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11-19-2015, 06:45 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 570
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Re: Mets to spine???
Nelly, I went right to your PM before reading this thread so I won't duplicate the information that I sent you privately but I will do my best to answer these Qs so anyone reading here will be able to follow along.
WayTooYoung wrote:
-Has anyone from this group experienced something like this before? Yes! Me, now. I was diagnosed with a compression fracture in late August and have been in treatment since October.
-What can I expect with spine/bone metasis? Expect anything. You could do really well and have very little pain or few side effects, or you could be very painful and develop fractures and nerve pain, or anything in between. Everyone's case is unique. I pray that yours is the first case. How did you learn that you had developed vertebral mets?
-Can spine metasis be resolved with treatment? I understand they can be resolved and with the help of Zometa, Xgeva et.al., you can actually heal the lesions. In cases where you can't, you can get treatments to stabilize fractures (in the case of long bones, you can have sx to stabilize before fracture occurs). I had a kyphoplasty on a Wednesday and went for a three mile hike, in the woods, on Saturday. I hasn't been able to dress myself alone on Wednesday morning. That's how dramatic the surgery was for me.
-What types of treatment are there? Systemics, radiation, hormone suppressors (when indicated) and sometimes surgery are the treatments offered and things to strengthen bone but it sounds like you are on some of these already so it may be a matter of changing things up.
-Could Xgeva caused this? I cannot speak directly to this but I do not believe so since it is thought to have some targeted benefit.
So sorry you are in this boat. I hope your pain is minimal and that your team comes up with a solid plan. The uncertainty was the worst for me. Now that I have a direction, a plan and objective, I am geared up and ready. Don't get me wrong, I have some very dark moments and I divulged in my PM to you some of the realities that I have come to terms with but I am ever optimistic.
__________________
Tracy Arcari
___________________________________________
11/12 BSE ignored the lump for SIX months.
5/1/13 IDC ER/PR- HER2/neu+++
5/14/13 Mastectomy and SN biopsy
5/20/13 IDC Stage IIb Grade 3 Nodes 1/4 also IDC and DCIS multi focal in remaining dissected tissue.
5/30/13 MUGA and CT thorax, abdomen & pelvis, establish baseline.
6/4/13 Installed my little purple power port.
6/14/13 Chemo started TCH
6/14/13 Informed of suspicious ares on scans scheduled PET.
7/1/13 PET Scan NED!
9/27/13 FINAL CHEMO taken! ----well, maybe not.
10/15/13 Three little tattoos.
10/24/13 Radiation begins and fourth tattoo placed.
11/27/13 Perfectly radiant! Radiation completed the day before Thanksgiving and so, so much to be thankful for this year and every day hereafter.
1/2/14 Happy New Year, you have a Goiter? Muga down to 59%.
1/17/14 Hashimoto's Dz Dx'd. Now maybe I'll feel BETTER!
5/2/14 Herceptin completed! New kitten!
8/19/14 Prophylactic mastectomy (right) and PORT OUT! I'm DONE and now I really am a SURVIVOR.
2/15 Started not feeling so swell. Memory lapses and GI issues with nausea and blurry vision.
4/30/15 U/S cystic gallbladder, cyst on right ovary and mass in my uterus. GYN consult scheduled---and cancelled. I'm not ready.
5/4/15 Brain MRI clear (big sigh of relief)
7/30/15 Back Pain
8/31/15 Radiograph: compression fracture L2
9/10/15 Bone Scan positive
9/21/15 CT scan conclusive for tumor
10/1/15 CT guided biopsy & Brain to Pelvis MRI reveal additional lesions on spine C6, T10, T11 and L2 is collapsing.
10/8/15 Abbreviated pathology: new tumor(s) poorly differentiated carcinoma consistent with known breast primary.
ER-/PR+ (40%) HER2/neu+++ Ki-67 4% Pancytokeratin AE1/3 Strong Positivity in all malignant cells.
10/13/15 Abnormal Dexa: moderate risk of fracture to both femoral head/neck R&L. Significant risk to lumbar spine.
10/14/15 Radiation consult back to the cooker.
10/20/15 MUGA 50% down from 54% after a year off Herceptin (???)
10/21/15 Kyphoplasty L2
10/22/15 Re-start Chemo: Perjeta, Herceptin & Taxotere
10/26/15 PET Scan confirms C6, T10-11, L2, new lesion noted at L4 but no visceral involvement---Happy dance!!!
10//29/15 Xgeva
10/29/15 Radiation Simulation--three new tattoos to add to my collection. Just call me Dotty.
10/30/15 CA27-29 63 U/mol (<38 U/mol)
11/3/15 First Trip to see Dr. E. Mayer at DFCI
11/4/15 Surgical consult to re-install my little purple power port.
11/9/15 Radiation treatment one of five.
11/10/15 Installed my little purple power port and not a moment too soon, took them four tries to get an IV started today.
Yes, we really are going down this road again.
12/5/15 CT for suspected pulmonary embolism demonstrates increase in T10-11 mets.
12/8/15 Bone Scan uptake at T10-11 (not seen 9/17/15) & Right 8th Rib (not evident on PET 10/26/15)
12/10/15 Consult Re: PROGRESSION. Halt THP due today. Schedule PET and order TDM1 for next week. PLAN B.
12/14/15 PET scan: NO PROGRESSION! THP is working, metabolic activity minimal. Merry Christmas to me! Sticking with PLAN A, it's working.
1/7/16 Start Taxol weekly instead of Taxotere (has been too taxing and not rebounding between txs.) Zometa instead of Xgeva.
3/28/16 CT shows new sclerotic lesions on T12, L3, L5, L6, right ilium and head of right femur. No uptake on Bone Scan (progression????)
3/31/16 Discontinue Taxol start Arimidex, still getting H&P.
6/2/16 Discontinue Arimidex and start Exemestane.
6/18/16 PET is NEAD!!
7/1/16 Discontinue Exemestane and restart Armidex (SEs)
8/29/16 CT/Bone Scan Stable (still uptake at T10-11)
10/3/16 BSO pathology negative
10/10/16 MRI: Brain clear!
10/14/16 Switched care to Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care
11/24/16 Xgeva, New MO preference to Zometa
12/12/16 CT/Bone scan Mostly stable significant uptake at L2 plan to PET
1/12/17 PET shows NEAD celebrate with a new puppy!
3/29/17 CT & BS = NEAD
7/31/17 Aetna denies access to H&P <gearing up for a fight>
8/4/17 CT& BS= STABLE
8/9/17 No treatment, Aetna still denying H&P
8/14/17 Aetna appeal approved H&P through February 2018!
2/5/18 CT & BS = STABLE
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11-20-2015, 06:02 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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Re: Mets to spine???
There is another anti hormonal you could try without having to shutdown your ovaries (which is an option) Faslodex which is what Dr Slamon prefers. You should discuss this and also the possibility of using Lupton or other drugs to shutdown the ovaries. If you are going for Herceptin treatments anyway, Faslodex is an option as it is a monthly injectable (after the loading doses which is a shot followed by another 2 weeks later then monthly after that). Or Lupton to shut down the ovaries from making estrogen. Discuss with your doctor.
__________________
Kind regards
Becky
Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia
NED 18 years!
Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
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11-24-2015, 03:29 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 64
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Re: Mets to spine???
Thank you Tracy for your detailed responses to my questions. Now that I am not in pain anymore, I feel hopeful again. I PM you back a long response too. Saw this post after lol.
Becky, I had an oopherectomy awhile ago. I didn't want to but my former Dr kept pressuring me to. Finally gave in.
__________________
Feb/2010-Diagnosed with IDC ER+, PR+, Her2+++(age 28)
Mar 2010- 6 Rounds of FECT (made me sick as a dog)
Jun 2010- Finished chemo
Jul 2010- Mastectomy +12 lymphs (4+)
Oct 2010- Radiation/Begin Herceptin (Her2 was overlooked by my Onco!)
Sep 2011- End of Herceptin
Nov 2011- Recurrence-->Chest Wall, muscle, and possible lymph (ER+, PR-, Her2+++)...WTF!!!???!!!
Feb 2012-Randomized for Clinical Trial
Feb 2012- Begin blind study either TDM1 w/Pertuzumab or TDM1 w/Placebo Pertuzumab
Jan 2013-2nd Recurrence, off TDM1...what next?
Feb 2013-chest wall resection
Feb 2013-Begin Zoladex :(
Apr 2013-Begin Femara
Jul 2013-Oopherectomy + both tubes
Oct 2013-Chest wall recurrence same spot...Dr monitor
Nov 2013-New nodule on chest...restaging...bone/ct clear...continue to monitor
Mar 2014-Surgeon fr/dif hospital confirms lung metasis based on review of CT scan from Nov...Onc recommends Aromasin/Affinitor...
Apr 2014-Start Herceptin+Vinorelbine
Sep 2014-New pain in lower back, MRI confirms metastasis
Oct 2014-SBRT to lungs
Nov 2014-SBRT to lower back
Dec 2014-Restaging confirms two new nodules to lungs and lower spine :(
Jan 2015-Xeloda and Tykerb (good response)
Aug 2015-Xeloda/Tykerb not working...Dr wants to try Taxol/Herceptin combo...problem, Herceptin not covered by OHIP
Sep 2015-Begin Taxol continue Xgeva
Oct 2015-Add Herceptin
Nov 2015-CT stable but MRI shows new mets to spine :(
Jan/Feb 2016-Start Erubulin (Halavan)
May 2016-Progression...Stop Erubulin
June 2016-PMH to explore Clinical Trial options...consideration for Immunotherapy
July 2016-Screening for Trial...Still without treatment, experiencing low appetite, low energy, pain, and rapid wieght loss...cachexia???
You never know how STRONG you really are...until being strong is the only CHOICE you have...
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