how do rads and chemo work?

snooky1954

Hello

      Hopefully, I can phrase this question in such a way that you will understand what it is I'm asking.   So, let say a MBC patient has bone mets and takes radiation for the pain and these mets (just on bones) become NED.  Then say there are lung mets, and patients takes (some type of chemo, I guess) this clears out lung mets and show NED for the lungs.  My question is could this situation continue to accrue throughout her body --one organ, or bone has mets and a med or rad is used to  reduce it to NED)  Theoryically is it possible  to chase this cancer around your body with different meds until each individual organ, bone, etc has become NED?   My assumption here is that once an area (say bones) becomes NED it stays that way.   Have I made any sense?

Thanks for any understanding that you may give me.   Blessings 

blainejennifer

Sadly, once an area gets to NED, it does not always stay that way. It is more likely that bones retain NED status longer, in my experience. Don't let that dream die, but it might require modification.

In my situation now, I'm having radiation for spinal mets, and doing Navelbine for systemic mets. The Navelbine is working well on liver mets, and OK on minor bone mets, but the big vertebral lesions needed more.

In seven years of treatment, I've combined meds and radiation 4 times. This round is the biggest I'll have ever gotten (ten sessions vs. five), so I'm hoping I'll get some lasting benefits.

So, in conclusion, it's like weeding. Once you've pulled all the weeds out of a garden, they do come back, but it might take them longer. And, if you are very vigilant, you can keep the weeds away for ages. Only if you are very lucky, and happened to have weeds that really responded well to a certain pesticide, will you stay weed free without treatment. That is NED. Real NED is rare.

However, immunotherapy is changing the game, by training your antibodies to go after the bad tumor cells. There are various methods being used, but all have the same goal - to make your body learn to identify and destroy cancer cells. To me, this is better than chemotherapy and radiation, because it is a 24/7, internal process.

JoE777

My oncologist has insisted I'm treatable and the disease can be managed but I'm incurable. Medicines may be changed when one stops working and like blainejennifer, I'm hoping immunotherapy will be a choice for me when I reach the end. My bone mets are inside the bone(not marrow) and have recieved radiation for pain and to help destroy them. The mets in my lungs and the lower back are responding to letrozole and kisqali and have no new activity and considered stable. Today is my good day. If your meds are keeping the cancer at bay please try not to look to far past today. After all, any of us may get hit by a UPS truck. Got my fingers crossed. Hugs Jo

snooky1954

thanks Blaine and Jo for replying.  I'm still trying to wrap my brain around this whole cancer issue.  It's new to me.  I never realized  how complicated it all is. Jo, you are so right,  leave the future to God and just take it one day, one issue at a time.  And try to enjoy and be grateful for the time that I have.  Blessings for both of you.  Sue