11 Years bc, 10 Year with mets
When I was dxed at 29 on 10/23/2001 with stage III bc, I was devastated. No one in my family had cancer, I had no risk factors. I did a trial where 2/3 got Herceptin but I was in the 1/3 that did not just a/c and 12 weekly taxol.
In 10/2002, I found out after a hysterectomy that I had mets to my ovaries. My gyn gave me 24-26 months. I had a two year old. I was told I would never see him start kindergarten. I was very depressed. I worked in a hospital and all the cancer pts we saw were very sick or dying. My oncologist said, its b/c the ones doing well were just out there living their lives.
ON 10/23/2002 exactly one year from the day they told me I had breast cancer I started Herceptin. MY oncologist wasn't that hopeful b/c I had only been off tx for a month when I was dxed with mets. But Herceptin and Femara gave me years of NED and stability.
Things have been really hard the last few years but I am still here. Ten years later.
So I hope for anyone newly dxed, thinking like I did that it was an automatic death sentence, that people are out there living with this disease.
Kelly
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10/01 dx stage III breast CA,
10/01-8/02 mastectomy, chemo, XRT
10/02 total hysterectomy
10/02 dx with mets to ovaries
10/02-10/09 Herceptin, cancer NED or stable
11/09 dx mets for 3cm medisternal mass,
start Xeloda and Herceptin
07/10 dx with mets to adrenal gland and suspicious nodules in pleural stay on Xeloda and watch
11/10 more progression
12/10 start Abraxne Herceptin once week 3 weeks one week off.
10/6/11 PET showed adrenal is very active and new mets in internal mammary
11/1/11 Start tykerb and Aromasin
2/2012 endo dx stomachmets.
3/2012 randomized to non tdm1 arm of Teresa trial.
Started Gemzar
7/27/2012 progression but too small to switch
9/10/2012 now new lymphnode b/w stomach and liver off Gemzar Still no TDM1 crossover
10/3/2012. started perjeta, herceptin, taxotere
12/2012 losing weight from constant big D, scans are stable
1/3/2013 start TDM-1 xover for Teresa trial.
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