how effective is chemo on secondary breast cancer in liver?

mirandamuses

how effective is chemo on secondary breast cancer in liver?

mirandamuses

Hi, I thought I would join this online group so that I could ask some questions and for support for myself. 

My mother has been diagnosed with secondary breast cancer. It is grade 3 and is oestrogen receptive. It has spread to her lymph nodes, as well as to her lungs and liver in small volume. She has two tumours in one breast, a tumour of 1.5cm in one lung and a small mass 8mm in the liver.

She started taking Arimidex (as it is oestrogen receptive) before Xmas and has been taking it for two months. Next week she has elected to start chemo. It will be six cycles, as a day patient, with three weeks between sessions.

I wanted to see if anyone can give me some information regarding the efficacy of these chemo treatments on the primary breast cancer sites, as well as the secondary tumours in the lung and liver. I read that "It's also important to remember that organs in which the cells do not divide rapidly, such as the liver and kidneys, are rarely affected by chemotherapy". www.breastcancer.org.

If this is so, what can we expect to happen to the tumour in the liver - will it stay the same or grow, rather than shrink? And, what about in the lung? Does anyone have any experience of how quickly this type of cancer can spread?

She will be given two chemo treatments: Epirubicin and Cyclophosphamide.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and if you respond, to reply.

Anonymous

I believe that the observation that the liver and kidneys are "rarely affected by the chemotherapy" does not mean that the cancer cells growing there do not respond, but rather that the healthy cells are not killed by chemo and thus, there are no side effects felt in those organs. So rapidly dividing cells exist in many places: bone marrow, mouth, stomach, intestines, hair follicles, etc. These healthy rapidly dividing cells are killed by chemo. Not all of them, but enough that side effects such as neutropenia, anemia, hair loss, nausea, diarrhea, etc. are manifested.

If chemo is prescribed for your mother, then they believe that the breast cancer tumors, wherever they are located (liver, lungs, etc.) will all respond to the chemo. Unfortunatly, when breast cancer has metastasized, chemo can usually only destroy some of the tumors that have sprung up elsewhere. This can add months or even years to the patient's prognosis ... but cannot really be expected to achieve full remission or cure.

Best of luck to your mom. Make sure she knows every day how much she means to you.