CancerCompass message board discussion started by Starsmom on 12/31/2005 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,3880,0.htm Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ My Dear Friend of almost 30 years has Breast cancer that has spread to her liver. Her antigen level is 12000 and now the scan shows the cancer has spread to both lobes. They are doing another round of chemo. For those of you who have been down this path I wondered if she should even try this next round of chemo she has 4 young children and wants to spend as much as possible with them if the end is near. She is being treated in OK she lives in FL. All the doctor says is "no one really knows how long this will take" they won't say 3 months, 6 months nothing! When I asked how high the antigen level could get they said vey high but wouldn't give me a number. We thought 3500 was high now its 12,000. Anything that you can share will be appreciated. Laura said she feels things changing she is not in alot of pain she is just tired and not sure if she wants another round of chemo. Thanks, Maria Starsmom Sat, 31 Dec 2005 00:00:00 GMT Maria - I am so sorry that your dear friend is going through all this. Why is she in OK? Can't the doctors forward the treatment protocol to a FL hospital so she can be with her kids? That's what my uncle did. He came to MD Anderson in Houston to establish his treatment, and the doctors forwarded this info on to my uncle's doctor in Louisiana. He received his chemo in LA. Unfortunately (fortunately?) the doctors can never predict how long a patient has to live, as each patient is different. The numbers you hear often thrown around are merely medians. My friend's aunt who passed away last year was told that she had 3-6 months, but she ended up staying with us for about 14 months. And when the end came, it surprised most of us. She was up talking, and moving about one day, and she was gone the next. But this was very opposite of my former co-worker who lost his wife a few years ago to breast cancer. They were told one year, and she passed away six months later. And she was in hospice for two weeks before she finally passed - in a comatose state. I wish your friend much strength with the decisions that face her right now. No one should have to face this. My thoughts and prayers are with her. Sparks Fri, 06 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT Maria, I think we've talked and you were trying to get with Dr. Geller at UPMC...please let me know how that went. - michelle Weadocm Sun, 08 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT I've going to Moffitt on and off for years. B/c and now overian.I have hope with the doctors. My husband had cancer they kept hin alive 4 years longer then other doc said. It's a teaching hospital, but it has saved my life. If you can't pay thay will help.People come from all over to get treatments. They are up to date on all cancers. Give them a call, you won't be sorry. HUG Carol Hope? Mon, 16 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT Hi Carol, Thanks for writing I did suggest Moffit but they decided to stick with the doctor in OK even though they are getting very little or NO results. We have all tried to help them understand where this could lead them. Around the first of the year we all (her parents, my sister and I) had to decide to love and let go. It is their (hers and her husbands) decision and there is nothing that we can do. Letting go has been the hardest thing that we have ever done especially since we know that there are proven treatments out there that can shrink lesions and in some cases put patients in remission. Granted the doctors at Moffitt and The Florida Cancer Institute said their protocols would not put her in remission however there was a great chance that many of the lesions would shrink or even disappear which could possibly make her a candidate for Dr Gellers program. For many of us this was very hopeful and promising but in the end it was not enough for Laura and her husband to take the chance and change doctors. The cancer has engulfed the entire right lobe and has spread to the left lobe. Thanks to all for your support. For now.we can only hope and pray. By the way.I do hope that you are feeling better. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Maria Starsmom Wed, 18 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT