Thursday, July 23, 2009 Anil asks

Q: Breast+Skin met+Lung met Cancer

Dr.Please Help,

Four months back My mother age-63 was detected with Right Breast Cancer (Lumpsize-4.5cm & 2cm).Scan have shown that no. of minute cancer cells have spread to her right Lungs only.Half of Her right breast skin had became hard with no. of small hard nuts appearing on it.Doc say her stage is advanced since cancer has surfaced upto skin.They have given her three Chemos,Her lump size had reduced to 2cm and her skin had came back to normal ( but not 100%) she underwent surgery and her right breast was removed & after that doc.recommends to give again Three chemos and after that Radiation as line of treatment.If she can take it then they will follow this or else the line of Treatment might vary as the treatment progresses.They have clearlty told us that its impossible for 100% recovery.Latest scan has shown that Cancer Cells in her Lungs have reduced in Size.Now doctor has told her to do a test called HER+ve test,if results are positive then they will be providing Targetted therapy ( XELODA + TYKERB) instead of Chemo as they say Chemo will not be effective.Also after 2 weeks of the operation i have observed that her Skin has again started becaming reddish as it was earlier before chemo.She is not on any medicine as Doc. say that no medicine to be given for min.20 days after surgery.

My queries :-

1) Is the treatment followed correct....do you recommend to do any more test ....? 2) Is 100% recovery possible I can take my mother to any part of this world for the Treatment. 3)is there any other treatment method say Ayurveda etc.. there to treat it,..4) are there any cases who have recovered from this stage also what is her Cancer stage.5)Doc. say her Cancer Load is high,the cancer will keep on spreading 6) I have suggested doc. for right Lung transplant they declined saying that it will furthur worsen the thing as the Cancer is spreading quickely,your suggestion.

Please help me..!!

Waiting for your reply.

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Answers (2)

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

7/23/09 8:43am

Anil, I'm sorry for your troubles. First off, we're not doctors here; simply women who've survived breast cancer. So any advice I give you won't come from a medical background.

With the details of her case that you report, it sounds to me like your mother has had good treatment so far. They're doing what they can for a cancer that appears pretty far advanced. What stage it is, you'd have to ask the doctors; they have all the information, and will use it to assess what stage her cancer is. I'd guess, given how widespread it is, it's stage IV.

Have women been cured of this? No. Only about 20% of breast cancers are 100% curable. Most of us simply live with the fact that we have breast cancer, and hope that it stays inactive. When the cancer is as advanced as your mother has, it's more difficult to keep it in remission. But with good care, and a good response to treatment, women with metastatic breast cancer can live for years now, rather than the months it used to be.

If you're searching for a top-rate cancer facility, I'd recommend M.D. Anderson in Houston, Texas, which is certainly one of the top (maybe THE top) cancer hospital in the United States. This list cites America's 40 top cancer hospitals.

Best of luck to you- PJH

Phyllis Johnson, Health Guide

7/23/09 1:14pm

Tykerb + Xeloda is the very latest in treatment for Her2 positive cancers. The reason she has to wait following surgery for more treatment is that almost anything else they would give next will lower her immune system, and they want her incision to heal first, so that she doesn't get an infection.

As PJ says, doctors are not likely to ever call her cured after her cancer has spread so far, but I've known other breast cancer patients with spread to the skin and lungs who were able to get the cancer under control and live a long time with a good quality of life. I wish you and your mom the best as you make treatment decisions.

Q: Breast+Skin met+Lung met Cancer

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