As many of you know, in October of 2016 I found a breast lump and, after a sonogram and biopsy, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 ductal carcinoma. In November of 2016, I elected to have a bilateral mastectomy in order to have the most aggressive and long lasting possible solution. After the mastectomy, Chris and I met with the oncologist to review the full pathology that resulted from the tumor and lymph node removal. It was determined that the cancer was actually lobular, not ductal, and stage 1, or not as big as initially thought. In addition, my lymph nodes were clear and showed no sign of cancer. This is generally interpreted to mean that the cancer has not spread. Our oncologist told us that if I elected to have 4 rounds of chemotherapy and took hormone suppressing medication for 5 years, the data showed a significant reduction in the likelihood of recurrence over next 10 years. So, my sister helped me shop for some cool wigs and we went for it. I was in for anything we could do to reduce the likelihood of dealing with breast cancer again.
Fast forward four years from the last round of chemo-- based on some symptoms unrelated to breast cancer, I had a kidney scan to check for kidney stones and the scan showed an unusual spot on my liver. The doctor treating me and the radiologist who analyzed the CT Scan thought it likely a hemangioma - common and generally harmless - but did recommend an MRI to get a bigger image and more information. When the MRI results came back they shocked us. The MRI showed a few large lesions in my liver along with several (up to 100) small spots on my liver as well as a spot on my lower spine (L5) and hip bone (SI ). I immediately made an appointment to see my oncologist later that week and Chris came along. The oncologist indicated that it appeared the cancer was back and, since it had spread even though I was on daily hormone suppressants, it had likely mutated. He ordered a PET Scan from the chin to the knee to see if there was additional spread. Additionally, a biopsy was ordered for both my largest liver and largest bone lesions. Last week all of those tests were completed and next Tuesday (4/20) we should have all the advanced pathology results that will point us to a targeted set of therapies to manage the cancer. The PET scan did show additional spread within bones but not beyond my liver and bones to additional organs. That is a good sign.
Couple of interesting facts/information:
Generally, once a cancer like breast cancer has spread or metastasized beyond its original organ it is considered Stage 4 and your care is no longer considered curative (i.e. the cancer goes away) but instead is considered palliative (you manage symptoms and focus on quality of life for as long as possible). I feel the same as I felt 4 weeks ago and my blood work is normal. This means that, despite the cancer presence, everything is still functioning properly - another good sign.
So my/our goals are:
- Get the cancer to stop spreading.
- Shrink the existing lesions.
- Get to a NED (No Evidence of Disease). This does not mean cured but means nothing is big enough to show up on a scan.
While there are lesions in my liver and bones, it is not suspected that I have liver or bone cancer but final pathology results will confirm. I most likely have breast cancer that has spread to my liver and bones.
I will try and update or have one of my amazing friends/family update regularly. Right now we are good for meals, rides, and other help, but I do suspect we may need those things in the future. I will have links added here as those needs arise.
For now, we could use all the good thoughts, prayer and positive vibes you could send our way!
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