Metaplastic Breast Cancer Articles and Case Studies

Hello Jen,

I was interested to learn that you had chemotherapy before surgery. I was told by my original surgeon that the cancer could keep on growing if I took that root and surgery was usually done first. In the UK, mastectomy is followed by chemotherapy, but radiotherapy isn't often given. Radiotherapy is offered after lumpectomy. I was offered lumpectomy followed by radiotherapy, chemotherapy was refused and I had to travel to a cancer centre for a second opinion. The consultant there told me that metaplastic should be treated with aggressive chemotherapy. I had quite a fight before I was allowed to have it though. While reading through the metaplastic breast cancer publications you posted, I noticed that women who were offered radiotherapy after chemo stood a 30% better chance of surviving. Too late now!

Gill

Wrenn, it's really good to know that there are long term survivors out there. From what I've been able to gather, surgery seems to be the most effective treatment for metaplastic. I fought to he allowed chemo, but found it very hard going. I had sepsis after every infusion except the first and finally c difficile which has left me with colitis. I noticed that you weren't offered radiotherapy.

August will mark two years since my diagnosis. Very worried about the next 2 - 3 years, as I know a recurrence is fairly common at that stage. Hope I'm as lucky as you.

I needed to hear something like that Jen. I think being in coronavirus lock down has resulted in my thoughts focusing on cancer far more than usual. I'm usually optimistic, glass half full, but really miss normality, meeting friends for coffee, just casual conversations, shopping and so on.

I think your right Wrenn, many people do move on after a few years of being cancer free. It's also important to remember that as far as scientific studies go, metaplastic breast cancer is so rare that to achieve a larger cohort, women who are at stage IV or who have comorbidities are often included. The consultant I saw for a second opinion put my chances at 50-50 without chemotherapy. I think that was a tad pessimistic, especially considering that the pathology showed my tumour to be grade 2 when most are grade 3.

Wrenn, diverticulitis and neuropathy after just one dose, I would have stopped too. With hindsight, wish I'd stopped Taxotere after the first dose.

Keep well everyone.

Gill

I don't think there's anything regarding diet that specifically relates to metaplastic cancer. The Mediterranean rainbow diet seems to be the way to go for all cancer patients, plenty of antioxidants. Sugar feeds cancer which is bad news for chocoholics like me. Since finishing chemo, I've gone for chocolate made with 70-80% cocoa, this is full of antioxidants and supposedly good for lowering blood pressure, and helping to prevent heart disease.

The stats for metaplastic breast cancer are really scary so I was very happy to see that you're eight years out. My diagnosis was August 2018 and I have a long way to go, but you and Wrenn have given me hope.

Gill x

Thank you Rosie, I've had no problems since treatment and my surgeon just gave me another good report so there's hope for us all. My weakness is salty snacks and diet Coke, which I never drank before. I'm trying to shed the 30 extra pounds now, lol.