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06-03-2006, 07:04 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 285
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Now what???
Friends,
A couple of days ago I went for a back x-ray to determine whether I had a fractured rib (from a dogs vs. me incident). Turns out I did...but that was the good news.
The films showed some probable cancer mets in part of my lung. We'll know more after a PET/CT scan Tuesday and a pow-wow with docs on Thursday.
When my onc's wonderful PA told me the news and we discussed it somewhat, she (with a very sad face) asked me how I felt. I told her I was in no pain, thinking about my previously painful rib. No, she said. How are you feeling emotionally?
I honestly answered her, "O.K." While I'm not the least bit thrilled with this bad news, I just say, let's continue the fight. Good thoughts and prayers are welcome.
I'll let you know more after next Thursday.
Love and light,
Lisa
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06-03-2006, 07:07 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 306
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Well crap, Lisa....
OFCOURSE: many very good thoughts and prayers....
xoxopattyz
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06-03-2006, 07:10 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 1,516
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Lisa...
You've ALWAYS got thoughts and prayers from me.
Rhonda
__________________
Rhonda
Dx 2/1/05, Stage 1, 0 nodes, Grade 3, ER/PR-, HER2+ (3.16 Fish)
2/7/05, Partial Mastectomy
5/18/05 Finished 6 rounds of dose dense TEC (Taxotere, Epirubicin and Cytoxan)
8/1/05 Finished 33 rads
8/18/05 Started Herceptin, every 3 weeks for a year (last one 8/10/06)
2/1/13...8 year Cancerversary and I am "perfect" (at least where cancer is concerned;)
" And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."- Abraham Lincoln
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06-03-2006, 07:17 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Posts: 65
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I am always so impressed with how strong the ladies are who participate in this forum. You have such a wonderful attitude, and that will carry you a long way.
God is watching over you as you continue on your journey. I will be thinking about you and praying for you.
All the best,
Jayne
__________________
Caregiver to mother, Diane
Diagnosed 3/2006 Stage IIB (T2, N2, M0), Her-2+++, Er/PR-, Grade 3
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06-03-2006, 09:26 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 543
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Lisa,
Here is a just published article which you might ask your onc to look into:
Reported June 2, 2006
One-Two Punch for Lung Cancer
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- UCLA researchers find adding the COX-2 inhibitor Celebrex (celecoxib) to the lung cancer drug Tarveca significantly increases the number of people who can benefit from the therapy
In their study, about 33 percent of patients responded to the combination treatment. Typically, only about 10 percent of lung cancer patients respond to Tarveca alone.
The addition of Celebrex is believed to up the efficacy of Tarveca because it inhibits the COX-2 cell signaling pathway. That pathway has been linked to resistance to Tarveca, which blocks the growth of tumor cells by targeting a protein known as the epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR.
"Tarveca alone is a great drug and has a lot of clinical benefits, but for a small proportion of patients," says study author Dr. Karen Reckamp. "With this drug combination, we saw an increase in response rates, indicating we are overcoming some resistance."
All of the participants in the study were diagnosed with advanced lung cancer that failed to respond to conventional treatments like chemotherapy.
The authors note the Tarveca-Celebrex treatment could be superior to chemotherapy because it targets only the diseased cells. Chemotherapy kills all fast growing cells, healthy and diseased alike, and can cause serious side effects. In this study, Tarveca only caused minor side effects, such as rash and diarrhea, and the addition of Celebrex didn't add any side effects to the mix.
The researchers plan more study to confirm these early findings and delve more deeply into why some people are resistant to Tarveca.
SOURCE: Clinical Cancer Research, published online June 1, 2006
P.S.: in the above text one should read "Tarceva" instead of wrongly spelled "Tarveca". Tarceva is the commercial name for Erlotinib. The abstract for the study results can be read at:
http://www.her2support.org/vbulletin...ad.php?t=24036
Last edited by heblaj01; 06-06-2006 at 08:28 PM..
Reason: P.S. added to indicate spelling error in original press report for Tarceva (wrogly spelled Tarveca)
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06-03-2006, 10:02 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 589
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Lisa, you continue to amaze! Have no doubt that thoughts and prayers will be coming your way. Great suggestion from heblaj01.
Love and light, Eric
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06-03-2006, 07:09 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Newton, MA
Posts: 951
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My thoughts are with you, Lisa. I'm also glad that your thoughts are "Continue the fight!"
Barbara H.
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06-03-2006, 12:17 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 198
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Lisa...BIG hugs to you first of all. You are such and inspiration to us!!! You have been through a great deal, but I am always so impressed with your will to fight this beast no matter what it throws at you...Thank you, it gives me the will to continue to fight as well. If Lisa can do it...maybe I can too!!!!
All the best to you as you meet with the powers that be to determine...What's next.
Tammy
__________________
Dx'd Dec'01 while 6mos preg. with #4. child (30yrsold)Mastectomy/AC chemo/radiation/ Recur:Mar'04 liver mets: 3 taxol/herceptin /liver resection/3 taxol/herceptin. Cured?
Recur: May'05 spine & Hip. New onc
treatment in Mexico Feb'06-Mar-06
back to Mexico June/July '06
Currently on herceptin/Zometa/Femara-recently added navelbine
Switched to arimidex Nov'06
ovaries removed June '07
ca15-3 in May'06 was 102
ca15-3 summer of '07 holding steady at 23!
ca15-3 slowly rising Dec & Jan 36, 38, 41 and Feb was 36
Feb '08 Liver, lung & Brain scan NED... bones are stable with even a couple spots gone. as compared with '06 scans
May '08 ca 15-3 is 55. Treatment is zometa, vinorelbine, herceptin and aromasin.
No signifcant changes.
Feb'09 Started Xeloda with herceptin..no more hormonals
Feb'09-June'09 tumor markers coming down again from 155 to 84
May'09 blood clots in lungs vena cava filter put in..Heparin shots daily for now.
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06-03-2006, 03:25 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Acworth, GA
Posts: 2,104
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Lisa,
I've read many of your posts and you are indeed a strong and determined woman. Keep up the positive attitude. You are in my prayers.
__________________
Kate
Stage IIIC Diagnosed Oct 25, 2005 (age 58)
ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3, Ploidy/DNA index: Aneuploid/1.61, S-phase: 24.2%
Neoadjunct chemo: 4 A/C; 4 Taxatore
Bilateral mastectomy June 8, 2006
14 of 26 nodes positive
Herceptin June 22, 2006 - April 20, 2007
Radiation (X35) July 24-September 11, 2006
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
Stage IV lung mets July 13, 2007 - TCH
Single brain met - August 6, 2007 -CyberKnife
Oct 2007 - clear brain MRI and lung mets shrinking.
March 2008 lung met progression, brain still clear - begin Tykerb/Xeloda/Ixempra
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06-03-2006, 05:01 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: LI, NY
Posts: 660
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Dear Lisa - I learned it from you!! Your a strong person with attitude! Keep up the good fight..my prayers are with you...
__________________
Maryann
Stage IV Inflammatory BC 1/00
Mod Rad Mastectomy 24nod/5+
Adriomycin Cytoxin Taxol
Tamoxifen 4 1/2 yrs
Radiation - 32 x
Metastatic BC lung/liver 10/04
thorocentesis 2x - pleurodesis
Herceptin Taxatiere Carbo
Femera/Lupron
BC NED 4/05
chemo induced Acute Myeloid Leukemia 5/06
Induction/consolidation chemo
bone marrow transplant - 11/3/06
Severe Host vs Graft Disease of liver
BC mets to lung 11/07
Fasoladex Herceptin Zometa Xeloda
GVHD/Iron overload to liver
Avascular Necrosis/morphine pump 10/10
metastatic brain tumor
steriotactic radiosurgery
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06-03-2006, 05:31 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Streetsboro, Ohio
Posts: 365
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Dear Lisa, You are in need of a break. I have not been in remission since this recurrance, but I have been stable enough to get off of chemo for 3 months last summer and 5 1/2 months this past winter and spring. I have some activity in and around my lungs but things seem to be moving slowly. I will continue to pray for you to get a good report.
God Bless You, Lisa.
Lu Ann
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06-03-2006, 07:46 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 556
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Tykerib
Lisa,
Please see the post by Joe about compassionate use of Tykerib, it should be available if you talk to your oncologist. This might do wonders for you.
Julie
__________________
Diagnosed in Sept 2004 while pregnant with the second child. Stage 3b, tumor 4.5cm, 4 auxillary and supraclav node positive. Her2+++ FISH 9.4 and er-,pr-.
Had dose dense neoadjuvant AC,Taxol then mastectomy,radiation+xeloda+Herceptin.
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06-03-2006, 07:51 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Montgomery Co, Pennsylvania
Posts: 110
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Dear Lisa, I, too, am so sorry to hear your news. Even though you are strong and a fighter, allow yourself the time to say this stinks, then.. give it all you've got!
Praying for you,
Maggie
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06-03-2006, 08:29 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: northshore suburb of chicago
Posts: 1,093
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It never ceases to amaze me the strength and positive thinking so many of you have, Lisa included. I believe I happened upon this forum for many reasons but for one important one and that is to draw strength from all you incredibly strong women. You have all helped me to have even a more positive attitude and to be thankful for everyday....for it can always be worse. I am proud to be among all you brave and courageous women. I made up my mind from the day it was confirmed that I had grade 3 her2neu+b.c. that I was going to be a fighter and beat this and I am commited to that way of handling this. Lisa stay strong and positive and know that you have my prayers, support and admiration.
__________________
~Rina~
Dx:3/06 had a lumpectomy April 19, 2006
Her2+ er/pr- Stage I Grade 3 tumor size 1.4 cm, node negative
AC 4 dense doses
34 radiation treatments including booster doses
receiving herceptin every 3 weeks since late August 2006 for 12 months
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06-04-2006, 02:32 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: melbourne, australia
Posts: 267
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As someone else said,try for the Tybkerb on EAP (early access program). They will release it for special circumstances.
Christine
Last edited by chrislmelb; 06-04-2006 at 02:34 AM..
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06-04-2006, 05:42 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: TAMPA, FL
Posts: 568
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Lisa
and good thoughts and prayers you shall get my friend.
Keep the spirit strong.
Irene
__________________
Irene from Tampa
1996 - INFILT DUCTAL CAR.W/ LYMPH NODE INVOLVEMENT. ADRIA/CYTOXIN/5FU
1999 - RECURR. TO AUXILA AND 2 TUMORS IN LIVER
TREAT: STEM CELL REPLACEMENT/HERCEPTIN.
2002 - RECUR TO LIVER
TREAT: NAVELBINE, THEN GEMZAR, THEN XELODA.
2004 - TUMORS STILL IN LIVER
TREAT: RFA TO LIVER
STABLE UNTIL
2004 - TUMOR PROGRESSION IN LIVER.
TREAT: RESECT HALF OF LIVER.
2005 - RECURR TO LYMPH NODE OUTSIDE OF LIVER.
TREAT: TAXOL/CARPO/HERCEPTIN. FAILED ON
THIS TRIO. STARTED ON ABRAXANE.
2006 - PROGRESS WITH 2ND TUMOR GROWTH.
TREAT: AUG. BEGAN ON TYKERB/XELODA
TRIAL. CONSIDERED STABLE TO DATE.
2007 - TAKEN OFF OF TYKERB/XELODA TRIAL DUE TO
PROGRESS STARTING TYKERB/AVASTIN.
NOV 2007 - SCANS SHOW PROGRESS TUMOR GROWTH
IN ABDOM. AND TWO NEW TUMORS IN NECK AREA.
BEGAN HERCEPTIN/AVASTIN/TAXOTERE
Feb 08 - Ixempra/Xeloda
June 08 - Her/DM1 trial
"I WANT TO BE AN OUTRAGEOUS OLD WOMAN WHO NEVER GETS CALLED AN OLD LADY. I WANT TO GET SHARP EDGED & EARTH COLORED, TILL I FADE AWAY FROM PURE JOY."
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06-04-2006, 07:54 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 1,055
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Sending more good thoughts and prayers. Hoping it's a false alarm at this point. BB
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06-04-2006, 10:02 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: California's Gold Country
Posts: 404
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Lisa,
I am hoping that this is somehow a false alarm for you. I know we all are hoping for the best, but at the same time, I know you will be gearing up to do whatever it takes if that's what is called for. Dodging these bullits does get old, but we have truly become elite warriors in this fight and I hope you can draw some strength from knowing we are with you.
Love, Kim in CA
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