Enbrel, Remicade, Humira

SandyAust,  I found your post by accident looking to research the same worry.  I was wheelchair bound and had 10 surgeries down to the bone.  I couldn't button a button or zip a zipper.  Four years ago after trying everything else, I was put on Enbrel 50mg injections every third day.  I got my life back.  No longer need wheelchair and have not needed another surgery since.  It has gave me my life back and now I drive.  I am a single mom with teenage daughters.  Many years ago I had a pituitary tumor that went away somehow and left and empy cella.  I also had tumors that we not cancer in my uterus.  But no one in my family on either side had ever had cancer.  They died from heart problems and clotting problems from anticardiolipin disease.  Which I also have.  My doctors and I weighed the situation and I wanted to give Enbrel a try.  I'm allergic to all Sulfa Drugs so Remicade was out, as were so others.  I love my Enbrel.  However, I was recently diagnosed with IDC, breast cancer.  They said surgery to remove breast.  But I chimed in what about my Enbrel, doctors just looked at me so I called my rheumatologist.  She called and said stop the Enbrel immediately, so that I could have surgery.  I said I don't want to stop my Enbrel.  She said what you said above the cancer will go beserk, out of control.  Do you know that for sure.  She paused and said no, but that is what is the guidelines.  She said she would talk with researchers at the hospital and oncologist and decide.  I said I won't go back to the way I was living.  I prefer quality to quantity at this point.  Tissue tearing and not able to get up from a toilet etc, is something I don't want to go back to.  So I'm at the stage of what to do?  How will me staying on my Enbrel, effect the cancer, truthfully.  I want the data and reality not just an opinion. If I choose the Enbrel path,  what is my prognosis?  My doctors told me I would have to sign a medical treatment plan saying that I know that this is against the parameters of the medication.  But they would allow me to stay on it.  Also that I would not sue the hospital if my cancer got worse.  So here I am.  Going off my Enbrel mean bedridden.  I wouldn't be able to move my ankles or foot from the brake to gas, so it would mean no more driving.  My fingers are all almost nonfunctionable they don't bend and are frozen straight out.  I have had surgery on four of them but they don't function at all.  However no one notices.  I would need someone to dress me and brush my teeth and hair.  My wrist, arms would hardly move and the pain that's a whole other story.  I won't take pain killers they just make you out of it but pain still there.  I have morphine but if I have to take in more than 5 days in a year, I ask what is wrong, what needs to change.  So what's worse Autoimmune vs. Cancer.  I think it's at what level each indiviual is at.

The cancer isn't painful immediately.  So I don't know.  I was looking for someone, anyone who has had to make the same decision.  Or if they were able to continue their Enbrel and treat the cancer.  But no one replied.  

If you have had any success on your treatment or found answers please let me know.  

I hope you are better and things worked out for you. 

Yep, on enbrel for two years and now triple negative BC with no family history. Getting by w a prednisone pack every 3 months or so.

To all those debating whether or not to take Remicade with a history of cancer...DONT DO IT! My mom had a history of leukoplakia and oral cancer on her tongue. She was told that it was ok for her to take Remicade for her Psoriatric arthritis. The cancer exploded and she endured 2 horrific surgeries but the cancer was so aggressive she died anyways. Her doctors felt certain that the remicade caused her cancer to go "beserk".

there is an increased risk of lymphoma in people with RA; there have been papers also linking RA, and other autoimmune diseases, with other cancers.  However, after adjusting for the risks of cancer and the disease process, there has been very little evidence of risk of cancer from the drugs themselves.  The exception is non-melenoma skin cancer, which is easily treatable.  Most physicians are beginning to believe the risk of cancers is due to the underlying condition and not the treatments.  The main worry with biologics is infection, as simple infections can be exacerbated because of the suppressed immune function when taking these treatments.  These drugs have been studied/used for over 10 years now.

 For me, I am more worried about disability from my disease (PsA) than I am future cancer ... But just as with cancer diagnoses, we all have different risk, and pain, tolerances.  I am grateful that for now, Enbrel works well for me with very few obvious side-effects (except bruising at my injection site).    Good luck everyone.

 www.rheumatology.org/ACR/publications/dsq/dsq_2012...

i have been on enbrel for 10 yrs+ and was just diagnosed with atypical HYPERPLASIA with high risk dcis. Having bmx/diep feb 18 and stopped taking enbrel mid dec. And so starts the stiffness etc.

Neither my surgeons nor my rheumatologist have mentioned the enbrel causing any of this or insinuating that my cells will go crazy if i stay on enbrel. I meet with my rheumatologist jan 25 to discuss my upcoming surgery......and my possible return to enbrel. I will see rheumy after full pathology comes back.

I broke down and shot my last Enbrel prior to surgery. I have been off since mid December as we thought my bmx/diep would be in January (not till feb 18). I couldn't stand it anymore. i asked my rheumatologist about Enbrel post surgery and she said i will be fine to go back on it. my chance of recurrence/new is the same as someone who is NOT on Enbrel. i look at it like people still get lung cancer who don't smoke.

Hello all,

I am 35 with triple negative breast cancer, stage 2A no lymph node involement. I had a double mastectomy and chemotherapy, no radiation.

I also have AS, autoimmune arthritis of my spine. Enbrel was my life before and I had to be off for cancer treatment. Talking with my Rheumatologist about getting back on now for quality of life.Curious of updates to your stories?

they are all dangerous and none of this drugs shouldn’t be on the market FDA is aware of the harm they cause but still are out there , stay out of them , cancer they cause yes they do are no safe in my case I notice double Prostate PSA enlarged from 2.25 to 5 in two weeks of treatment with Enbrel, HUMIRA is also same , it is hard to have those disorders and i do best look for other alternative try capsule turmeric some supher medications methotrexate is very toxic but ask your doctor , if possible no use any of them