HonCode

Go Back   HER2 Support Group Forums > her2group
Reload this Page Scared and Confused
Register Gallery FAQ Members List Calendar Today's Posts

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 03-05-2018, 11:41 PM   #1
StephN
Senior Member
 
StephN's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Misty woods of WA State
Posts: 4,128
Re: Scared and Confused
Hello fellow brain mets traveller!

I had only two places in my head to treat, with one being on the large end of the scale for treating with gamma knife. It was successful to date, which means over 12 years.

You might look at Marvass and a couple of other people who have long experience with treating mets to the brain.

Whole brain rads will most likely ruin your hair making wigs necessary the rest of your life. Unless they have a better way now and this is not a permanent side effect.
__________________
"When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau
Live in the moment.

MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~
Found suspicious lump 9/2000
Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement
Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR -
Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds
36 rads - very little burning
3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum
Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED!
2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa
Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18
All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET
Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying
Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa
Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?)
2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava
2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec.
Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011
STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer
7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones
Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED
2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED.
Same news for 2016 and all of 2017.
Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.
StephN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2018, 11:34 PM   #2
Catherine
Senior Member
 
Catherine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 715
Re: Scared and Confused
Dear Katherine, just a hug and reach out to you from another Catherine. As Steph posted, others will hopefully share their experience with you. I feel badly that you have received this DX. Please know we are all here for you. I have no knowledge to share, but want to send love and support. Keep us posted.
Hugs, Catherine
__________________
Catherine


Found my own lump in the shower
April 2006 at the age of 58
Stage IIB, ER- PR- HER2+++ multi focal tumors, largest 2.3cm
Chemo first: AC/Taxol over 16 weeks
Bilateral mastectomy Sep 06
33 rads after the surgery
1 year of Herceptin completed Dec 07
15 years and no recurrence as of April 2021
Catherine is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-20-2018, 10:27 AM   #3
KatherineM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 94
Re: Scared and Confused
Good news: I met with my radiation oncologist on Wednesday, and she showed me my latest brain scan. I had 16 lesions, the biggest one (16mm) of which was cyberknifed on March 14. I am currently on Haloven and Tykerb for lung mets. The scan shows all of the lesions are significantly smaller, some are almost gone! That means the Haloven and Tykerb are passing through the blood brain barrier. She said, "I've never seen anything like it!" Great to get some good news, for a change. Haloven and Tykerb is an unusual combination, but maybe it should be used more often. Thanks to all for your support and good thoughts. xoxo
__________________
_______________________
Diagnosed 3/26/14 BC Stage 3a ER neg PR neg HER-2+
5 cm tumor in left breast, needle node biopsy positive
Started TCHP 4/25/14 - 6 rounds
Oncologist can no longer feel tumor, after 4th round
Chemo shrunk tumor to less than a mm
Lumpectomy and axillary node dissection 9/3/14
Radiation for 5 weeks, with boost
Herceptin until 4/3/15
CT Scan on 4/27 shows lung mets (lots of little ones on both sides, largest 1.6 cm) STAGE IV
Lung biopsy shows still HER2+++/ER-/PR-
Taxol with Herceptin and Perjeta May, June, July 2015
Lung mets reduced by 50%
Just H&P through Fall 2015
11/15 Progression
Back on Taxol with H&P January 2016
THP no longer working March 2016
Start Kadcyla 3/16 After first treatment, experienced low platelets, tongue turned black, had to have transfusion. Dry cough and shortness of breath for first week, improves over second and third.
4/16 Platelet transfusion after second treatment, blood blisters in mouth. Allergic reaction to platelets.
6/16 Kadcyla not working. Progression to liver, though lung mets smaller.
7/16 Start Xeloda and Tykerb.
11/16 Port infected. Taken out. Have to go off chemo.
1/17 Back on Xeloda and Tykerb
5/17 Tykerb and Herceptin
11/17 Navelbine and Herceptin
12/17 Progression in lungs, liver reevaluated, no progression
1/18 Haloven and Herceptin
2/18 Sloan Kettering consultation
3/18 Brain mets, 16 lesions, largest 16mm
3/18 Cyberknife to 16mm lesion
3/18 Haloven and Tykerb added
4/18 Scan shows all lesions significantly smaller! Some almost gone. Radiation oncologist says she's never seen anything like it
7/18 Brain scan shows progression, w/ with one new lesion. Don't want to do WBR. Will try for tucatinib.
8.15.18 Start Keytruda
KatherineM is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:30 AM.
Contact Us - HER2 Support Group - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright HER2 Support Group 2007 - 2021
free webpage hit counter