Anyone have recurrance within 2 yrs after Rads?

LACEY

Dx w/ dcis & ILC on right breast in 10/05.finished Rads 4/06. Having Biopsy on Tues for new mass on right side and new calcifications on left. Question: For anyone who had recurrance..how long after treatment? I did not have chemo, just rads. Just wondering.. Thanks

CalGal

Hi Lacey -

In 9/2004, I was dx'd with invasive bc on the left, DCIS on the right. I had bi-lat lump's, SNB (all clear) and 38x rad'tn on the left side. I am also triple negative. I did not have chemo on my initial dx.

In 12/2005, less than one year after finishing rad'tn, I found a lump (high & outside, almost under my armpit and above the rad'td area). This was 2 mos after an allegedly fine mamm (that was later lost and when found, even I could see the 2 cm lump that was missed). A biopsy confirmed that it was the same cancer. Recurr or missed originally, I'll never know for sure ... but it's listed as a recurr on my records.

After the recurr, I finally got my first CT Scan (after being denied on past requests) and got more than I ever feared: mets to the liver and unrelated kidney cancer.

I had a fam history of early onset bc and got tested. I wasn't surprised to learn I am positive for the BRCA1 mutation. There's lots of various extra risks with that ...

A quick update, I've been NED for bc for almost 1 year ... and NED for kidney cancer for 3 months!

I hope your biopsy come back negative ... I know the wait between the biopsy and results will be difficult ...

Best to you,

CalGal

LACEY

CalGal,
How awful for you.. I am glad to hear you are doing well now. The thing that worries me is I have Hepatitis C and even thought i went throught the interfueron treatment 3 yrs ago and tested neg. for 2 years it is now back..I am afraid that lowered my immune system and allowed the cancer in..or a place to hide during Rads. My surgeon said the mass could be scar tissue. he would be "surprised if it is cancer" same exact words he said to me in 2005. I will know in a week, since the biopsies are Tues. the 19th . Thank you so much for your response. I am trying to get a feel for how often recurrance happens after rads. I pray you stay healthy and strong
Lace

CalGal

Hi Lace -

Thanks for the empathy and good wishes.

I'm sorry to hear you're dealing with Hep C. I don't know much about that, but sounds like it was gone for a few years and came back ...

There's so many things that assault our immune systems ... It's only been 3 mos, but I've been seeing an integrative onc who believes that strengthening our immune system (thru diet and supplements) is key to preventing recurrences. There's variations on the diet and supplements depending on the hormone status of our bc. I'm giving it a try despite my main onc not thinking it will be effective.

Not sure of your hormone status ... and I'm more familiar with trip negs. For us, recurrences sooner are more common (than for hormone pos bc), but if we get to 5 yrs, then the recurr rate really drop.

Kind of scary for your onc to use those same words again ... makes me wonder if he says that quite a bit ... Wishing you strength and peace as you deal with the biopsies and waiting for the results.

Take Care,

CalGal