Which Treatment for bone metz that is getting worse????

I havn’t been on here for some time but I have the need for your input…

I was diagnosed with bone metz in April of this year and told that it was in C3 of my spine and some pitting in my right hip. They immediatley changed my hormone therapy from Arimidex to Tamoxafin, started me on Zometa and sent for radiotherapy. In August my neck pain had got worse and had started with tingling and numbness down my arms and so they did an emergency surgery to take away the effected vertebra. It had collapsed and was pressing into my spinal chord. The surgery went well and I now have a piece of my good hip in place of the vertebra with some nice metal work caging.

I had my 3 monthly scans and its turned out that there was a couple of areas lower down in my spine that was evident in my first scan but I wasn’t told about. Anyway it has got worse and the cancer is a lot more evident in my spine. They have found a small spot on my liver but at this time do not know if its the cancer or not.

I have been to see the oncologyst this morning and I have left there quite confused as they have given quite a lot of options.

1/ Study 1 - Docetaxol chemo with Herceptin (I finished my last Herceptin a year gone Novemeber.

or Docetaxol chemo with Lapatinib

2/ Study 2 - Docetaxol with Herceptin and maybe Avastin

3/ Study 3 - Capecitabine chemo with either Lapatinib or Herceptin.

What is the difference between Herceptin and Lapatinib and would Lapatinib work better for me as I was diagnosed not long after finishing Herceptin.

Not sure which to go for and just wondered if anyone else is on any of these treatment conmbinations.

sorry Karen I cant help you, but can I just say im sitting here with tears in my eyes as I just went onto your website, what an amazing woman you are. So pleased you and Lee got married this year, he sounds so like my wonderful hubby.

hope you have a fabby christmas, you and lee totally deserve it.

love and a big hug

Carol xx

ps I have one of them people at my work too, she is always off sick and is jealous of me being off with cancer!!! how sad is that

Hi Karen,

I too have had titanium in my spine as i have bone mets. I also had FEC and docetaxol and herceptin. I am now on maintenance herceptin and pamidronate (a bone strengthener). This is cureently working for me. I have heard of someother treatment one can have a sort of targeted radiotherapy or gamma ray which can be used further down the spine, but I am afraid I cannot entirely remember what it is - it may give you something to research tho.

I wish you well x

I have bone metz and have been on bondranat tablets for 3.5 years, together with adcal to boost my calcium - it is keeping the bone mets at bay - touch wood and whistle. I am also on Capecitabine for my liver and lung mets too. Lung mets gone now. Don’t know if you have tried this yet, doesn’t seem to be on your list.