residual triple neg cells on old masectomy site

janinvan

residual triple neg cells on old masectomy site

janinvan

 HELLO,  ....Does anyone have some residual, malignant triple neg. cells, approx. 1 1/2 in. by 1 1/2 in,.... (but presently NON-ACTIVE) near the collar bone, under the pectoral muscle, in between some ribs, etc. This is after recent chemo and radiation of this masectomy site ( first time was 12 years ago). It is inoperable due to location, etc.(would require extensive reconstruction of collar bone /part or all of pectoral muscle)...... 

They monitor my CA 15-3.(blood tumor marker)......maybe more CT scans.....I had a Pet scan

TenderIsOurMight

Bump for Janinvan's post. Perhaps another tri-neg will soon come along.

Might I ask, Janinvan, have you sought a second opinion, and/or are you at a recognized university or other breast cancer center due to your problems' complexity?  It's great that the cells in the area you describe are non-active. They did not show uptake then on the Pet scan?

Tender 

FloridaLady

Hi janinvan,

Sorry you join my club of chest wall mets.  There are a couple of us that hang around here with chest wall mets (also skin mets).  Both are treated pretty much the same.   I have been fighting this for three years.  There are no easy answers, I could find after going to three different clinics.  They may give you are break from chemo now and monitor you closely and wait to see if the activity starts back up.  I did get a break last year for six months with no tx.  Your only choices  will be more chemo.  I did do a trial where they cut some off my shoulder area (I had a radical mast.) And it returned in just a few months.  So more chemo.

I being treated right now with Ixempra and had a very good response.  Some girls have not... but did get a response with Navelbine.

I'm with Tender on getting a second opinion on what to do next.

Best to you

Flalady

janinvan

TENDER....and FLORIDA LADY :.Thanks....The cells did show some uptake on the Pet scan (but much improved from previous scan) However, my blood tumor marker is "down/improved"

I go to the main /good  cancer center in Vancouver. I am monitored every couple of months....

Re second opinion....good idea ....my oncologist is considered to be "the one", etc....and  a breast surgeon AND thoracic surgeon have consulted about this (including a California surgeon whom I personally have spoken to on the phone --with some faxed information)

If I was NOT triple neg I guess I'd be able to take supplementary medication , like arimidex, letrizol, etc.
 

FloridaLady

So glad you are working with a good center.  I chemo combo did you just do?  What did you take the first time?  They may just give you Xeloda as kind of a maintenance drug.  I do know a couple of ladies that they did this with.  I'm almost NED's and if I do make after three years, I will be using Avastin & Xeloda as my maintenance drugs until my bc wants to do something again.  One thing to remember with chest wall recurrences they don't necessary want to go to organ/bone.  This is also know as soft tissue disease.  We act a little different than other with bc. Some of this is really good so not so good.

Flalady

janinvan

Florida Lady......first time=6 times for cocktail of 3 drugs : five f-u; adriamiacin; docu.....? (common one)

                       recent.. 6 times from March 2008:  Docetaxol

                      radiation both times

                       NED ??

                       What is soft tissue disease? (chest wall?)

                      What do you mean by good/not good ?

                       I hope you make terrific progress!

                       Also...I think Canada might be more conservative, etc. with drugs/treatment

                      

FloridaLady

Janinvan,

Soft tissue disease is just that.  Some reason our bc cells don't want to necessary go other places quickly. Not bone/organ.  I've had extensive disease but it never goes to any place else. I had 54 nodes positive three years ago....still have local disease.  I guess you can say this is all good....

The bad is....two top research clinic's told me for some reason chest wall recurrences can be hard to treat. (one was MDA) Their not sure why.... We tend to have recurrences in the area again. Usually in small amount of bc. That will need to be treated with more chemo on and off.... I hope this is not true.

I hope you get a break from tx.  ]

Flalady

FloridaLady

Start thinking I may not gave you enough description of soft tissue. Nodes - in chest wall and around lung & liver even around the muscles. (but not in these areas at least right away)  Also in fluid around lung and heart. Have not done this yet and hope I never do!

Flalady