Mom’s WBRT didn’t work?

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ChipotleAddict
ChipotleAddict Member Posts: 7
edited February 2022 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer, Open to All To Contribute

I was lurking for a while but am itching for an answer and needed to post. My mom got diagnosed in October as stage 4 ER+ PR- HER2-, with brain, lung, and bone mets. She previously was stage 2 in 2017, but was in remission until now. She had a craniotomy and bounced back really quickly, and went through ten rounds of whole brain radiation. Currently she’s taking Ibrance and Letrozole, and Namenda for the WBR effects. We got new MRI scans of her brain and the doctors say her mets grew, and new spots appeared! Is this normal? Has anyone else experienced this? I’m not sure what other solutions there are for her… we were told WBR is very effective. She has at least 10 tumors now, and some of them grew larger by 3mm from before she went through WBR. Any similar experiences or hope would be appreciated, thank tou

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  • ParakeetsRule
    ParakeetsRule Member Posts: 571
    edited January 2022

    I'm so sorry about your mom! My mom had breast cancer too. Unfortunately, it is normal for Stage 4 cancer to continue growing despite treatment. There are many good treatment options now but they don't work for everyone, and even when they do work, they don't work forever. Eventually the cancer starts spreading again and we have to try something new. I hope they can find something else that will stop those brain mets!

    This is in the Stage 4 Only forum so you can't post, but you can look through the brain mets thread to read more about what others are doing: https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/8/topics/...

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  • SeeQ
    SeeQ Member Posts: 884
    edited January 2022

    ChipotleAddict - so sorry about your mom. Your profile doesn't show where you are. I was a little surprised your mom is on Ibrance and not Verzenio. My understanding is that Verzenio is better at crossing the BBB (Blood Brain Barrier), at least that's what my MO told me in the beginning of my treatment. But some people have a harder time getting it... With any information you discover, please be sure to let your mom take the lead in managing her care, if that's what she wants.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited January 2022

    ChipotleAddict, indeed, take a look at brain mets thread where people are discussing (ParakeetsRule posted it in her response to you), and talk to your mom's oncologist about other options, like Verzenio.

    We're all here for you and so sorry for all you and your mom are going through.

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  • ChipotleAddict
    ChipotleAddict Member Posts: 7
    edited January 2022

    Hi everyone, thank you for your replies. I definitely have looked through some of the threads on there but it’s nice to hear from someone regarding my mom specifically. @SeeQ thanks for the suggestion about Verzenio, I haven’t heard about it before but will definitely ask her doctor about it. I’ll keep you updated

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  • YasirKhan
    YasirKhan Member Posts: 10
    edited February 2022

    Hi Chipoteladdict

    I am so sorry to hear about your mom, may God bless her and give lots of strength to beat the cancer and live a health life

    It is extremely disturbing and takes a lot of courage to write in a forum like this while we are going through this tremendous pressure, i am also currently experiencing the same thing with a difference that my mom has reached her last stage.....

    Through my journey i have learned that if it is possible for you, it is never too late to get a 2nd opinion from another leading big hospitals and i would advice better to have a video appointment, its much better and will avoid the pain in travelling

    Many people say that this will confuse you, but my thinking would be that there is no harm in listening to other doctors what they have to say about it because you know ultimately it is you and your mom who should make the decision, doctors are just here to support you in your journey

    Please it may sound harsh and maybe rude or offensive, you have to find and maintain a balance between quality of life vs medical treatment which is extremely hard and tough and emotionally difficult to decide, i wish i had this time to decide but unfortunately i was too late for my mom......

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