Chemo more than once in a lifetime

Stack · July 2007

i have been wondering this since i asked my doc what my chances for reoccurrance were. she told me i was still in the 20-25% range. i didnt expect it to be that high since i had clear margins and no nodes+. but since then i have been thinking if it does come back will i be able to do chemo again? and is it possible to get bc again in my chest since i have had a bilat mast. i know it could come back as mets but can it also come back as a new cancer? i know it sounds like i am dwelling on this, but trust me, im not. but these are questions that occasionally pop into my head and i just need answers to them.

nosurrender · July 2007

With a bilateral your chances are reduced something like 95% I think for your getting a new primary. I believe if you also have rads on top of the bilat your chances are lower.

Of course that doesn't account for mets since that would be systemic.

I had cancer twice. First time was tripneg IDC and five years later lobular ER+++. I am in chemo right now.
I have a new primary, not mets. My tumor was 2.5 cms and I had 4 positive nodes and extra nodal extension. I am being treated aggressively because of the risk of this becoming systemic.
I had a bilateral mast in March.

What can I tell you?
Well, I HATE having to do chemo again.
I swore five years ago I would never do it again. But when this happened to me now I was so mad I wanted to do everything I could to get it out of my body and beat it.
I am a lot smarter this time around, but it doesn't make it easier physically. My onc told me that first line chemo is tough to do on the body twice. Something to do with the bone marrow.

But I am doing it and will get rads and will get the ooph and will start the AIs because I will be damned if I am going to let the Beast win.

Don't think about it coming back. If it does you will have time enough then to worry. Try to live as a cancer free person and not let the fears that are in all of us creep up on you. I know it is easier said than done, but you will be more at peace and happier.

(((hugs)))
g

threadbear · July 2007

Hugs right back at you, Nosurrender! You are a strong fighter! Kill the Beast!

Laura

Stack · July 2007

i appreciate all you have said. i didnt have rads. i guess since i had clear margins and the bilat they said chemo was being offered as a "precaution". this is why i didnt think my reoccur. % would be so high, but she said becuz of the size and grade it would be that high. i do try not to think about it, but it is hard as you know. i hope all is going well with you.

Sierra · July 2007

Hi Stack:

You have good input here
from Gina.. and no doubt
others in similar situation
will answer you

you just have to keep moving
forward, live each day
one day at a time, difficult
as it can be some Days
(wish you the best)

O/T

Gina: I believe you have a TX.. WEd
and want to send out healing thoughts
and very best on this.. may it go
as smoothly as possible

Hugs
(as a new week starts)

Naniam · July 2007

Stack, Gina said all quite well and is one that has been through a heck of a journey with breast cancer.

I'm almost two years out now. I had a lumpectomy, then re-excision of margins because we didn't get it all. Even after that was told, we didn't get clean margins - cells were still present closer to the excisional area than is considered safe. Mastectomy was considered but they felt with rads and chemo I would be fine.

It has always been my understanding that a recurrence or new breast cancer or mets can be treated again with chemo. I know at one time much depended on how strong the dosages are and our treatments are based on our path reports as far as strength of chemo drugs. Just remember too that we have so many new drugs now that deal with many of these problems - something we didn't have just a few years ago.

I know, questions pop up but as you move further and further out, they do become less, I still get them too.

Brenda

Chemo more than once in a lifetime

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