I have just been diagnosed with secondaries in my lung, only one spot 2.5cms. I have had primaries twice before, had bi lateral mastectomies, FEC chemo etc etc. I say diagnosed because I have only had a CAT scan which showed what the onc said was “condusive to secondaries”. I have not had a biopsy so if it is secondaries no-one knows if it is hormones pos or neg, herceptin pos or neg. I have been put on Femara and told to come back after two months for another scan to see if the tumour has shrunk, what happens if it has not. It is all very hit and miss. The onc said that the biopsy was invasive with the possibility of my implants rupturing and my lung collapsing and they have to weigh up the “risks against the benefits”. Has anyone been in a similar situation. Anyone had a lung biopsy, what it painful etc. The tumour is sitting against my ribs just behind my reconstruction so I appreciate it is in a very tricky position.
Since take the Femera I have had a sharp pain in my chest which has now moved down to what I think is my liver, it feels like a sharp “stitch pain”. Anyone else taking this?? Have you had any side effects?
I am also getting together a campaign on face book to get annual chest xrays for woman who have had mastectomies and cannot have mammograms, mine was only picked up once I had chest pains. We all know the quicker you find it the better chance you have of beating it. If you feel you would like to join the group log on to facebook and look up Carol Blair or “campaign for women who have had mastectomies to get annual chest xrays”. Thanks.
Hi cazherts ,i got diagnosed with secondaries in lung and liver in may this year ,they did a biopsy of my liver ,ive just finished 6 taxotere chemo ,staying on herceptin ,but i just started femera a week ago .ive been getting indigestion symptoms and pain in stomach ,they say its a side effect of chemo ,just started with an itchy rash since i started on femera,suppose it takes a while when you start new tablets for things to settle down .Am going for herceptin in the morning ,am going to ask about pain ,will let you know take care luv barb xx
Hi Cazherts, I too have been diagnosed with secondary tumour in my right lung, just one in November and also started on femara with ct scan in March to see if they are working. I did have ct biopsy which I wouldn’t recommend and all it confirmed was that it was breast cancer tumour, as they only get a few cells they could not tell if it was her2 etc. I think they assume as my primary tumour was I assume any others will be. I was treated in 2006, I had lumpectomy then all nodes removed, one affected, grade 2 stage 2, followed by 6 FEC then 5 weeks of rads, I got quite a good prognosis so was quite shocked when it returned so soon!! I am being treated at the Royal Marsden and I have total confindence in them. I am having problems with horrid migraines with femara I have always suffered with them but they are so much worse not sure if I can tolerate them. Hope this is of some help, take care Marina x
Thanks so much for your comments. I am seeing the onc on 11th January, but pain getting worse. What have other people been prescribed for pain? It only hurst when I breathe deeply or hiccough, not when I sneeze or cough?? Weird.
Hi all
I am on femara for liver secondaries
i have been well apart from night sweats which are horrid.
I too had a great prognosis …but fickle cancer managed to come back, what a s**t disease… and so sneaky.
N
Have not been on site for a while, just wanted to see how the treatment went. Just had a PET scan the tumour has increased to 7.5cms and it is in two more sites. They are recommending intravenous chemo of taxol with avastin, but I have read that it does not extend lifespan just slows down the spread of the disease. Has anyone else had this treatment, are the side effects really bad.
Is six months of chemo and all that goes with it worth it if it does not extend your lifespan???
Hi cazherts
I hadn’t seen your original post but have just caught your update. From what I’ve seen on other posts from ladies with ‘soft tissue’ mets there have been some dramatic shrinkage of tumours by having chemo - to the extent of NED (no evidence of disease). This can then considerably extend the time for any further chemo and make some big changes to how much you can get on with your life without the BC interfering so much. Obviously everyone is different but that also means that some hormone treatments work for some of us and some don’t - maybe you’re not so receptive to Femara? I was dx with a local recurrence and bone mets 2 years ago and had chemo. Although it was a tough 4 months it was definitely worth it and also ‘do-able’ My recurrence has shrunk or possibly gone (it’s in the scar tissue from my WLE) and my bone mets are stable at the last count. I have since gone onto Arimidex (Femara played up with my heart palpitations!) and this seems to be working. Again, other A I’s work for some ladies and some don’t - so you may get put onto another one if you decide not to have chemo. Maybe put another post on here about lung mets and the response ladies have had from Taxol? Only that your question may get a bit lost as it’s in your original thread of Femara side effects.
Good luck with any decisions you and your onc make and hope future treatment works really well.
Nicky x
As Nicky has mentioned it would help to start a new thread with your post as you will probably get more response from others who have secondaries in the lung.
Also, you may find it helpful to talk things through with one of our trained members of staff on the helpline. The number is 0808 800 6000 and the lines are open 9 to 5pm Monday to Friday and 9 to 2pm Saturday. The helpline is there to support you so if you think it would be of benefit to talk, please give them a call.