autoimmune disease plus breast cancer

dtad

Hi everyone. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune peripheral poly neuropathy 15 years before my breast cancer diagnosis. It is very debilitating and I have been unable to work for the last 15 years. I was so naïve in thinking that I would never have to deal with another serious illness. I'm embarrassed to say that I never had a mammogram during this time. No excuses but I was so consumed with docs, hospitals, pain meds etc that I didn't take care of my routine screening. Luckily I was still at Stage one when I finally got a mammo. My career was cut short in my prime and was also dealing with that. Anyway just wondering if anyone else is in my situation. Thanks

ailenroc

Yes, I developed an autoimmune disease after bc. There are prior posts by others that describe autoimmune diseases as a comorbidity of bc.

mustlovepoodles

I have been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis for at least 5 years now. I was only diagnosed with BC just this past July. The worst part of this for me is that I haven't been allowed to take the drug that helps me most, due to needed surgeries. I'm allergic to NSAIDS, so I take only Arthritis-strength Tylenol, which doesn't really help all that much. If I can ever go back on prednisone, I will be doing the happy dance!

balance

I was diagnosed with body-wide sensory neuropathy/POTS 3 years prior to my breast cancer diagnosis. While my blood work does not support an auto-immune diagnosis, I have shown a good response to IVIG leading to speculation that my neuropathy may have an auto-immune basis. My breast cancer diagnosis now raises the possibility that my neuropathy may have been para-neoplastic. At this point my sensory symptoms appear to have stablized and my autonomic symptoms acctually appear to have improved.

SummerAngel

I have an autoimmune disease as well. My rheumatologist currently labels it as "Mixed Connective Tissue Disease". He is very careful about labeling someone with Lupus, but my symptoms are Lupus-like. I've been taking Plaquenil for 3 years for my symptoms and it helps a lot. My doc prescribed prednisone to have on hand for any really bad flares but I haven't needed it yet. (Well, I could have used it after my BMX, got a terrible flare, but I was afraid to take it at that time with all of the narcotics and things I was already taking.)

leggo

Hi dtad. I, like balance above, have paraneoplastic syndrome. Mine, however was confirmed through blood work. Balance, good to "meet" you (and the irony of your screen name isn't lost on me ). This particular auto disease is quite a bitch. Glad your symptoms are being kept in check. I think this response is being revisited by some oncs and not as rare as once thought. What was once written off as neuropathy from treatment is being looked at more closely. Thank gawd, they are more apt to offer treatment for it now. Good luck to you both.

BettyBoo

Was dx with ILC in 2010 and after many trips to the doctors finally diagnosed with psoriatic arthitis and lupus this year. Take Plaquenil and weekly methotrexate and naproxen and co-codamol for the pain. Never really felt well since the bc diagnosis. Are the autoimmune diseases and cancer linked, are we more at risk of recurrence?

tony8275

I have dedicated my life to the root cause of sickness and disease. Auto-immune disease have not been curable, but there is healing. What we say, how we act, and we think has a huge impact on our health.

I found through the healing ministry that I am a part of, that women who have breast cancer will in most cases have conflict with another women whether it be a relative or friend. It could be from an offense, un-forgiveness, unresolved bitterness, resentment, jealousy, envy, etc. The breast cancer can be specific. Left breast cancer can be conflict between a blood relative. Right breast cancer can be unresolved issues with a mother in law, sister in law, a person in the work place or church, and possibly her husband.

Those unresolved issues weaken the immune system and forgiveness has to be resolved.

hydeskate

I have also have an autoimmune disorder, mine is Sjogren's Syndrome and several other issues looking back at my medical record I had it long before my Breast Cancer dx (TNBC Stage 4 also Brac1+). For me the chemo for the cancer actually got rid of all my issues but as soon as I got a break from Chemo the Sjogren's went wild and is far worse then before cancer. Right now we are trying to tame my immune system to alleviate some of the issues with mexotrexate and several other drugs that have never been used together. It is a pain in the ass but it seems to be keeping my Cancer NED at least that is what the doctors think.

windingshores

Wpw two people in this short thread with paraneoplastic syndrome! I was told it was rare with only 1% of cancer patients getting it.

I had a previous diagnosis of lupus, high ANA, get sick in the sun, skin biopsy positive for autoimmunity but unclear exactly what.

I figured cancer and surgery would cause a flare by stimulating my immune system.

I had some very weird and distressing eye movement symptoms, went to Mass. Eye and Ear, and had positive antibody tests. I already had paresthesias (tingling burning limbs) and twitches so not sure if they are from that. Right now I think fatigue may be from the paraneoplastic syndrome. just very tired.

Do either of you have docs who understand this syndrome? Docs don't seem to know much about it.

MaineRottweilers

I have autoimmune thyroiditis. I have antibodies for Hashimoto's (and now Graves also ). I was Dx'd after chemo and radiation, when I started a downward spiral of pain, lethargy and weight gain. It's quite likely that I was positive before my cancer was found as I look back over years pf general symptoms. It took chemo and radiation to bring it to the forefront. My thyroid symptoms were well managed until early this summer and I started to feel miserable and developed a very strange rash (very similar to a rash I had the fall before my initial cancer Dx). My Endo tested me for Graves antibodies and I was positive. She took me off levo for three weeks and I rebounded---I felt great!. However, I sneezed and "put my back out" so spent the rest of the summer trying to get that better. Discovered that I had a compression fracture and a whirlwind later, I am stage IV with bone mets. Very strange rash always precedes my cancer Dx. ----so there must be some relationship there, I am sure but no doctor has ever mentioned it.

BLinthedesert

Hi Betty Boo -

The evidence regarding: risk of recurrence for people with autoimmune disease is not clear. However, there was a recently published large cohort study (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25555832) suggesting that there was no association -- fingers crossed!!

I too have PsA, diagnosed nearly a year after completing radiation for DCIS. It is a challenging disease, and has completely changed my life - not in a good way.

Best wishes to you -

BettyBoo

Hello BLinthedesert and thanks for the link! That is good news! Like you I find the symptoms of PsA very hard at times, my Achilles' tendons get very bad and I have trouble walking, I am on plaquenil and methotrexate which make me feel like I am back on chemo at times! Best Wishes to you.

leftduetostupidmods

I had been diagnosed with Graves 6 years prior to BC diagnosis. Actually got the BC diagnosis 2 months after I'd had the radioactive iodine ablation for my thyroid. Apparently hyperthyroidism could have been a risk factor, as it leaks out the vitamin D from your body and it has been already proven that low vitamin D levels= high risk of breast cancer. My vit. D levels before the RAI ablation were 18, way lower than lowest normal level of 30.

BLinthedesert

Hi Betty-Boo - I have been on methotrexate (it sucked, even at low doses I had really bad side effects), Enbrel, Humira, Simponi, and now am on Cimzia. I think that I will soon be switched to one of the infusion meds Remicade or Simponi. Because I can't seem to tolerate mtx I build up antibodies quickly to these meds. Although I have been pretty lucky (knock on wood) I have not had any bad side effects with any of the biologics (allergic to something in Humira, which was too bad, it worked the best on my disease, right out of the gate) they just quit working over time. I hope some of the newer IL-6 inhibitors (a different mechanism) come out soon!

NJ-Jen

I have the hashimoto's and also Cushing's disease so now panhypopituitary. I don't have a functioning endocrine system. I have had my adrenal glands surgically removed and I had so many gyne issue that I had a total hysterectomy. I, like you, was floored to get cancer as I already have something that will kill me so I was like really... Did I need this?

I live on high dose steroids in order to suppress my pituitary tumor that grew back. I am doing all I can to avoid radiation on my breasts as I need radiation there.

Interesting about the vitamin d. I was low for years

notdoneliving

MaineRottweilers Rash and autoimmune always brings my sister to mind. She has Still's Disease, which is between rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. She has had RA since she was a teenager, then it became Still's. Talk to a rheumatologist about it. Unfortunately, there's no test.

Janet217

I have been diagnosed in the last year and half with uveitis, crohn's, diverticulosis, colitis, ms and stage 1 breast cancer. I am now awaiting the oncotest to see if they will administer chemotherapy. The radiologist states she has never wished for anyone to do chemotherapy but in my case it may be beneficial and might reset all my autoimmune problems. Anyone else that can speak to this?

cubbieblue

Janet217 sorry for everything you are going through. I also have an autoimmune condition and my MO predicted things would be quieting down during chemo, and he was right. Something about the chemo drugs being the ultimate anti-inflammatories. My autoimmune diagnosis came just six months prior to my IDC diagnosis.