Anyone else at Stage 4 in remission?

Hi there, I was wondering if anyone else had advanced BC and is now in remission or was in remission? My breast cancer went to my lungs and mediastinal glands Oct 07. I had radiation to the lungs and hormonal treatment.I am oest+ and prog + but hercepton -.Originally I had invasive ductal carcenoma grade 3 to my left btrteast. My CT scans have been clear all 2008. I am wondering how long the hormonal treatment is effective for? Was on Zolodex before I had an oopherectomy and now only on Arimidex. Would love to hear from someone with similar situation.

Congratulations on your scan results! It's so wonderful to hear others talk about their success against this nasty beast!

 The standard treatment period for Arimidex is 5 years, but there have been some long-term studies released that show both Taxifen and Arimidex may only be effective for 3 1/2 to 4 years.  After that, any cancer that may have survived seems to become resistant to the drugs.  Aromatase inhibitors like Aromasin haven't been in use long enough to have long-term study results yet.

I cannot take the anti-estrogen drugs - they make me very ill - so when I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer to the lungs in early 2008, I started my own natural/herbal anti-estrogen/anti-cancer regimen.  I was able to put the cancer into remission - my scan just before Thanksgiving of last year really looked good. 

I think that the anti-estrogen drugs can be boosted complementarily with foods, herbs and supplements to really sock it to individual spots of cancer that may have been carried throughout the body, thus hopefully eliminating them before they have time to become drug resistant.  At the very least, taking selenium, zinc, magnesium, calcium, manganese and vitamin D-3 can help to provide your body with the immune system and cancer-fighting building blocks needed to stay in remission.  I have listed the dosages for these, plus a whole host of other easy, inexpensive natural cancer-fighters in my blog, plus you can read my story there also.

my story

http://motherearthtreasurechest.blogspot.com/2008/08/my-stor

my regimen

http://motherearthtreasurechest.blogspot.com/2008/09/my-pers

Even doing something as simple as taking one aspirin a day can help to block production of the prostaglandins our bodies need to produce estrogen.  There are a lot of other natural choices that I have not listed on my blog:  e.g. resveratrol in low doses may act as an estrogen-blocker.  (I chose not to use it supplementally due to cost, but have been getting small amounts of resveratrol through eating red, black or purple grapes, and in 3 - 4 ounces of red wine daily.)

There is a great book by Susun Weed, a lady with a quite esoteric take on life, but truly an expert on herbs:  Breast Cancer? Breast Health  I think this book is well worth reading through for wonderful suggestions on how to maintain breast health both while someone is taking the anti-estrogen drugs, and once that therapy is complete.

Wishing you a continuous happy dance!!

Tre

On 1/24/2009 barb777 wrote:

Hi there, I was wondering if anyone else had advanced BC and is now in remission or was in remission? My breast cancer went to my lungs and mediastinal glands Oct 07. I had radiation to the lungs and hormonal treatment.I am oest+ and prog + but hercepton -.Originally I had invasive ductal carcenoma grade 3 to my left btrteast. My CT scans have been clear all 2008. I am wondering how long the hormonal treatment is effective for? Was on Zolodex before I had an oopherectomy and now only on Arimidex. Would love to hear from someone with similar situation.

I was diagnosed in Feb.2007 with stage four breast cancer. I had never had abnormal mammograms or ultra sounds. It took awhile to figure out that is was even breast cancer, since the MRI'S showed only normal breast tissue. I had "Indian File" breast cancer cells in my stomach and in the bones, where bone marrow had previously been. My spine and sternum were badly affected also. I did not need any breast surgery, but had rapidly become more and more ill in the month of tests to try to diagnose the cancer type. (The scope of the stomach and the biopsy's finally gave us a certain diagnosis. First I had radiation on the spine and sternum. Then I began Femara and Arredia infusions. For the past 10 months my bones have shown no cancer, and my stomach scope's and biopsy's are completely normal. I live in Atlanta, and went to M.D. Anderson for my 2nd opinion, and they agreed totally with my doctor's here. This treatment plan has certainly produced great results for me. The Femara cause fatigue and joint pain, but it is working! I had a scope on the stomach in December, it was all fine, and will have a nuclear scan on the bones in one month to see if they are still clear. I had adjusted to having chronic cancer, and was stunned to hear I was in complete remission. Like you, I wonder how long the Femara will work. My doctor has one woman who has been on it for 9 years! We must stay positive, and really take care of ourselves. I exercise, and have reduced as much stress as I can. Good Luck, and God Bless you Barb!

Dear Tre

Thank you so much for all the info you have responded with! I actually came across your web site before I found cancer compass, trying to get answers. You have really done your home work and have so much to pass on. I have already made a start with some of the supplements you suggested.

I trust and pray that you will go on from strength to strength!

Love Barb 77

(Had to change my Id name slightly as had entered my email address incorrectly and was not able to log on!)

 

Dear sgmstge4

Thank you for your quick response and sharing your journey! Wow! Yours has all happened at once. You are a brave girl with such a great outlook.

Keep up the good work, you are an inspiration!

My BC started in 1998. I had a lumpectomy, radio and chemo. Was on tamoxifen for 4 years when the cancer returned to the same spot. In 2002 had mastectomy and they reccomended no further treatment. 5 years later in 2007, I had mets to the lungs and mediastinum as I have mentioned before.

Having confronted primary cancer both previous times, then the stage 4, I accepted that it was the end of the road. Of course it is absolutely wonderful that the hormone treatment is working and I am in remission. I just am finding it hard to believe that I am no longer dying. Having gone thro the scenarios repeatedly, getting my house in order, it is so hard to switch back and forth between living and dying. I want to fully embrace life, but find myself bracing for the mets return. This feeling has intensified since my oopherectomy in Nov 08. Perhaps I am in full menopause adjustment phase and out of balance emotionally?

Love Barb

 

Yes, living in an estrogen depleted state (as happens with the anti-estrogen drugs, or menopause, or the type of natural treatment I've been using) certainly can color our emotions and responses to life situations!!  Many women who go thru menopause will then either deliberately or incidentally find foods, and/or supplements to make them feel better, and life evens out for them and they learn to live with the changed hormonal state.  Unfortunately for those of  maintaining a chemically induced menopause for treatment of/stopping recurrence of breast cancer, we can't resort to those things which make us feel better, either because the drugs prevent it, or we choose to avoid them because of the phytoestrogens they contain.

Having worked as an RN for many years and taking care of a wide variety of oncology patients both in hospitals and through home health, I was well aware of the seriousness of breast cancer when I was diagnosed in 2002.  I approached both my surgeon and oncologist very matter of factly - I wanted to know everything - no sugar coating for me. I was surprised, and a little skeptical, when they both told me that the time was soon coming when cancer would be considered a chronic illness rather than a terminal disease, and would be treated with long-term medications just as diabetes and chronic pulmonary disease were already being treated.  I had a little bit of a hard time accepting their idea of "living with cancer" - I didn't want to live with cancer - I wanted to be cancer free.

With time and perspective, my way of thinking has changed. I guess that started when my first surgery confirmed it was stage II cancer, and I then had to have another surgery to take out more lymph nodes due to the presence of cells in the margins. When a  little over five years after my last radiation treatment I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in my lungs, I realized that my attitude had continued to change tremendously.  While I still wanted to be cancer-free, realistically I knew that might never happen, yet if it could be put in remission, I might have many more happy, healthy years to spend with my partner, and that became my focus. THe idea of "living" with cancer, and treating it like a chronic disease was no longer an idea I rejected.  I still decided I would do my very best to try and eradicate it totally, but would be happy to hear scan results of stability and no new growth. (Which is indeed what I heard this past Thanksgiving - WHEW!!!)

I have learned over the past year and a half, that every day that I live with cancer - whether it is active, or in remission - is one more day that I am a survivor, that I have the opportunity to enjoy what I have worked hard to create, regardless of what my limitations may be.  Whether I accept each day as a gift and make the most of it, or let circumstances drag me down, is totally up to me. And I choose to survive.  I choose to LIVE, even if it means living with cancer. And regardless of whether I'm around another 5 years, or another 45 years, I hope that every day of it will be about living, rather than about dying.

Sincerely,

Tre

 

On 1/24/2009 barb777 wrote:

Hi there, I was wondering if anyone else had advanced BC and is now in remission or was in remission? My breast cancer went to my lungs and mediastinal glands Oct 07. I had radiation to the lungs and hormonal treatment.I am oest+ and prog + but hercepton -.Originally I had invasive ductal carcenoma grade 3 to my left btrteast. My CT scans have been clear all 2008. I am wondering how long the hormonal treatment is effective for? Was on Zolodex before I had an oopherectomy and now only on Arimidex. Would love to hear from someone with similar situation.

Dear Barb7:

I havent been on here in a while.. I have been hibernating like a bear for the winter..  havent had alot to talk about actually.  I seen your post about stage lV breast cancer and wanted to respond. 

I am stage lV with the her2 overexpression. No hormone or prog. concerns.  I had mets come back into the lung and medistium area as well.  I was totally blown away that it came back in that stage after a 6 year remission time from stage 1 in 01.  I went through avastin/taxotere in 07 and Jan. of 08.. my goodness.. here it is 09 already and I can safely say that I am in remission.. last year went fast!!  I am now monitored and have a scan every few months to make sure of no active disease.  I was to say the least..very frightened when I first learned about the stage lV diagnosis as I seen it as a death sentence too.  But, the longer I go with out a recurrence(and I hope that is a while), the more I believe that I will be around for quite a few more years.  I had herceptin treatments for 6 months.  The last being in Aug of 08.  So far so good!!  I do see the dr tomorrow though to find out the results of a scan I had done on the 14th.. I dont really expect any problems.  I too had the dry hacking cough for a long time.. for at least 2 or more years I fought with that complaint and was given acid reflux meds, sinus medicine, asthma meds, antibiotics, you name it.. regular xrays were done..but a nodule that was growing in my lung didnt show up until May of 07..  it was found by accident when I was going to have surgery on my left elbow.  A prescreen xray found the nodule.. and then a pet scan confirmed that it was suggestive of mets to lungs..then I had a biopsy and they found the mets..  I was totally blown away by this..  I thought I was never going to have anymore problems with my cancer.  Boy..did it fool me!!

I am sorry that you have also been given such a diagnosis..but as I said..the longer I go between active cancer the more I know that I am destined to be here on this earth a great deal longer..  I do think about it all the time.. but try to keep busy through out my day to not let it consume me and my way of life..  I do treat my self more now than I use to with doing things that I like or with things that I like..  I am making the most out of my remission time since I never know when I will find myself sitting in a drip room again for treatments.  You feel like you have a ball and chain on your leg when you are going through those things.  I am glad however that I have the option to be able to have cancer fighting treatments, and apparently they have given me this remission time.. for that I am very grateful. 

I wish you the best. 

God's blessings..

Jodie