Bone mets???

My colleague just told me that the Stage II breast cancer she had 4 years ago has metastacized into her spine. She also told me that her treatment is Femara because she's ER/PR+ and a weekly IV of some drug to strengthen her bones, which is not chemo.

She doesn't know if she's HER-2 positive or not and I recommended she find out ASAP and also seek a second opinion.

I would like to hear from folks w/ bone mets in terms of their treatment. It strikes me as odd that she wouldn't be getting chemo but then I'm hardly an expert--especially when it comes to mets.

I also recommended this board to her so hopefully, she'll show up with her own questions. In the meantime, I told her I'd do some investigation for her.

Thanks!

I had bone mets and was treated with Taxotere and also Herceptin as well as Zometa for bone strengthening.

I was on femara (and weekly herceptin) for a long time but was taken off it when I was dx with mets to my bones last Dec. I was given 4 inj (monthly) of Faslodex but it did not work. Now I am going to start Gemzar with Herceptin. If that fails there are other chemos such as Navelbine and Zometa. I am not positive if the Zometa is chemo agent or a bone strengthner. I have also been on Aridia which is not a chemo but is a bone strenghner- You get that once a month IV-Most of my bone mets is in my spine and ribs. Good luck. Patty D

I'm on the bcmets.org e-mail list and there are quite a few people there with bone mets who are treated with hormonals first. Some for as long as 5-6 years before receiving chemo.

I think the treatment tends to differ depending on the spread of the disease and the aggressiveness.

Your friend can always ask for a 2nd opinion, but I wouldn't say her current treatment sounds out of line.

Though she should find out her her2 status. If she's getting weekly IV's that are not chemo, and they are administered without a break in between, then I would say there's a good chance she's on herceptin.

[StephN]

Hi -
Herceptin would not be an agent to strengthen bones, but can be given weekly.
Zometa is a non-chemo drug that DOES strengthen bones, but I have never heard of it being given weekly. (I got it every three weeks and have changed to every six weeks for the past year.)

She may be getting another one of the new biphosphanates that are given on a different schedule, but I do not know those details.

I have a friend who IS Her2 positive and has been maintained for bone mets with hormonal/herceptin therapy for a couple of years now. They are not gone, but the mets are very stable.