Male breast cancer recurrence.mets to bone and liver

JiimmyT

So I am a man with recurring metastatic breast cancer in my bones and liver. So far,liver function is normal but I did frCture a rib from cancer. I am 62 years old, BRCA2 positive. I am being treated with Femara and Ibrance but the insurance co insists I also be on lupron. My delemma is the quality of life I have left. Riggt now, all I have is some fatigue but my fear is the downhill slog not only from camcer ( inevitable) but from the medications. There is a fale sort of optimism that oncologists provide but without a new miricle drug it is mor than likely that I will not see my 67th birthday. and possibly shorter. I am not scared but want to have the best quality of life i can... The lupron could make that quality go downhill quickly so the qiestion is how much pain depression and sickness doe one take on for an addtional year? or an additionalsix months? Quite a delemma all input is welcome

Traveltext

Sorry to hear that you have mets JiimyT. Your central question about quality of life as you go through treatment is a good one. I have a male bc mets pal who has been in treatment for four years and living a high quality life despite the drugs. Others here report side effects that do slow them down. The best advice I could give is to not have preconceived notions about the effects of any of the drugs you might be given, rather wait and see. You can always stoop any drug if you feel it's affecting your quality of life, but you might be surprised to find that Lupron, for instance is quite tolerable. We are all different, and we have different physiologies.

Good luck with your decision and be sure to check out the Stage IV forums for more information.

TarheelMichelle

Hey JimmyT, I am sorry the cancer has spread but I’m glad you are sharing with us here. You are among friends. I’m wishing you the best. I’ve had mets for 6 years, and it took about 3 years for me to realize I wasn’t going to die right away. We don’t know how long we have, any of us, so you are right, I believe, to focus on quality of life. You may want to talk to palliative doctors, separate from your oncologists, who are treatmentfocused. Palliative doctors are ALL ABOUT comfort and well-being. Managing bone pain can be tough and palliative docs can help with that.

Moderators

JiimmyT we're so sorry to hear about the progression, and hope everything goes well with your treatment. Please, remember that there is plenty support on the boards just waiting for you, so come anytime you need to vent or ask questions. We're always here!

Sending warm cyberhugs to you!

The Mods

Jcempire

I know where you are coming from, I'm in the same boat with bones mets and had MSCC (severe spinal cord compression almost couldn't walk) a year ago .

I would love to reach to 62 let alone 67, we just have to crack on and try to enjoy a balanced life.

I was 26 now 45 so it's been a long trip and it's only the real thing now. I'm also male.

Good luck and stay positive

KBeee

Sorry you arefacing this decision. Hopefully the docs can give you pros and cons of the Lupron.

Momine

First of all, I am sorry your are dealing with this.

I hear you on the optimism of oncologists. They so desperately want to believe that they can fix it. I imagine it is partly to insulate themselves against what must be a difficult branch of medicine, psychologically. As a result, they can be reluctant to talk turkey when it comes to prognosis and QOL.

On the flip side, it really is a bit of a crap-shoot, so I can sort of understand their reluctance to make any firm pronouncements. Some people sail through difficult treatments, while others have extreme SEs. Averages don't tell you much about how an individual patient will fare either. My father was DXed a year ago with a type of metastatic cancer, for which the 1-yr survival, statistically, is 5%. Well, he is still alive and happy about that (i.e. decent QOL). My brother-in-law has been living with metastatic prostate cancer for 5 years, and although he had a scare last year, he rallied and is now doing fine.

I think one key is to insist on frequent assessment of how treatment is going, how you are feeling, what might be done to alleviate SEs etc.