Anyone repeated chemo treatment for recurrent breast cancer?

@slrny2000 so sorry this has happened to you, especially with the delay. I hope you find an oncologist you can trust. I have not had a recurrence or chemo but wanted to say that in addition to this Mayo site, breastcancer.org can be really helpful. Good luck and keep us posted!

I am with windy shores. The new oncologist needs to know what you have walked through. You know you will have a good one, if they map out all the tests and treatments possible in the coming weeks. They schedule everything. My father had a growth on his neck that was misdiagnosed for many months. He had a history of skin cancers, and this in fact was a squamous that metastasis. He had chemo and radiation.
CT scan, MRI and all will show what is there and where. I like to think the "possibility" door then opens. What needs to be done next. Getting the test is the first best step.
I think many of us may have friends living with stage 4 years after diagnosis. The "why did i get cancer" question is mute. Dang it, really God? , is what i said the first time. My 2 friends have shown me the treatments in 2024 are getting more effective. I want to add that i have now had 4 bone marrow biopsies due to my MDS.
I cannot say i ever thought much about my marrow. Now i see how important it is.
Keep us posted.

Thank you for your responses and encouragement. It has been recommended I seek out some counseling to work through some of this stuff. I do have avenues open to me at work. I work in our local hospital in the Quality Management department, so I see it all the good, bad and the ugly of everything that occurs within our walls as well as our clinics.

I guess I should add that I had breast cancer in 2014, did all the chemo treatments, had a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. Had no signs of anything being wrong until I had the pleural effusion in 2023.

I have an appointment with the new oncologist Wednesday, she is someone my friend sees and trusts. If I am not satisfied, I will continue to look for someone else.

Hi @slrny2000, I expanded the title of this discussion to reflect your question of whether someone has had chemo a second time.

Any updates? Did you find out the results of the biopsy? How is the new oncologist? Next steps?

Thank you for doing that. I do have somewhat of an update. I do like the new oncologist, she's very thorough. The biopsy showed there are two types of cancer present, the original breast cancer and another type, I don't remember that information a lot to absorb. I did have a CT scan last Monday, it showed the lymph node under my arm has shrunk as well as a spot around the para-trachea area that I didn't even know I had, has shrunk. The secondary type of cancer in the mass is not susceptible to the Faslodex. The new oncologist asked permission to take to the tumor board at UC Davis to figure out the best course of treatment. The CT written report did not have any information regarding bones which the oncologist thought was odd so after my appointment she called the radiologist who pulled up the films. . . . there is a spot on some area of the T-spine and 1 on the C-spine which I think have been there since the first PET/CT scan in August 2023. We are now waiting to get authorization for an MRI, queen of claustrophobia here will be going to an open MRI. They won't give me IV sedation for an outpatient MRI at the hospital that I work at so I will be driving about an hour to get an open one I will still need sedation but have someone to take me. So we are in a holding pattern. The new oncologist says she orders PET scans for her patient's every 3 months. I was rather shocked by that considering the previous one only felt like he needed the first one only.
Wow, sorry for all that rambling. Have a great week.

slmy2000- I am so happy you got a new oncologist who listens. Tumor board YES. My breast cancer went to them, which ended my RED Devil 4 infusions to only 1 infusion (12 prior Taxol/Carbo infusion) I got Lynparza. I was told by my NP that these doctors talk about all that is going on with you and what has been done, needs to be done or could be done to get to cure. When we have cancer, and with returned cancer we need tests more often. How do we know if things are improving.
I am sorry about your claustrophobia. Having other choices like sedation are so important. We must act and find those service we need. Saying a prayer for peace.

You might find the tips in this discussion helpful:
- Do you have a coping mechanism to get through an MRI?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/do-you-have-a-coping-mechanism-to-get-through-an-mri/
Did you have the MRI, @slrny2000?

@colleenyoung thank you for sharing the link, I've read it previously. While I appreciated how so many people actually manage to cope and get through an MRI, my panic-anxiety level is not easily managed. I will be having an open MRI and still due to needing the "cage" around my neck, will be medicated orally with Ativan. I am waiting for this to be scheduled since the person responsible for referrals didn't get the referral made until 11/6 even though it was put in as an URGENT order on 10/28. I had to make multiple calls to the cancer center and then to the imaging center. I am about done with having to manage my care.