End of treatment or so I thought

[cherylynnie]

I am stil confused alittle. Even though I wrote down questions and asked them. I came home still with things that I didn't think of that I wished I would have asked.

I am going to get a breast MRI before the wide excision, and a Mammo on the left side, because the surgeon biopsied a fatty tumor last August on the unaffected side. I had asked her to take it out when I had this excisional biopsy last week, but she convinced me not to. Now since I have a recurrence she must have changed her mind because now she wants to take it out as well. So the mammo will help us decide for sure and I had it scheduled for the 20th of April and got it moved up. The oncologist also ordered ct scans, and my husband asked for a brain MRI and pet scan so he conceded. And of course he ordered blood tests. He is going to check to see if my ovaries are working or not. Since I haven't had a cycle in 14-15 months now.

He said the tumor was very small. I thought it was a centimeter so I am confused on that but when I have my pre-op apt with the surgeon I am going to go over all that with her.

He sees to think that there hasn't been enough to learn about tykerb yet. I don't know. I have plenty of time to find a second opinion if I feel the need. I will talk to my surgeon about that as well.

THank you so much!! I hope you are doing well.

Cheryl

[atdec05]

Hi Cheryl,

I talked to my onc. yesterday but like you have more questions than answers. She agreed with my 2nd opinion that I should have a taxane, but did not think TCH was the answer since I had recurred on Herceptin. She was thinking TC, then Xeloda & Tykerb. But didn't know if I should be kept on it indefinitely or how long it should be given in a supposedly adjuvant setting.

I talk to Dr. #3 on Monday who's a research/clinician at a research hospital & hope to be able to figure this out so I can start treatment! My radiation oncologist is recommending to start with radiation, since I have local recurrences in the skin/chest wall. Sounds tempting to start something, but I've read that taxanes can make cancer cells more susceptible to radiation.

Anyone have a similar diagnosis and what did they do?

- Anna

[Becky]

Anna


Since your recurrence was near the scar - a place where it is very difficult for chemo or Herceptin to penetrate, why give up on Herceptin. It works EXTREMELY well with taxanes. Also, Tykerb could be difficult to obtain and get paid for because a local recurrence does NOT upgrade you to stage 4 disease (that is reserved for distant mets only) so you are still considered whatever your original stage was but can obtain additional treatment for the local recurrence.

Just my thoughts here. Also, my girlfriend who had a local recurrence (triple negative pathology), had rads with concurrent Xeloda (as chemo (and Herceptin) enhance the effects of radiation).

Hope this helps

[atdec05]

Hi Becky,

I am considered Stage 3B now because of recurrence. Just got the write up from my 2nd opinion dr. and his recommendation of TCH makes sense. I agree that it's possible my recurrence happened either a) because it was in the skin and chemo couldn't reach it, or b) because I didn't use a taxane in combination with Herceptin.

I think Herceptin is still worth a shot and save Tykerb for later if needed. I actually do qualify for Tykerb now based on being locally advanced (3B). My 2nd opinion dr. also talked about Xeloda & Herceptin with radiation, but preferred TCH, then radiation.

Well, one more opinion this monday to hopefully help sort things out.

Did your girlfriend with local recurrence have dermal lymphatic involvement?

- Anna

[cherylynnie]

My recurrence happened, so they tell me because the chemo and herceptin couldn't get to where there was hardly any blood supply????

[atdec05]

Hi Cheryl,

That's the same explanation I've gotten for my local recurrence. Though I thought: the chemo & Herceptin couldn't get to my skin because it's delivered via the bloodstream, but apparently there was enough of a bloodstream to cause my recurrence to grow.

- Anna

[Becky]

Dear Anna


I am not sure about my girlfriend. She never mentioned skin involvement only the new lump.

She is doing very well and is almost 15 months out from the recurrence.