HonCode

Go Back   HER2 Support Group Forums > her2group
Register Gallery FAQ Members List Calendar Today's Posts

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-16-2012, 08:43 PM   #1
alexandra1
Member
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 14
I need survival stories brain mets PLEASE

My wife's bc stage 3 metastasized to the brain. After WBR the 10 lesions shrunk 30 to 70 percent. Two months later they started growing again. They are starting chemo a combo of xelobe and tykerb. We have 3 children and I feel like im losing the war. Can someone please tell me there survival stories or others you know so that we can read them. Maybe it will recharge our battery.
alexandra1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2012, 05:23 AM   #2
Delaney
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Ireland
Posts: 271
Re: I need survival stories brain mets PLEASE

I see some people on here who are around for a few years after treatment for brain mets. Mine keep coming back and my oncologist says 'some people manage to live 2 years with such a diagnosis', so I dont feel too hopeful but I will take whatever treatment they offer me. The treatment itself is unpleasant so I too would love to hear some uplifting stories.
__________________
Delaney, dx 2008 lumpectomy,mastectomy,a/c,paxitaxol, tyverb 1 yr.
dx 2010 mets lymph nodes, skin, lung. start taxotere/herceptin.
Stopped taxtere/herceptin, now on tyverb/xeloda.
Lung mets shrinking.
Back on Herceptin with T/X. Partial response.
Skin mets progressing. Radiation scheduled mid february 2011.
Spot found on hip - radiation to hip beginning mid February 2011.
Now trying Gemzar/Tyverb/Herceptin and Zometa.
CT scan Feb 2011 - lung clear!
Brain mets (specks) - radiation mid Feb.
Brain Scan June'11 - Clear
CT Scan June'11 - Good - skin met active - watch and wait.
Surgery to remove skin met. Surgery to back 2012, four titanium rods inserted. Skin mets reappear. On Navelbine, not working. 4 week washout, start Myocet for skin and lung mets August 2012. Brain scan clear despte intermittent blurry vision (something hiding? Am suspicious but hopeful. )On we go, glad to be here.
Delaney is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2012, 07:00 AM   #3
Mtngrl
Senior Member
 
Mtngrl's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 1,427
Re: I need survival stories brain mets PLEASE

There's a thread called "calling all stage iv sisters." Periodically the treatment signatures are compiled. Some people with brain mets have been around a long time: http://her2support.org/vbulletin/sho...isters&page=10
__________________
Amy
_____________________________
4/19/11 Diagnosed invasive ductal carcinoma in left breast; 2.3 cm tumor, 1 axillary lymph node, weakly ER+, HER2+++
4/29/11 CT scan shows suspicious lesions on liver and lungs
5/17/11 liver biopsy
5/24/11 liver met confirmed--Stage IV at diagnosis
5/27/11 Begin weekly Taxol & Herceptin for 3 months (standard of care at the time of my DX)
7/18/11 Switch to weekly Abraxane & Herceptin due to Taxol allergy
8/29/11 CT scan shows no new lesions & old lesions shrinking
9/27/11 Finish Abraxane. Start Herceptin every 3 weeks. Begin taking Arimidex
10/17/11--Brain MRI--No Brain mets
12/5/11 PET scan--Almost NED
5/15/12 PET scan shows progression-breast/chest/spine (one vertebra)
5/22/12 Stop taking Arimidex; stay on Herceptin
6/11/12 Started Tykerb and Herceptin on clinical trial (w/no chemo)
9/24/12 CT scan--No new mets. Everything stable.
3/11/13 CT Scan--two small new possible mets and odd looking area in left lung getting larger.
4/2/13--Biopsy of suspicious area in lower left lung. Mets to lung confirmed.
4/30/13 Begin Kadcyla/TDM-1
8/16/13 PET scan "mixed," with some areas of increased uptake, but also some definite improvement, so I'll stay on TDM-1/Kadcyla.
11/11/13 Finally get hormone receptor results from lung biopsy of 4/2/13. My cancer is no longer ER positive.
11/13/13 PET scan mixed results again. We're calling it "stable." Problems breathing on exertion.
2/18/14 PET scan shows a new lesion and newly active lymph node in chest, other progression. Bye bye TDM-1.
2/28/14 Begin Herceptin/Perjeta every 3 weeks.
6/8/14 PET "mixed," with no new lesions, and everything but lower lungs improving. My breathing is better.
8/18/14 PET "mixed" again. Upper lungs & one spine met stable, lower lungs less FDG avid, original tumor more avid, one lymph node in mediastinum more avid.
9/1/14 Begin taking Xeloda one week on, one week off. Will also stay on Herceptin and Perjeta every three weeks.
12/11/14 PET Scan--no new lesions, and everything looks better than it did.
3/20/15 PET Scan--no new lesions, but lower lung lesions larger and a bit more avid.
4/13/15 Increasing Xeloda dose to 10 days on, one week off.
7/1/15 Scan "mixed" again, but suggests continuing progression. Stop Xeloda. Substitute Abraxane every 3 weeks starting 7/13.
10/28/15 PET scan shows dramatic improvement everywhere. All lesions except lower lungs have resolved; lower lungs noticeably improved.
12/18/15 Last Abraxane. Continue on Herceptin and Perjeta alone beginning 1/8/16.
1/27/16 PET scan shows cancer is stable.
5/11/16 PET scan shows uptake in some areas that were resolved on the last two scans.
6/3/16 Begin Kadcyla and Tykerb combination
6/5 - 6/23 Horrible diarrhea from K&T together. Got pneumonia.
7/15/16 Begin Kadcyla only every 3 weeks.
9/6/16 Begin radiation therapy on right lung lesion that caused the pneumonia.
10/3/16 Last of 12 radiation treatments to right lung.
11/4/16 Huffing and puffing, low O2, high heart rate, on tiniest bit of exertion. Diagnosed as radiation pneumonitis. Treated with Prednisone.
11/11/16 PET scan shows significant improvement to radiated part of right lung BUT a bunch of new lung lesions, and the bone met is getting worse.
11/22/16 Begin Eribulin and Herceptin. H every 3 weeks. E two weeks on, one week off.
3/6/17 Scan shows progression in lungs. Bone met a little better.
3/23/17 Lung biopsy. Tumor sampled is ER-, PR+ (5%), HER2+++. Getting Herceptin and Perjeta as a maintenance treatment.
5/31/17 Port placement
6/1/17 Start Navelbine & Tykerb
Mtngrl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2012, 12:11 PM   #4
alexandra1
Member
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 14
Re: I need survival stories brain mets PLEASE

Thamks mtn girl that was a great thread. Especially the list of survivors that jackie has put together. I highly reccomend that you go there delaney. My wife started her chemo today. I really wish the radiation worked. However her breast cance reacted great to her chemo last time and im hoping that chemo works for her brain mets. God bless all of you .
alexandra1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2012, 05:30 AM   #5
Pray
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,173
Re: I need survival stories brain mets PLEASE

Gods blessings to you and your wife also. Hope springs eternal. You are in my prayers
Pray is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2012, 06:03 AM   #6
Rolepaul
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Boulder Colorado as of January 2013
Posts: 389
Re: I need survival stories brain mets PLEASE

Xeloda/Tykerb held Nina's Brain Mets in check, but had a few that needed radiation. We went to a new regime of intrathecal Herceptin and Topotecan with IV Herceptin and Navelbine. 12/15 we were told at best four months to live but this regimen has Nina looking for work and planning for our birthdays in July. No evidence of disease in the brain or spine (spinal involvement is very dire). This was a compassionate treatment regime, but the insurance gave the go ahead as did MD Anderson Cancer Center. MRI on the spine at least every 90 days but Xeloda/Tykerb only hurts the stuff and eventually something harder is needed to kill it. I hope your wife's results are as good as mine. By the way, her activities only slightly deteriorated during the time the disease progressed. Any weakness, tightness, or soreness in the lower back or upper thighs needs to have the spine MRI immediately. Methotrexate IT is to be avoided due to problems with hurting the meninges. I hope this helps.

Paul
Rolepaul is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2012, 01:22 PM   #7
alexandra1
Member
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 14
Re: I need survival stories brain mets PLEASE

A wealth of information paul thankyou. my wifes body clear spine and fluid. god bless
alexandra1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


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 04:58 PM.


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