remission 14 years - now in bones

mymommyinspiration · October 2012

Hi Everyone

I was googling for some information on "hormonal breast cancer" as it was phrased, and I came across this board. My mom is the breast cancer survivor but sadly it has metastisized to the bones (4 spots). Tomorrow she begins her radiation and we will go from there. I still haven't figured out what hormonal breast cancer means..too many results talk about hormone treatment. I do know my mom has been of hormonal treatment for 4 years but back on femara. She has osteo as well so who would have guessed it's in the bone. She was thought to have brocitus but an MRI showed it was not.

I guess I would like to know and I know we heard it from the doc that there is no cure, but many treatments. What is this all really about. He said her prognosis is good and it will remain good as long as the cancer is contained in the bones. I know that she is stong willed and has survived a few cancers, 28 opperations and a few surgery mishaps and 4 misdiagnoses but I still wonder what this all means. He said the cancer is stage 4 being that it metastasized.

Not sure if I really have a question other then what does hormonal breast cancer mean...and I'm not one to want to read about survival rates because my mom has beaten all odds, all her life. And we are happy with the hope the doctor gave us on Oct 4th.....yet my mind wants to know what are we faced with. What does this mean for her in reality.

She turns 64 next week. Had breast cancer at 50, in remission 14 year, on hormonal therapy for 10, off it for 4, has had fibromialgia, chronic pain and fatigue and recently diagnosed with osteo. She also had cancer in the private area, thyroid cancer (goiter and hurtle cell) and no radioactive therapy, tumor behind the eye as big as a squash ball (no sight loss), kidney issues and other medical issues. Thought to mention this in case it had any barring on your response.

thank you

Racy · October 2012

Hi and welcome. Your mom has been through a lot and it is good that her onc is optimistic. Being hormone receptor positive means that the cancer feeds on hormones so the treatment is designed to starve the hormonal food source. There is a lot of information about stage 4 and hormone therapy that you can access via the menus at the top of the screen on this site.

This is the best place for you and your mom to get information and support.

Stage 4 ladies with bone mets will see your post soon and share their experiences with you.

Wishing you and your mom well.

chrissyb · October 2012

Hi I'm a bone metster! Welcome to you and your mom. Racy is right, on the stage IV boards there is loads of information and support.

I have had bone mets for three and a half years now and am doing just fine. My treatment has been rads then Arimidex and now Femara which is keeping me stable. I also am hormone receptor positive so the AI's are a great first treatment.

Having mets does not mean a death sentence straight away, your mom can live a good few years with good quality of life. A lot of docs treat bone mets as a chronic illness rather than a terminal disease.

Hope your mom gets some pain relief from the rads.

Live n hugs. Chrissy

Moderators · October 2012

Hi Mymommyinspiration and welcome to BCO!

It's true, your mom has been through a lot! We hope we can help here...

In addition to the helpful advice from the posters above, you may be interested in checking out the main Breastcancer.org site's section on Hormone Receptor Status to find out what it means and how it's treated. In addition, the section on Recurrent and Metastatic Breast Cancer could be helpful.

Hope this helps!

--The Mods

mymommyinspiration · October 2012

Hi everyone! Thank you for replying. I was just and well am still confused haha. But at least what you have written to me will give me the opportunity to read up and be ready for the next oncology visit. My moms rad teatment starts Monday-Friday. I know there will be some form of chemo treatment but for how long I don't know yet. Right now we don't even know the results of her tests she did today (I believe CT/MRI, bone scan and bloodwork).

At this time I can be honest and say that my mom just wants to take things step by step. I am sure with my aunt being a doctor and speaking to her (she just arrived today), she knows enough. However, I need to be educated and to have the right questions for the oncologist. See, my parents will trust in the doctors and nurses and take it step by step. I'm more the ask the questions and push lol. Mind you my mom is there to asking the questions...but I think I just get deeper.

Now I know what ER means and so forth and today I told my parents that I want to know what all those things are for her. I understand that all my mom wants to hear are positive things and keeping spirits high, but I am different. I need to know the details so that I can make sure that my mom is taking every precaution and not just being her sweet self. As for my dad, well, I think he is just so emotional over all this that he goes from calm to nervous (aggitated). So I like to be the one doing all this stuff.

I'll be there for my moms treatments so I'll end up goign to Mount Sinai and Princess Margaret to get all the answers I need

When I read things I don't know how to read them in a way. I konw we don't know our last day on earth, but if all goes well can't a person in her position live till she's 80? Good few years, with good quality of life. Does this mean this disease stays good only a few years then gets worse? Again, I'm ignorant on the subject.

My mom is on femara as of Oct 4. She was off hormone therapy for 4 years, in remission 14 years. And oddly today the rad oncologist said that it may not necessarily be the breast cancer but they won't know yet until further study! Interesting...although the oncologist has called mat of BC.

So next week will be a big week. I will read up

thanks so much.

chrissyb · October 2012

Mymommy BC can stay dormant for many years and the come back. Presuming that your moms has come back it is here to stay but it can be controlled for a while but eventually it will go wild. It is a powerful adversary in that it can mutate and become immune to the different meds and chemos. Unfortunately there is not an infinity of meds available so eventually they run out or just don't work and the decision has to be made to stop all treatment and go with hospice to make the end days as comfortable as possible.

Here's hoping those days are years in the future for your mom.

Love n hugs. Chrissy

Sierra · November 2012

Hello

Iam a long time survivor here

dont post often

and so sorry to read of your Mom

im sending lots of healing

and prayer, and light

Sierra

Toronto area

take care

GoldenGirls · November 2012

I am in the same position as you are. My mom (age 62) was stage 3 and free of cancer for the past 11 years. Yesterday a CT scan for a painful and swollen shoulder led to the discovery of 3 bone mets and one suspicious spot on her liver. It being the weekend, we don't know yet when she will see her oncologist who can get things going. I think I'm having a harder time holding it together than she is! I'll be a lot better once we have a treatment plan and more answers as the Emergency Room doctor didn't seem to know a whole lot about cancer and mets.

I would love to hear how you and your mom are doing We just moved out of Mississauga but are still within driving distance so my mom can go to Princess Margaret again if needed. She has an awesome oncologist who is head of oncology at Trillium as was at Princess Margaret for 15 years. I'm hoping that we get some positive news about how well this can be managed. Trying not to dwell on on the horrible what-ifs.

I have been reading the stories of other stage 4 women on here and it definitely gives hope! Several women have been living just fine for over 10 years, one of them for over 19 years!

Please stay in touch. Sending you and your mom good vibes

remission 14 years - now in bones

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