hip replacement advice

[ClarenceO]

Has anyone had joint replacement after being diagnosed with MBC? If so, do you have any advice?

I was diagnosed with MBC to the bones and liver July 2020. After radiation and several lines of drug treatment, I was diagnosed with severe osteoarthritis in my right hip a year ago. I had existing painful arthritis in my right knee.

I have tried everything- PT for a year, topical‘s, injections, supplements, drugs, Pain doctor, etc. The pain is increasing every day, and my mobility is decreasing. It is very painful to walk so my previously active life is now quite limited. Scary

Any advice on joint replacement is welcome. Many thanks,

Suzanne

[Eliactida1955]

yes I have . Total left hip replacement in June.i tripped and fell on my cancer hip. The doctor corrected first surgery that failed. He used pins and bolts and screws. 2nd surgery is fine and I was off my oral med for over a month. My tumors marker decreased down from 1750 to 338 . Figure that out.

[Dflur]

Just do it! Find a really good surgeon, who operates on cancer patients, and get the hip replacement. I did, best choice I’ve made. I was diagnosed with MBC to my bones, legs,pelvis,lower back…2019.

I thought my hip hurt from the cancer, but it was mostly the arthritis and bone on bone.

I could barely walk, I went to several orthopedic surgeon ‘s, until I found one comfortable with operating on a cancer patient. Got my hip replaced in April 2021.

And my cancer has had no new tumors!

,

[Hopeful4Cure in reply to Dflur]

Thanks Dflur, E1955 for the reply and Suzanne for the ? I have been thinking aobut this for awhile now and it might just be doen the road for me too. Good to know you both had positive results.

[cookie789]

ClarenceO-- Each person's situation is different, but here is mine. I was diagnosed with MBC to bone and liver in 2017. I am stable on my 2nd line therapy. I have developed severe osteoarthritis in my hip and my ortho doc recommended a replacement. I have tried 2 steroid injections without relief. I walk with a cane now. But.... I also have had 2 blood clots in my history and am on a blood thinner.

In my situation, I am electing not to get surgery unless absolutely necessary. My ortho doc said I would have to be off my cancer treatment for 3 months-- 6 weeks prior to surgery to build up my white counts, and 6 weeks post op to prevent a post op infection. Yes, my cancer is stable, but that is a window that the cancer may take to grow. And then, there is the blood thinner and my history of clots. Joint replacement surgery has a large possibility of blood clots- for anyone.

Things would look different if my hip would brake-- I would have to do surgery. But without a fracture, a hip replacement surgery is still considered elective surgery. So, I choose not to do surgery at this time.

But you have to do what feels right for you.

[ClarenceO in reply to cookie789]

Pardon my late reply Cookie as well as the many of you who replied. It has been extremely helpful to read through your various situations, what you decided to do and why. With MBC, it always feels like a balancing act doesn't it? - if this, then this, if this than not this...Thank you very much to all who replied to my query.

At the current time, I have leg wounds that will not heal so I cannot have surgery until they do. I'm having to switch to chemo pill next week after four lines of treatment in 4 years have run their course. Buying time seems so important but in the larger perspective of life, I am grateful to have had 4 years so far.

Suzanne

[cpidacks]

I had a partial hip replacement in October of 2022 after a fall. I was diagnosed with MBC in my liver in Feb. of 2019 and have been on Faslodex shots as my first line of treatment. So far so good. I am stable. Make sure you are put on a blood thinner after the surgery to prevent blood clots. I was put on aspirin and six weeks after the operation I was in a Boston Hospital ICU with blood clots to both lungs and my right leg. I feel I should have been on a blood thinner after the surgery not aspirin. I didn't realize that the cancer can cause blood clots and also the Faslodex. I am on Eliquis for the rest of my life. Good luck to you with your surgery and good luck to all of us in this journey.

[Eliactida1955]

All I can tell you is that I fell and broke left hip in 4 places. It was on the cancer hip and I had screws pin and bolt-it failed and two weeks later total hip. I don’t have pain at hip area but I do have it in shoulders and esp tight knee area. Back too but met is to bone and before the fall I had some discomfort. I don’t take pain meds maybe 0nce or twice a week. It’s been 5 months I walk with a cane and sometimes without . I use the rollator for long distances. If you need it done the do it. The recovery is worse at beginning but improves with rehab. By the way my tumor markers decreased 1/3 than what they were before and I was off Xeloda over a month. Figure that one. I wish you the best🙏✝️

[Thredbo2]

I didn’t have arthritis but had a hip replaced to remove a solitary bone met when one off radiation and drugs failed after 2 years of treatment. It has been successful and I remain in remission 18 months later, although I did have a pulmonary embolism post op so blood thinners are important. I had another radiation and now take exemestane. Recovery takes a while and rehab helps a lot and I’m fully mobile and bushwalking again.

[Light74]

After a total hip replacement in 2019, I was able to enjoy walking again. My MBC was diagnosed in 2016 with MANY bone Mets including the hip that was replaced, pelvis,spine, rib, etc. The pathology showed no evidence of cancer even though it was considered to be full of cancer on my initial diagnosis. Before the surgery I was off Xgeva for a year, Ibrance for a few weeks because of low neutrophils and platelets, and even off letrozole for a few weeks.

The surgeon was excellent! I spent days researching orthopedic surgeons. A site called Checkbook was a great resource for finding a surgeon with a great record.

I hope you can find a successful solution!

[Dragonfly2]

hello! The mix of cancer pain and osteoarthritis sounds horrible…I know personally. When I was diagnosed, there was talk of replacing my hip because of the potential tumor damage to the joint . Thankfully radiation stopped the pain and Zometa zelodronic acid regrew the bone. Though more pain from other Mets is bothering me, the hip still functions. An orthopedic oncologist would be the right doctor to help you….evaluate the joint and weigh the improvements a replacement could give you. Best wishes…this can be improved but you’ll need to ask questions and look for answers.

[25047]

I am a Nurse and was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, 2 1/2 years ago, I’ve been an I-Brance and, letrozole since then, I was having a lot of pain in my left hip and tried injections, that didn’t touch it, and I hate taking pain meds, so I finally decided to have a total hip replacement in June. For me, it was a perfect decision and has decreased by pain by at least 70%, if anybody is thinking about having a joint replacement I can give you a lot of helpful little hints of things that will help you tremendously postop, things the doctors office never tells you about. Please feel me feel free to contact me with any questions, have a beautiful beautiful fall day🥰