Arimidex and Zomeda and Surgery

Just diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer with mets in my bones. My side effects are minimal (sore muscles), but I'm wondering if I'm doing all that I can to save my life. Three doc. opinions tell me no surgery, so I sit with the tumor in my breast and cancer cells in my bones.
Has anyone had a lasting success with just these 2 treatments and no surgery with Stage IV? Everyone I talk to has had their breasts removed (or at least has had radiation), but no one wants to do that. I'm wondering if it is because they don't think I have that long to live to put me thru that. Any survivors out there with Stage IV that DID NOT have surgery?

 

On 8/4/2009 Brenda55 wrote:

Just diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer with mets in my bones. My side effects are minimal (sore muscles), but I'm wondering if I'm doing all that I can to save my life. Three doc. opinions tell me no surgery, so I sit with the tumor in my breast and cancer cells in my bones.
Has anyone had a lasting success with just these 2 treatments and no surgery with Stage IV? Everyone I talk to has had their breasts removed (or at least has had radiation), but no one wants to do that. I'm wondering if it is because they don't think I have that long to live to put me thru that. Any survivors out there with Stage IV that DID NOT have surgery?

i was diagnosed with stage 1V breast cancer 2 years ago, with tumors in my breast and lymph nodes, and unfortunately too it had spread to my bones (my spine). i went through 5 rounds of chemo, but did not have radiation.  i was put on and still take arimidex.  the chemo destroyed the tumors in my breast and lymph nodes, i have an exam every 3 months.  it didn't totally destroy it in my spine tho, but it did show marked improvement.  we are being given arimidex because the type of breast cancer we have is hormone receptor positive, it needs estrogen to exist or grow, the arimidex blocks the hormones from getting to the tumors.  about 2 months ago i started having horrible back pain, an mri showed 3 slipped discs and arthritis besides the cancer.  surgery on the discs wasn't an option because of the chance of spreading the cancer, so i was hospitalized for 3 weeks of radiation and pain control.  it is somewhat better now, but the radiation can take up to 5 mos. to work, so i am given alot of pain meds. and doing alot of praying.  i'm not an expert on anything, but i really would suggest you talk to  your dr. and ask him the questions you've asked in your email.  not knowing where you stand or why they are choosing the choice of treatment they chose must be emotionally draining and frightening, and i think these are things they should have discussed with you.  please feel free to email me personally if you want to talk, it sounds like we have been riding in the same boat for a while. my thoughts and prayers are with you

I was diagnosed stage IV breast cancer Fall 2007.  I've had 13 months of chemo and 6 weeks of radiation.  No surgeries.  Am now on Arimidex and Zomata.  Doctor is wanting to change my meds to Femara as my CEA levels are rising.  Scheduled for PET scan on Monday.

 

On 8/8/2009 page22 wrote:

 

On 8/4/2009 Brenda55 wrote:

Just diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer with mets in my bones. My side effects are minimal (sore muscles), but I'm wondering if I'm doing all that I can to save my life. Three doc. opinions tell me no surgery, so I sit with the tumor in my breast and cancer cells in my bones.
Has anyone had a lasting success with just these 2 treatments and no surgery with Stage IV? Everyone I talk to has had their breasts removed (or at least has had radiation), but no one wants to do that. I'm wondering if it is because they don't think I have that long to live to put me thru that. Any survivors out there with Stage IV that DID NOT have surgery?

i was diagnosed with stage 1V breast cancer 2 years ago, with tumors in my breast and lymph nodes, and unfortunately too it had spread to my bones (my spine). i went through 5 rounds of chemo, but did not have radiation.  i was put on and still take arimidex.  the chemo destroyed the tumors in my breast and lymph nodes, i have an exam every 3 months.  it didn't totally destroy it in my spine tho, but it did show marked improvement.  we are being given arimidex because the type of breast cancer we have is hormone receptor positive, it needs estrogen to exist or grow, the arimidex blocks the hormones from getting to the tumors.  about 2 months ago i started having horrible back pain, an mri showed 3 slipped discs and arthritis besides the cancer.  surgery on the discs wasn't an option because of the chance of spreading the cancer, so i was hospitalized for 3 weeks of radiation and pain control.  it is somewhat better now, but the radiation can take up to 5 mos. to work, so i am given alot of pain meds. and doing alot of praying.  i'm not an expert on anything, but i really would suggest you talk to  your dr. and ask him the questions you've asked in your email.  not knowing where you stand or why they are choosing the choice of treatment they chose must be emotionally draining and frightening, and i think these are things they should have discussed with you.  please feel free to email me personally if you want to talk, it sounds like we have been riding in the same boat for a while. my thoughts and prayers are with you

The third doctor I asked about Chemo said that the Arimidex is recommended better than chemo with my positive receptors (although the very first doc did want to do chemo, the other 3 said no). they even mentioned that in "some" cases the Zomeda has shown to kill some cancer cells. Every one I talk to with bc either has surgery or chemo. I have asked all 3 docs about surgery and since it is in my bones, they said that surgery would just make the overall cancer in my system worse. I guess I feel bad because I'm not in an pain, and not going thru the gueling results of chemo or radiation so how in the world could I be killing cancer cells! In about a month I go for my first 3 month check up, so I guess that will tell everything. I just keep thinking that I want to keep the cancer in my breast and bones....and not go to my organs! It is also mostly in my spine, but I haven't had much back pain (I am on min. doses of morphine). Thanks for your reply!

hi,

my mom was detected with breast cancer a year ago now spread to the liver,lungs and bones.She is given 4 doses of Herceptin and Zometa. She was given Xeloda for 14 days but the medication gives her sideeffects like vomitting, diarhoea and she cant even eat, she has lost a lot of weight. She has stopped using Xeloda.  Can somebody tell me if anybody is in the same situation and is it right to stop Xeloda.

On 8/13/2009 rinky wrote:

hi,

my mom was detected with breast cancer a year ago now spread to the liver,lungs and bones.She is given 4 doses of Herceptin and Zometa. She was given Xeloda for 14 days but the medication gives her sideeffects like vomitting, diarhoea and she cant even eat, she has lost a lot of weight. She has stopped using Xeloda.  Can somebody tell me if anybody is in the same situation and is it right to stop Xeloda.

I don't know what Xeloda is. It sounds like it has terrible side effects. You didn't mention whether she had positive hormone receptors because I was wondering why they didn't put her on Arimidex.

Hi, I was put on Arimidex in 2004 for metastatic bc.  It had been 9 years since my initial diagnosis.  The Arimidex not only stopped the cancer from spreading anywhere else, but it shrunk some of the nodules in my lungs and some even disappeared.  I will hail Arimidex to anyone & everyone who has metatstic, hormone positive bc.  I hope all goes well for your mom!  :)

?i was diagnosed with stage 1V breast cancer 2 years ago, with tumors in my breast and lymph nodes, and unfortunately too it had spread to my bones (my spine). i went through 5 rounds of chemo, but did not have radiation.  i was put on and still take arimidex.  the chemo destroyed the tumors in my breast and lymph nodes, i have an exam every 3 months.  it didn't totally destroy it in my spine tho, but it did show marked improvement.  we are being given arimidex because the type of breast cancer we have is hormone receptor positive, it needs estrogen to exist or grow, the arimidex blocks the hormones from getting to the tumors.  about 2 months ago i started having horrible back pain, an mri showed 3 slipped discs and arthritis besides the cancer.  surgery on the discs wasn't an option because of the chance of spreading the cancer, so i was hospitalized for 3 weeks of radiation and pain control.  it is somewhat better now, but the radiation can take up to 5 mos. to work, so i am given alot of pain meds. and doing alot of praying.  i'm not an expert on anything, but i really would suggest you talk to  your dr. and ask him the questions you've asked in your email.  not knowing where you stand or why they are choosing the choice of treatment they chose must be emotionally draining and frightening, and i think these are things they should have discussed with you.  please feel free to email me personally if you want to talk, it sounds like we have been riding in the same boat for a while. my thoughts and prayers are with you -----end quote------

I would like to keep in touch with you. It appears we are giong thru the same things.

I was diagnosed in April with Stage IV bc with mets to my bones. Inoperable because of the cancer in my bones, so June 1 they started in on Armidex. Last week was my 4 month check up. The tumor in my breast has gone from 4cm to 1.3cm in a little over 3 months! That stuff really works. They say if the breast tumor is shrinking that the bone cancer probably is too. Horray. In my opinion, Arimidex is great.