new primaries 9 years later

luvmytwins - I remember you from 2011 - my first diagnosis too. I think going to Dana Farber for a 2nd opinion is a great idea. Hope you can get in before November. It would be nice to be healed before Christmas.

So sorry you have to go through this. I am in a very similar situation. I was diagnosed at age 49 with TNBC, had a lumpectomy, TAC chemo, & 30 rounds of radiation. All was fine for 15 years and then in April of this year I felt a lump in the scar tissue of my lumpectomy. I was diagnosed with TNBC again. I also had to have a mastectomy because of prior treatment and chose to have a double. Just couldn't face going through it a 3rd time. Because I had my lifetime limit of Adriamycin 15 years ago I couldn't have anymore. I had surgery in May and started chemo in June. This time I'm having Taxotere and Carboplatin. I found out right before chemo started that Taxotere can cause permanent hair loss. I experienced partial permanent hair loss 15 years ago so decided to go the Penguin cold cap route. Tomorrow is my 6th and final chemo and I still have hair (thin but still hair). Chemo still isn't any fun but I'm almost through it, thank God! I did research on new treatments for TNBC and discovered a study for women in my situation where Xeloda is given at half dose for one year. So I will be starting that about 4 weeks from now. My 24 year old daughter asked me if it was worse the first time or this time. Can't really come up with an answer because the not knowing and thinking the worst the 1st time was bad but the knowing what I'm facing and dealing with Covid this time is equally bad. I know how you're feeling, I get it. Feel free to PM me if you'd like. Hang in there, you did it before you can do it again!

You're not alone. My diagnoses were 18 years apart and I hadn't even thought about cancer for years.

My second, more recent diagnosis, in 2018 was a new primary. First time, I was ER/PR+, Her2Neu-. Did lumpectomy, AC chemo x4, radiation, and Tamoxifen - although I only made it 2 years 2 months on Tamoxifen because of horrendous side effects.

This time, I was even more strongly ER/PR+ and surprise, strongly Her2Neu+. I did a bliateral with DIEP reconstruction followed by 12 weeks of Taxol and Herceptin and then continued with Herceptin for the following 9 months. I started Arimidex a month after finishing chemo, but just stopped it because of unrelenting, increasing pain. I'll be trying Aromasin next.

Sorry you had to join the second timer's club, but just as with the first time, it's doable. Good luck with the second opinion.

My plastic surgeon told me that because of my prior treatment with radiation she wanted to wait until I'm done with chemo to see how everything heals before we decide what type of reconstruction. She said the prior surgery and radiation as well as the new surgery could affect skin condition and blood flow so until chemo is out of my body I don't know what I'll have.