How/when to know if the cancer is gone???

jkath

My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in March of this year.  She underwent lumpectomy, lymph node removal, radiation, and is now taking arimidex.  She is HER2 negative and was taking femera but switched to arimidex about 1.5 months ago.  Our question is a simple one: what sort of tests should she be undergoing to monitor her status?  Breast exams? Blood work? MRI? something else???  Due to some complications from lymph node removal and radiation, her breasts aren't mamogram-able.  She'll need to hold off on her first mamogram for at least another 6 months or so.  So I'm just wondering how we can know if the cancer is gone.  She wants to get off the arimidex as it's causing her severe joint paint and depression.  In fact, she stopped taking it last Friday.  I understand her decision but would like to know how cancer-free she may or may not be at this stage.  Can someone enlighten me on this matter?  Thank you in advance.

Lowrider54

I am so sorry that your mom has to deal with this.

Arimidex is given as a preventative of recurrence.  The elimination of gluten in the diet helps greatly with eliminating joint pain. 

You will want to contact her oncologist to see what tests he intends to do.  I would imagine that a breast MRI would be in order to get a baseline.  With little information, it is very difficult to tell you what to do. 

Sadly, there is no sure-fire way to be certain the cancer is gone - tests can come back clean for years and suddenly, there it is again.  I would contact her onc and express your concerns and see what they have to offer you in the way of assurance - I can only relate my personal experience and everyone is different when it comes to bc.  Just have her be diligent in terms of listening to her body - if something doesn't seem right - get it checked out right away.  Of course, many times it is nothing but after being dx'd with bc, we all seem to jump to the conclusion that its back...I used to love it when I would have something totally normal like a sinus infection or UTI.  Silly, I know. 

I wish your mom the best!

LowRider 

Cherly

I am sad to hear that your mom had to undergo such a situation.

 

Well to know whether the cancer is completely gone is very difficult because there is no sure way to tell so. In fact it cannot be said immediately. That is mainly because of after effects of the operation and the pain.

When the healing process is over and if your mom seems to be painless and if she acts comfortable than before then you can be happy. It is most likely that the cancer is gone.

 

I wish your mom the very best!

Most of the cancer operations remove cancers!

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