1. < Breast Cancer

New Predictive Blood Test: ctDNA

Posted by colely @colely, Jun 10 8:37am

From http://www.theguardian.com. A new ctDNA blood test identifies returning circulating tumor cells before a scan can find cancer recurrence. The old ctDNA used a technique called whole exome sequencing that typically looks for between 16 and 50 mutations. The new test uses whole genome sequencing and searches for 1,800 mutations making it more sensitive. June 2, 2024. This sounds like a real advancement! I wonder when it will be implemented in our treatment.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Breast Cancer Support Group.

bianca24 | @bianca24 | Jul 7 9:36am
In reply to @leolion811 "Dealing with my 2nd reoccurrence of TNBC right now. Same spot - local . Signatera started..." + (show)
@leolion811

Dealing with my 2nd reoccurrence of TNBC right now. Same spot - local . Signatera started about 2 years after 1st diagnosis, and like I said I did the test about every 2 months and all the results were negative even when I my TNBC returned.

Just finished 30 Proton Therapy treatments - horrible side effects. And taking Xeloda for another 4 and 1/2 months.

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I’m also a TNBC survivor. Can you please share as much info to help me out? I’m so afraid of recurrences. I was told recurrence rate is 40% for me. That’s why we signed up for Signatera but that isn’t 100% reliable, is it? Did you do chemo (ACT) the first time? Did you achieve pathological complete response?

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elizabet | @elizabet | Jul 7 9:49am
In reply to @leolion811 "Dealing with my 2nd reoccurrence of TNBC right now. Same spot - local . Signatera started..." + (show)
@leolion811

Dealing with my 2nd reoccurrence of TNBC right now. Same spot - local . Signatera started about 2 years after 1st diagnosis, and like I said I did the test about every 2 months and all the results were negative even when I my TNBC returned.

Just finished 30 Proton Therapy treatments - horrible side effects. And taking Xeloda for another 4 and 1/2 months.

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Could you share what some of "the horrible side effects" were from the 30 Proton Therapy treatments?

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leolion811 | @leolion811 | Jul 7 10:51am
In reply to @bianca24 "I’m also a TNBC survivor. Can you please share as much info to help me out?..." + (show)
@bianca24

I’m also a TNBC survivor. Can you please share as much info to help me out? I’m so afraid of recurrences. I was told recurrence rate is 40% for me. That’s why we signed up for Signatera but that isn’t 100% reliable, is it? Did you do chemo (ACT) the first time? Did you achieve pathological complete response?

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Yes, the anxiety is always there. Yes, the first time was the Red Devil then Taxol and rads. Then Gemzar and Carboplatin and rads. And this time Proton Therapy (30 treatments) and lost all of skin - slowly healing plus took Xeloda M-F and getting ready to start back on Xeloda for 4 and 1/2 months 🙏🏼

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leolion811 | @leolion811 | Jul 7 10:51am
In reply to @elizabet "Could you share what some of "the horrible side effects" were from the 30 Proton Therapy..." + (show)
@elizabet

Could you share what some of "the horrible side effects" were from the 30 Proton Therapy treatments?

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Lost all of my skin where they zapped me with the Protons.

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leolion811 | @leolion811 | Jul 7 10:53am

The article was not there when I clicked on it.

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leolion811 | @leolion811 | Jul 7 10:54am

Keep us posted please!

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colely | @colely | Jul 7 1:33pm

I will try my best to alert everyone! Blessings.

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elizabet | @elizabet | Jul 7 2:54pm
In reply to @leolion811 "Lost all of my skin where they zapped me with the Protons." + (show)
@leolion811

Lost all of my skin where they zapped me with the Protons.

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Oh no! That must have been unbearably painful. They want to do 5 weeks of radiation under my left armpit and the entire area where the mastectomy was done. Although I don't know what type of radiation they plan to use, I will be sure to decline any Proton Therapy treatments. Thanks for the information!

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leolion811 | @leolion811 | Jul 7 5:07pm
In reply to @elizabet "Oh no! That must have been unbearably painful. They want to do 5 weeks of radiation..." + (show)
@elizabet

Oh no! That must have been unbearably painful. They want to do 5 weeks of radiation under my left armpit and the entire area where the mastectomy was done. Although I don't know what type of radiation they plan to use, I will be sure to decline any Proton Therapy treatments. Thanks for the information!

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Apparently the Mayo Clinic does Proton Therapy different. They use Mepitel a skin protection system that they use throughout the entire Proton Therapy system that saves your skin. But the Maryland Proton Center doesn’t use it. So before you say No to Proton look into Mepitel 🤗 the area that they zapped was under the entire right armpit and surrounding area 🙏🏼

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elizabet | @elizabet | Jul 7 5:13pm
In reply to @leolion811 "Apparently the Mayo Clinic does Proton Therapy different. They use Mepitel a skin protection system that..." + (show)
@leolion811

Apparently the Mayo Clinic does Proton Therapy different. They use Mepitel a skin protection system that they use throughout the entire Proton Therapy system that saves your skin. But the Maryland Proton Center doesn’t use it. So before you say No to Proton look into Mepitel 🤗 the area that they zapped was under the entire right armpit and surrounding area 🙏🏼

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How does an area with no skin begin to heal?

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