Diagnosed with Liver and Lung Mets

I am in a total shock. I had a bi-lateral mast. did 6 months chemo (a/c + taxol) and went to the doctor yesterday to start radiation on my chest wall to reduce chances of re-occurrence. I asked the doctor to do a full ct scan as I was experience some small pain in my lower sternum. Found out today that my cancer had metastasized to my liver and lungs. My chemo doctor is shocked as no one has re-occurrence or metastasized so quickly after chemo (I finished my last chemo in May). Chemo did not touch/stop my cancer. So, chemo onc. is going to try and find me another chemo treatment to stop the continual growth of my cancer to liver and lungs. I know that my days are numbered and am so shocked as I am only 49 years old and have done EVERYTHING I could do to stop this nasty disease from spreading. I am not sure if anyone knows of any drugs/treatment/chemo that can help me at least live for another year or so.

thank you
Snickers

Snickers,

Just wanted to send some caring and supporting thoughts to you.
You got thru the shock of the initial TNBC diagnosis.
You will get thru this new shock......and what a shock......so hard to fathom life.

You have a lot of strength and you know how to research info........as you did about radiation.
Have your consults.......gather the information.

With a warm cyberhug and plenty of good thoughts,
Grateful for today..............Judy

   

Dear Snickers,

hi There,

Hi Dawn,

I also had a quick recurrence after my bmx and chemo. The lung mets are gone now but I didn't respond to my last chemo do now it's on to another one. My dr reminds me we have many choices, I've used quite a few already but I don't give up hope. Try to get on a parp inhibitor trial there are some all over. That's my next try if this Abraxane doesn't do the trick.

In oct 2010 had a lumpectomy to remove a mass that they thought was fiber. Turned out to be cancer that had already gone to my internal mammary nodes (non operable) had taxol/avastin for 16 weeks followed by 8 weeks of a/c. Then pet scan was Ned in April 2011 so u had a bilateral mastectomy. In aug 2011 I was having scans for radiation and found out the cancer was back in the same place plus 2 spots on my lung. Went on a clinical trial with gen/carbo and a kinase inhibitor which worked for about 6 months and got rid if the spots in my lung. My blood counts went too low too many times so I had to get off the trial and I went on xeloda/Ixempra which didn't work. After 12 weeks in that I had progression so now I'm on Abraxane (similar to taxol) and might go in a clinical trial of parp inhibitors if I need to after this.

Kita,

Rachel and your Mom, Tonya98 and Kita,
        Sending lots of caring and hopeful thoughts.
                      Grateful for today...............Judy
======================================================
       
snickers,

Sending you caring thoughts for your Tuesday appointment.

Do not have any specific info on sunitinib (sutent) and laptanib (Tykerb) which you had asked for
info on another thread.

Had some thoughts...................
- When you consult with your physicians on your plan of care, consider the input of all -
    the medical onc, surgeon and rad onc. Mentioning this as somewhere on a prior thread,
    someone mentioned not to forget the surgeon and rad onc for what they have to offer for
    the plan of care in addition to the med onc.
- When there is distant disease (lung and liver), one works with one's physician for the best
    plan of care for one's particular situation.   The input of additional consults at Comprehensive
    Cancer Centers with TNBC expertise is something to consider.
    Think your rad onc had access to several experts re: radiation plan of care. Hopefully, your
    med onc also has access to other experts for exploration of all and the best options for you.
- One might consider asking the medical oncologist:
             Would having any particular chemo drug now exclude certain chemo drugs in the future?
               (Believe there is at least one chemo drug that once one has that drug, there is another
                  chemo drug that one would not be able to have in the future.
                  Cannot remember which drug it is.
                  Hoping this matter will be a non-issue for you in that the first plan has good results)
- One might also consider asking the physician:
           Specifically, the pros and cons of each option given.
- Donna has already put the link for clinical trials in an above post......which you may consider
    printing and bringing to your appointment.
    You may have already noticed that Tanya (had lung nodules) had posted on http://forum.tnbcfoundation.org/taxol-avastin-metmab-trial_topic9662_post101825.html?KW=#101825
     about her results with a clinical trial.
     Think the clinical trial is: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT01186991?term=breast+cancer++MetMab&recr=Open&no_unk=Y&rank=1&show_locs=Y#locn

With thoughts of strength and care for you,
Grateful for today...............Judy

Hi Snickers,

Thank you for taking the time to update us with your treatment plan.
Hopeful thoughts for the carboplatin and gemzar.
So good to hear you will also get a 2nd opinion at University of Washington.
There is a thread on gemzar-carbo treatment that may or may be helpful:
    http://forum.tnbcfoundation.org/gemzar-carbo-treatment_topic8136.html?KW=gemzar
There are 2 threads on gemzar:
    http://forum.tnbcfoundation.org/gemzar-and-gamma-knife-treatment_topic9903.html?KW=gemzar
    http://forum.tnbcfoundation.org/gemzar-any-familiarity-with-this-chemotherapy_topic9900.html?KW=gemzar

A few others have posted that their receptor status changed.........some had the change
on the surgery path after neoadjuvant chemo and some had the change with distant recurrence.
Don't remember the specifics.....but maybe if those members see this post, they might also post.
The issue of possible heterogeneity of a tumor may explain some of the receptor changes.
The initial diagnostic biopsy only checked part of the tumor......? if the entire tumor had all the
same receptors.   There could be the question on some cases where the path report after surgery
was not inclusive for all the receptors thruout the entire specimen.
There are a few articles on tumor heterogeneity on page 7 on 3/8/12 11am on:
       http://forum.tnbcfoundation.org/open-access-links-articles-tnbc_topic9440_page7.html
Note: Others please post any additions or corrections to what I said about receptor status change. Thanks.

Sending you lots of caring and supportive thoughts with plenty of cyberhugs,
Grateful for today............Judy