My mother was diagnosed with metastatic carcinoma left breast this January.
After six cycles of chemo TCH her pet scan was done. Everything came out clear. And then surgery was performed and the tumor was completely removed. Final impression of the recent most pet scan is as follows:
Complete metabolic regression of the left axillary and supraclavicular lymphadynopathy as well D9 vertebral lesion. No new metabolically active focus identified, suggesting good response to therapy.
Presently she is undergoing radiation therapy. Out of total 29 fractions 24 fractions are complete and the balance 5 fractions which include 2 fractions in spine will be completed by 19th September. As advised by doctors herceptin is being given simultaneously. Doctors have informed that herceptin will be continued for an indefinite period i.e till the time it protects her from any recurrence. I need your opinion on herceptin time duration please. My question is that will she remain disease free for the rest of her life?
Also she has been experiencing hiccups since the past 2 days for short time periods is that in anyway related to this ?
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chinu2619
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Hi chinu - we all linger with the same question always - will the patient will be disease free for whole of the life - but I think for this question there is no answer. No one can predict even after taking all type of medicines. Its an unpredictable disease - only thing in our hand is to do the best treatment, try to be happy and treat this balance life as a bonus given by God to us
Once cancer leaves it primary location,it keeps propping its head over & again.foetunately there are number of medicines now.So now people die with cancer but not because of cancer.
Having said ,medicines are mostly with huge side effects at times worse than disease itself.Research is still too primitive to get any permanant solution. it takes 15 years to float drug.Either pharma industry is cheating us in keeping away from real medicine to cure or they have no clue where to attack this problem from
Your mother has had a very good response to chemo. The treatment that they are giving is from a 'curative' point of view, that's why they are radiating that isolated site of metastases in spine. As for your question, will she remain disease free is; no one on earth can predict any thing in cancers, whatever the stage. Even stage 1 patients can get a recurrence (though that proportion is very small). I can understand your situation, seeing your mother in this.
Whether it will recur or it will not, is not in our hands.
But world class treatment with standard protocols is definitely in our hands and your mom is getting the same standard treatment, what she would have got in any of the largest cancer centres in the world.
So dont worry and continue according to what your Oncologists say and guide you.
Chinu, i got diagnosed with breast cancer, but early detection, no mets however I am HER 2 positive 3+. I have high chance of recurrence and I am in the middle of my treatment. I am on TCH as well, and my oncologist said I will be given herceptin for one year (I started on Aug 20th, 2014after four chemos, the herceptin will continue until Aug 12, 2015) ....which is a standard protocol.
Yes I do get hiccups, every time i drink water, or try to eat anything....as long as it is not severe, i don't try to give much attention. If it is severe and keep coming, I take a deep breath and hold on to the breath for count 8 or 16 and release it. Then it goes away. It is annoying....
Cancer cells develops in all of us each day, all day along,.....helplessness breeds cancer, however peaceful heart and mind kills the cells. So to me spritually peace of mind is the antidote to cancer... medically as Dr. Shaw explained, the medical protocol and top class treatements, will take care of the disease. Please take care of your mother...what ever gives her happiness, peace of mind...make sure that is the top priority to address and take care....everything will fall in place.
I have gone through the book 'EMPEROR OF ALL MALADIES" . Herceptin which is being taken by your mother was first discovered in the year 1990 and the lady who was given it for the first time in 1990 by the name of Barbara Bradfield has no hint of her cancer remaining even in 2010 at the time the book was published for the first time. Initially Herceptin was given only for metastatic cancer. So this gives us something to be be positive about though not over optimistic as cancer in particular and life in general is unpredictable. There are also many other drugs in the same family as Herceptin which can be taken later if necessary. As of now glad to hear your mother is disease free now and is receiving the best treatment according to international protocol
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