Long term survivors then recurrence

netty46

LOOKING FOR LONG TERM SUVIVORS OF 10 ++++ YEARS WHO'S CANCER CAME BACK TO SAME BREAST.  WHAT WAS YOUR TREATMENT. HOW ARE YOU DOING NOW?

lizzib4u

I am a survior who has just went through the past year with a recurrence. I had a trans flap procedure and was not required to have any other treatment. I now have a suspicious lump in the same site of the masectomy that was performed in January of 2012. I am scheduled to see doctor on Friday. Will find out if the cancer has come back and the possibilty that it has metasise to the chest wall. Did you have the same experience? I had a lumpectomy prior to my masectomy in 2003. Went through all the radiation and chemo and hormone treatment and I still ended up with a recurrence.

netty46

Lizzibu

>I HAD CANCER IN 2000.  HAD A DIEP FLAP IN 2005.  THE TUMOR DEVELOPED IN THE NECROSIS THAT WAS IN THE DIEP FLAP.  WHY DID YOU HAVE MASECTOMY ?  WHAT STAGE WERE YOU ? ANY NODES INVOLVED?  SIZE OF TUMOR?  SO YOU HAD LUMPECTOMY THEN THEY HAD TO GO BACK IN AND DO MASECTOMY?  SO YOU HAD RECURRENCE LAST YEAR?  WHAT TREATMENT DID YOU GET?  WAS IT LOCALIZED IN SAME BREAST?

FOR MY RECURRENCE I HAD CHEMO, SURGERY, NOW RADS SOON.   WHAT DID THEY DO FOR YOUR RECURRENCE?

TRYING TO PIECE YOUR MESSAGE TOGETHER.  AS I READ IT YOU HAD NO TREAMENT FOR YOUR RECURRENCE EXCEPT FOR MASECTOMY AND TRAN FLAP?

netty46

Lizzibu

I HAD SEVERAL DIAGNOSIS. RUCRRENCE, NEW PRIMARY , CHEST WALL.  BUT RECENTLY HAD SURGERY AND SURGEON TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO SIGN OF CHEST WALL AS MY STERNUM, PECTORALIS, RIBS WERE ALL CLEAR. SHE SAW NOTHING TO SIGNIFY THAT.  SO IT CAN BE LOCALIZED RECURRENCE OR NEW PRIMARY. SO WITH THE 12 YEARS THAT HAVE PAST IT CAN BE A NEW PRIMARY. RECURRENCE IS REALLY RARE IN TN AT 12 YEARS AND THEY RAN SCAN AFTER SCAN TO SEE IF IT HAD SPREAD AND IT DID NOT.

diana50

10 and half years out. Met to spine



Pathology exactly same as 2002. Doc said I was in remission for 10 and half years. Go figure.

netty46

Diana

Sorry to hear this? Where you getting mammos every year? Tumor came back to same breast?

netty46

Lizzibu



If I read correct you had no chemo for recurrence. Why did doc do no chemo?

wraithg

Hi from toronto canada i was first diagnosed left breast 1998 had a lumpectomy radiation and tamoxifen, etc. Just got diagnosed again same breast same spot. Right now I am trying to decide what to do. Doctor recommends mastectomy. If I do it, I want reconstruction right away and would go for the diep tummy tuck method. Cut short my apt with plastic surgeon today as I have too many questions. Should I just do the left breast or should I do both. If I just do left and years later I have cancer in my right I can not get the same reconstructive procedure. Only one chance at this. Yes lots of questions. Any advice out there?

netty46

Geralyn ask your chance of getting cancer in other is? Are you brac positive? Decide based on those things if you should go for the double. So what do they say is this same old cancer or new primary?

Bren58

My first BC was in 2000. DCIS that was not picked up on a mammo. I had fibrocycstic breasts and one of the areas looked suspicious. That suspicious area turned out to be nothing but in the surrounding tissue that they took they found the DCIS. I opted for the BMX and recon because it was not picked up on the mammo and I didn't want to deal with it again. They did do a SNB and found a few micro metastesis but did not feel it warrented further tx. You have to remember that back in 2000, SNB's were still in their infancy and not even all doc or hospitals did them. So I had no rads or chemo at the time.

Then last summer I found a lump under my arm, same side. GYN said it was probably nothing since she could isolate it with her fingers and it did not appear to be attached to anything. Went to the surgeon, who said the same thing, but agreed it should come out. Low and behold it was a cancerous lymph node. Needles to say, everyone was surprised by this. Multiple doctors (about 20 were in the room discussing my case at the breast clinic) cannot agree as to whether this is a new cancer or a recurrance. There are good cases to made for both. So I fall into the weird/special area with no clear cut answers. I did have a PET and a MRI to the axilla area. The PET showed no other areas of cancer in my body, the MRI only showed 2 "hot spots" in the axila.

I am currently undergoing TCH chemo and do not know what is next. Of course they want to throw everything at it (ALND and rads), but since there does not seem to be any protocal for this I am not really sure what I will do next. I do have to meet with the BS after my 4th chemo and then have another MRI. No one can really accurately stage this new round or give me any kind of prognosis.

I have to say that after 12 years I was not really expecting to deal with this again.

diana50

Cancer came back as met to spine. After 10 and half years. Breast was good. It was same pathology as 2002. I was in remission for 10 and half years. It was the original cancer that brought me to stage IV

wraithg

not sure but I  don't really believe in recurrance more "I just got it again" I will ask all those questions though , thank you.

netty46

Diep flap is a one time thing. If you get cancer again in other breast then they must do a dorsi flap or another

wraithg

Hi netty  just had my doctor apt today . So far I am going for the bilateral with reconstuction using the diep. I have a low chance of cancer in the right breast but I might as well cut the risk even lower and have more symetry for both breast. Yes a little vanity there. Surgery not set yet but will be end of february. Its scary!!! The length of the surgery and the drains and the pains. Scared of the time off too. No work no pay.  Damn life is tough. 

geewood

I was diagnosed in 2002 with breast cancer (in 1995 I had endometrial cancer and had a hysterectomy and radiation). In 2009, I was diagnosed with lung cancer and treated with RFA, chemo and radiation.  Thyroid cancer in 2012 and had a thyroidectomy. I have just been diagnosed with mets to the sternum and skull. After 2 needle biopsies, it was determined that the mets had come from the breast cancer. When I had the mastectetomy, they did the sentinal node test and determined there was no lymph node involvement. I am absolutely flabergasted, but grateful, that the mets are from the breast cancer and not the lung cancer. Any insights into why this happened, I would appreciate hearing about them.

netty46

Gee wood tell us about your breast cancer in 2002 Stage? Tumor size? Nodes?what treatment did you get for that?

Anonymous

Geralyn:  I had bilateral diep two years ago.  I would recommend doing diep both sides, to look better symmetrically.  I was feeling pretty even after just two weeks, and strong enough to do a day out visiting for an hour or so.  Steps will be hard if you can stay on one floor of your house, that's the ticket.  I was also in the 5% of women who have tiny little veins and arteries and the surgeon had a very big challenge to keep finding them during the procedure.  Any other q's, I'd be glad to help.  --

LAstar

Netty, that is so bizarre that the cancer developed in the necrosis from the DIEP.  Any idea of how that happened? 

netty46

Don't know how it developed I have met few like me.

wraithg

I am feeling confident with my decision now. Its scary though. I know that there is no guarantees but it disconcerting to see some ladies here who after a bilateral the cancer returns within the chest wall . I mean to go through all of this and then!!!! I do hope this gives me a better chance and higher percentage of getting rid of the cancer. 

wraithg

About to go into surgery!!! Nervous and wondering whether it is the right thing to do

DivineMrsM

Geralyn,

Best wishes to you as you head into surgery.  Lumpectomy was a reasonable option for me, yet everyone's circumstances are unique to them.  It sounds as tho you took time to consider all the options available to you, and decided on the bilateral with reconstuction using the diep.  My advice for you now is go forward and don't look back.  Don't second guess yourself.  You've made your decision, now go forward and deal with what it brings.  Yes, life is tough.  You are tougher.  God bless.

wraithg

Thank u for those kind words. In a lot of pain now. Dying to get up and feel better. All in good time.

netty46

Geralyn glad your doing good.  Im still doding rads.  Hang in there.

jk6

Diagnosed in 1995. I had a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. Since I was advised that the percentage that the cancer would come back was the same with having a mastectomy and what I did I went with the less invasive option. 

I found a lump 1/10/13, same area, same breast and had been my yearly physical including breast exam in September 2012. The lump wasn't there.

I was sent for a mammogram and ultrasound which found a 2nd area that I had not felt. I had a needle biopsy which showed cancer in both areas. The lump I found is 2.5 CM and the one I didn't was 1 CM.

I'm having a double mastectomy on Friday 3/8 with reconstructive surgery. I saw the medical oncologist who is having tests done on the tissue to determine if chemotherapy will be necessary this time around. I'm supposed to be scheduled for a bone scan, pelvic & abdomen CT scans and BRCA1 & BRCA2 testing. Waiting for the appointment dates. He's lead me to belive the chemotherapy won't be needed this time around.

netty46

Get 2nd opinion if he says no chemo.  Wait also to see how your pathology looks and if your nodes are affected.

netty46

JK6 also if its a recurrence did they already do Pet Scan, MRI, and bone scans?

jk6

Had MRI and it's only in the right breast.  Waiting to have the Pet Scan, bone scan and the 2 CAT scans. I don't think there are any nodes left in the right arm. If I remember correctly they removed 14 last time. All the node were not affected last time.

I believe that he's waiting for the pathology to make his final decision.

bevin

JK6, good luck with your scans. Thinking of you.

Bevin

wraithg

Going home tomorrow!! Sore tummy but not unbearable. Thinks the new boobs will be great once bruising goes down. Surgeon said it all went well tumour was very small Divine ms m would have loved too do lumpectomy and radiation but was told it wasn't an option as I had it done same breast 1998.

netty46

Geralyn that's great! Now rest rest.