
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,778
|
why links work when they do, and why they don't when they don't...
is a total mystery to me!
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 09:17 AM.
|