how old

dx at 35 last May 2003,
stage 3b, her3+, ER+/PR-, nodes+,
chemo from June to Oct 2003,
mastectomy Nov 2003,
radiation Dec '03 to Jan '04,
hormone therapy indefinitely (5 to 10 yrs)
no reuccurance so far.
turns 36 Feb 2004.

Though I would add that I've read in a few places that her2+ disease is particularly prevalent in younger women...

All the best,
Jeff

Lola,

Thank you for your sentiments. I have so often wished that this disease would have hit after my children were grown. But, for some reason that was not God's plan. I pray every day to make it at least 9 more years. My youngest would be 18. Still too young to lose their Mother, but at least not just 9 years old. I am very hopeful that this will happen. I also pray that Herceptin will work for me and make a difference. I would really love to be around to have a really BIG party after my 15th year being followed on the clinical trial. I am currently reading a new book on HOPE, my favorite word. It is called "The Anatomy of Hope". I highly recommend it. It was written my an oncologist, Jerome Groopman. God Bless You and all of us fighting this disease.

I was 40 when i was Diagnosed with ivfirlating ductal carcinoma Stage 3C, had mastectomy 17 postive nodes. Was told i had less then a year to live. That was seven years ago. I am ER+ & HER2+
I know have liver mets and am doing monthly Herceptin.I am praying for all of us!
go well,
Marsha B in the cold snowie MN
mpbrekke@vaderandlandgraf.com

Cindi, do have hope--I was 40 when first dx. with young children and never expected to go 18 years--12 of 24 nodes were positive. It was my most sincere desire to be here for my children and I have been. I am now welcoming grandchildren--a recurrance last year which is responding well to Herceptin and Arimidex. Be encouraged!

37 when diag. stage IIIB, 39 at recurrence

Elenor wrote:
Ladies,
we have occasionally shouted at a curiousity question, so here's mine.
How old were you when first dx and how old when the mets were dx. The reason for asking is I have been informally asking women in their 60's & 70's how common B/C was when they were in their 30's & 40's compared to how common it is now. Better diagnosing or perhaps environmental??????? Between industrial pollution and hormones/antibiotics in farm animals,,,,,,you just gotta wonder if we are not the first generation to be battling something that is completely out of our control?
Not meant to be a political discussion, just more of a random thought.
el
s


I was dianosed at 38 with stage 4 b/c with mets on liver. Will be 40 in July and have been on two different chemo treatments over the last 10 months. I believe that this has become a young persons disease and definately think it's environmental. I have gone completely organic cutting out all hormones and pesticides. But it's more that that - pollution, COMPUTER's (emissions) what ever it my be it's out of control.

Angela,

I was feeling afraid too when I started reading these messages. Find the positive and grab onto it. I am 58. My tumor was 5cm and no nodes out of 21. Receptors pos. had 4 of a/c, 33 rad. and am on tamoxifin now (2 mos). We will be fine and the others with mets just have to hang on a little longer and most seems to be hanging on very well for a very long time. In the not too distant future cancer will be managed like AIDS. Remember how scary that was? There is only good news! I work at NIH and cancer research is at a feverish pitch! May God bless all of you and give you His peace.