Bone & Lung Mets

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jcb51
jcb51 Member Posts: 382
edited June 2014 in Just Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastasis

Just 3 months shy of my 10-year anniversary, CT & bone scans show lung & bone mets. Got the news today. I've been on an emotional roller-coaster ride all day. Initial shock because it's been almost 10 yrs, then panic mostly because of the lung mets (that I strongly feared was a 3-6 month death sentence). My family doctor told me he felt hormone treatment could slow it WAY down and give me many good years. Said he has several patients he's been treating for several years who have mets similar to mine. I wasn't completely convinced until I spent the evening reading the Stage IV forum and this one. After reading posts made by several ladies whose lung mets were put into remission by hormone therapy, I feel much more hopeful...but I'm still terrified. I'm so glad I found this forum! It's been such a comfort. Thank you to all who have shared your stories that give others hope.

Jan

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  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 16,818
    edited January 2012

    Hi Jan, welcome to BCO.  I can understand how you feel as I went for my 5 yr check up and my bone mets were found.  It does come as a bit of a shock but once you realise that  you will in all likelyhood be around for quite a few years yet, it gets a little easier.  I am on an AI only and have gotten almost three years before progression which was found last week.

    There are loads of ladies here who have both bone and lung mets and are being treated with the AI's and doing well.   Chin up, look ahead and not behind as you have already been there.

    Love n hugs.  Chrissy

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  • brenda69
    brenda69 Member Posts: 39
    edited January 2012

    Hi JCB51, what were your stats with er, pr? you will find many women on here to help you out.

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  • jcb51
    jcb51 Member Posts: 382
    edited January 2012

    Thanks for the encouragement, Chrissy. Hope the hormone therapy works as well for me. The shock still hasn't worn off.

     I had an abdominal CT done last week and got the results on Friday. Everything looked good except I have some large cysts on my ovaries that will have to be removed. I told my doctor I prefer to have my ovaries removed and not just the cysts. She agreed that was the best way to go.

     I'm still in limbo until I get biopies of ovarian cysts and lung nodules so they can make sure it is BC mets and not primary ovarian or lung cancer with mets. Doctors say it is most likely BC but they need biopies to know for sure. I have multiple small lung nodules which is typical of BC. She said primary lung cancer is usually one large nodule. She said ovarian cysts appear to be benign. They are clear and not solid (typical of malignacy).

    Brenda, when I was originally diagnosed I was ER+, PR+ and HER2-. My doctor says receptors can change after a recurrence so they'll have to retest them once they get the biopsies.

    My doctor is making arrangements for me to be evaluated at Indiana University Medical Center (about 90 miles away). They will have the newest treatment options. I hope to hear something from them by the end of next week.

    The waiting is horrible, not knowing for sure if it's BC with mets or primary lung or primary ovarian cancer with mets.

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  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 8,458
    edited January 2012

    jcb, I'm sorry you've had to find your way here. You're right, the waiting is truly horrible.

    Hormone therapy (or, to be accurate, anti-hormone therapy) has proved to be extremely helpful to many women. I've had bone mets for over 1 1/2 years and have been stable on Femara (with Aredia to strengthen the bones) for that whole time.

    Best of luck.

    Leah

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  • nancyh
    nancyh Member Posts: 2,644
    edited January 2012

    Welcome, Jan.  Sorry you are joining us, but you will get loads of support on the boards.  Please come join us in the stage 4 forum - it gets a lot more traffic and you'll be able to connect with other gals.

    Totally understand the state of shock when you first get the news, I think it is one of the hardest parts, but you will get through this and we will lift you up.  Hormone therapies are incredibly powerful and there are also lots of amazing chemos.  

    Warmest hugs to you,

    NancyH 

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  • jcb51
    jcb51 Member Posts: 382
    edited January 2012

    Thanks for your posts, Leah and nancy. My local doctor's office called this past Monday. They set up an appt for me to be evaluated by IU Med's cancer center on Jan 30th (next Monday). They are a research hospital with high national ratings, so I feel confident about them. The waiting is excruciating! Each day seems to crawl by slower than the last. With my initial BC, I never had any doubt that I would survive it. The only thing I really feared was the mastectomy and the effects the chemo was having on me. Now it's a whole different ballgame. I feel good about all the treatment options that are available for metastatic BC, but knowing I can never really consider myself a "survivor" again is hard to accept. One thing I've learned over the past ten years is that we BC ladies are tough as nails! Once I know exactly what I'm facing and which options are available, I can get myself focused and ready to fight. Thank you for this site. I've been all over the internet since my mets showed up and this is by far the best BC website.

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  • alesta29
    alesta29 Member Posts: 1,505
    edited January 2012

    Hi Jan

    Waiting is the pits isn't it but sounds like your docs have got a good handle on this.

    Come on over to the stage IV board where there is a shed load full of tough as nails women!

    Lots of luck with your scans and let us know how you get on.

    Laurie x 

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