Karen has asked me to post the following message for her.
Best wishes Sam (BCC Facilitator)
My aunt, who I mentioned has bone secondaries, diagnosed 15 years after original BC dx, and who had an endoscopy recently to find out the cause of her unability to eat very much and severe weight loss had the results of the endoscopy yesterday…I was a bit confused at first because of the way my mum relayed it to me…but after speaking to my aunt it would appear that, from the biopsies they took when doing the endoscopy [which also showed up a lot of severe inflammation] that my aunt has breast cancer cells in her stomach now too, they were expecting to find a mass but found cells,.
Her medical team are having a meeting tomorrow to discuss which way to proceed now and my aunt has been told that chemotherapy will probably be recommended [she never had it originally], however my aunt is quite adamant she will not go through chemotherapy as she does not feel it will prolong her life…I have said to her to wait and see what oncologist comes back with first and then look at quality/quantity etc.,
She did ask if this would considerably shorten her life and was told ‘‘yes’’.
Hi Karen, I too have bone mets. Don’t know if you’ve ever seen the site but you might find more info on bcmets.org There’s a search facility there which may (I haven’t checked) bring up someone’s experience of stomach mets. Does your Aunt have ascites? My Mum had ascites from ovarian cancer…some of the symptoms sound the same. I’m sorry I’ve not been much help…x
PS…just had a look Karen and there’s quite a few posts on bcmets search. I just typed stomach mets in and lots of posts popped up…x
It is possible that your aunt may have images of chemotherapy in her mind which aren’t entirely accurtae. On some chemotherapy drugs some people for much of the time feel reasonably OK. Before I had cehmotherpay I never thought I would ever ever accept it…because I have a phobia about vomiting and imagined chemotherpay meant constant vomiting. I’ve had loads of chemotherpay now and have never been sick. Chemotherapy isn’t pleasant…it often makes me very very tired and seedy feeling…but I don’'t regret the choices I have made…even though often I have sworn I would never do any more.
The chemotherapy I am having at the moment is helping some of my cnacer symptoms…pain from tumours in my neck and shoulder. I know that in future I may say no to more chemotherapy to get quality over qunatity time and will probably not keep taking treatments for ever.
When you a e not used to the idea of cancer or the idea of dying having 6 more months say with chemotherapy doesn’t seem much, but I have found my perspective changes as I have got used to having cnacer and now time spans feel more precious.
very best wishes to you and your aunt. It’s hard decison making.
Hi again Karen, just to add to Jane’s post, I have just had 8 cycles of my first ever chemo, Xeloda. I’ve found it easier to tolerate than Arimidex. Best Wishes…x
I think my aunt has an image of when my nan [her mum] had chemotherapy over 30 years ago for throat/tongue cancer…when obviously at that time things were not like they are now re anti-sickness tablets etc.,
I also had this image when I was told I would need chemotherapy…I managed 4 out of 6 FEC …and had no severe side-effects…except I wish someone had told me that the dizziness and sudden feeling of being hot was actually due to one of the chemo’ drugs when they are administered…as I thought I was experiencing panic attacks [which I had previously suffered with along with severe anxiety] and consequently got into such a state about having number 5 and 6 that it was decided I should stop.
I hope my aunt may change her mind…she saw that I didn’t suffer that much through chemo’…my thought at the moment is…they found cancer cells not a mass maybe a few doses of chemo’ would kill these off easier than if it was a mass…[then again maybe not we know nothing is guaranteed with this disease].
Jane …I hope your chemotherapy continues to give you some relief from your cancer symptoms.
I met someone in the chemo unit recently who developed secondaries 10 years after her primary BC. In her case they had found breast cancer cells in her stomach and gut. She was being given chemo and responding very well to it, feeling much better and able to eat again.
Thank you Anthi,
If chemo is offered I will quote your post to my aunt …if you don’t mind?..maybe if she hears of someone else responding well she will have some hope.