1. < Breast Cancer

My Mets Breast Cancer Story: Questions about Low WBC, spots on liver

Posted by maliamd @maliamd, Sep 4, 2023

I was dx with a small HER+ breast cancer 4 years ago. Had lumpectomy . No lymph node involvement. Radiation done. I am a runner and for years, after a run, I have been sore in the hips and lower back. I had my annual physical in June and they took X-rays of my lower back to see if my lower back area had arthritis or spondylosis. Xray showed a 5cm lesion on my left femur. Went to surgery asap to stabilize the femur with rods and screws placed. Biopsy showed HER+ breast cancer cells. Bone scan, Pet scan and CT with contrast done. Showed breast cancer in my shoulders, lower back, and small single spots on 2 of my ribs. Radiation done on lower back, shoulders, and leg. Now starting 3 meds...Ibrance, Fulvestrant, and Zometa. So far no side effects. My lower back, shoulders and leg feel great after radiation. Back to running!! My prognosis is good and as my doctors say this is just a hassle and an inconvenience!! Now to the question...my WBC has decreased to 3.4 after the radiation. I want to go to some outdoor fall events in the area. Is is safe to go

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orsejr | @orsejr | Nov 16, 2023
In reply to @maliamd "Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx..." + (show)
@maliamd

Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx with breast ca 4 years ago. Very small, HR+, no lymph node involvement. Lumpectomy and rad. Placed on aromatose inhibitors. Needless to say was a shock to hear about the spread which was found as an incidental finding for a lower spine x-ray. Very active, runner, healthy lifestyle and a RN. Treatment for this bone met Ibrance, Zometa, an d Fulvestrant. Feel good. Minimal side effects. Repeat PET scan this week to see how it is going. Bone hot spots responding well to treatment. One hot spot gone. One hot spot hotter. The scan did show a very small minimally active spot on my liver. Question to y'all....what are the treatment options for the very small liver spot?

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So sorry about your bone and liver Mets. Just curious did you have Oncotype done when first diagnosed ? Was you breast cancer lobular or ductal? How big was your original tumor? I assume your were HER2 negative. Glad treatments are helping . I wish you nothing but the best! Take care.

REPLY
maliamd | @maliamd | Nov 16, 2023
In reply to @maliamd "Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx..." + (show)
@maliamd

Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx with breast ca 4 years ago. Very small, HR+, no lymph node involvement. Lumpectomy and rad. Placed on aromatose inhibitors. Needless to say was a shock to hear about the spread which was found as an incidental finding for a lower spine x-ray. Very active, runner, healthy lifestyle and a RN. Treatment for this bone met Ibrance, Zometa, an d Fulvestrant. Feel good. Minimal side effects. Repeat PET scan this week to see how it is going. Bone hot spots responding well to treatment. One hot spot gone. One hot spot hotter. The scan did show a very small minimally active spot on my liver. Question to y'all....what are the treatment options for the very small liver spot?

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Tumor
Histologic Type: Invasive ductal carcinoma of no special type (invasive ductal carcinoma, not otherwise specified) Histologic Grade (Nottingham Histologic Score): Nottingham Score
Glandular (Acinar) / Tubular Differentiation: Score 1 Nuclear Pleomorphism: Score 2
Mitotic Rate: Score 1
Overall Grade: Grade 1 (scores of 3, 4 or 5)
Tumor Size: 9.0 mm

HER2 Positive
Onocotype not done as I was considered very low risk.

REPLY
cjs123172 | @cjs123172 | Nov 17, 2023
In reply to @maliamd "Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx..." + (show)
@maliamd

Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx with breast ca 4 years ago. Very small, HR+, no lymph node involvement. Lumpectomy and rad. Placed on aromatose inhibitors. Needless to say was a shock to hear about the spread which was found as an incidental finding for a lower spine x-ray. Very active, runner, healthy lifestyle and a RN. Treatment for this bone met Ibrance, Zometa, an d Fulvestrant. Feel good. Minimal side effects. Repeat PET scan this week to see how it is going. Bone hot spots responding well to treatment. One hot spot gone. One hot spot hotter. The scan did show a very small minimally active spot on my liver. Question to y'all....what are the treatment options for the very small liver spot?

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If you were HER positive, didn't you have chemo and herceptin?

REPLY
maliamd | @maliamd | Nov 17, 2023
In reply to @maliamd "Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx..." + (show)
@maliamd

Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx with breast ca 4 years ago. Very small, HR+, no lymph node involvement. Lumpectomy and rad. Placed on aromatose inhibitors. Needless to say was a shock to hear about the spread which was found as an incidental finding for a lower spine x-ray. Very active, runner, healthy lifestyle and a RN. Treatment for this bone met Ibrance, Zometa, an d Fulvestrant. Feel good. Minimal side effects. Repeat PET scan this week to see how it is going. Bone hot spots responding well to treatment. One hot spot gone. One hot spot hotter. The scan did show a very small minimally active spot on my liver. Question to y'all....what are the treatment options for the very small liver spot?

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Not with my profile and findings. Standard treatment for small no lymph involvement is to have just radiation and AI.

REPLY
1 reply
orsejr | @orsejr | Nov 17, 2023
In reply to @maliamd "Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx..." + (show)
@maliamd

Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx with breast ca 4 years ago. Very small, HR+, no lymph node involvement. Lumpectomy and rad. Placed on aromatose inhibitors. Needless to say was a shock to hear about the spread which was found as an incidental finding for a lower spine x-ray. Very active, runner, healthy lifestyle and a RN. Treatment for this bone met Ibrance, Zometa, an d Fulvestrant. Feel good. Minimal side effects. Repeat PET scan this week to see how it is going. Bone hot spots responding well to treatment. One hot spot gone. One hot spot hotter. The scan did show a very small minimally active spot on my liver. Question to y'all....what are the treatment options for the very small liver spot?

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May I ask how old are you? Where do you live?

REPLY
maliamd | @maliamd | Nov 17, 2023
In reply to @maliamd "Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx..." + (show)
@maliamd

Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx with breast ca 4 years ago. Very small, HR+, no lymph node involvement. Lumpectomy and rad. Placed on aromatose inhibitors. Needless to say was a shock to hear about the spread which was found as an incidental finding for a lower spine x-ray. Very active, runner, healthy lifestyle and a RN. Treatment for this bone met Ibrance, Zometa, an d Fulvestrant. Feel good. Minimal side effects. Repeat PET scan this week to see how it is going. Bone hot spots responding well to treatment. One hot spot gone. One hot spot hotter. The scan did show a very small minimally active spot on my liver. Question to y'all....what are the treatment options for the very small liver spot?

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I am 71 and live in Asheville NC. I have lived healthy all my life. Avid runner and hiker. No history of breast ca in any of my family.

REPLY
glendafl | @glendafl | Nov 18, 2023
In reply to @maliamd "Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx..." + (show)
@maliamd

Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx with breast ca 4 years ago. Very small, HR+, no lymph node involvement. Lumpectomy and rad. Placed on aromatose inhibitors. Needless to say was a shock to hear about the spread which was found as an incidental finding for a lower spine x-ray. Very active, runner, healthy lifestyle and a RN. Treatment for this bone met Ibrance, Zometa, an d Fulvestrant. Feel good. Minimal side effects. Repeat PET scan this week to see how it is going. Bone hot spots responding well to treatment. One hot spot gone. One hot spot hotter. The scan did show a very small minimally active spot on my liver. Question to y'all....what are the treatment options for the very small liver spot?

Jump to this post

I want to wish you the best and please stay in touch here. It’d be good to hear from you again. We need all the help/ support we can get. This is definitely a journey!!!
Have they checked to see if you are Alfa-1? It’s something I have just learned about since diagnosed with breast cancer, stage 1. My Neice has this disease. This disease can cause liver failure. It involves the lungs too. I only know about it through my Neice and when I called her to find out about our family history. I have 5 spots on my lungs, no symptoms. This was found out through an MRI that picked up part of my lung when getting ready for my lumpectomy surgery. There’s a research foundation called Alpha-1 Research with UF, University of Florida. You can be tested for free. I don’t know if cancer and this disease is related but if you have it, you need to know.
Let us know how you’re doing!!! Hugs.

REPLY
cjs123172 | @cjs123172 | Nov 18, 2023
In reply to @maliamd "Not with my profile and findings. Standard treatment for small no lymph involvement is to have..." + (show)
@maliamd

Not with my profile and findings. Standard treatment for small no lymph involvement is to have just radiation and AI.

Jump to this post

I am not a doctor but I can tell you with extraordinary confidence that if you are HER positive, standard treatment is one year of herceptin and 12 rounds of taxol. It is the standard of care backed up by years of clinical trials. If you didn't have this, I would investigate. Recurrence for these tumors is high but with herceptin and taxol, the risk is much much lower. I had an 8mm tumor and did this regimen, which is clearly outlined in medical journals.

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1 reply
cjs123172 | @cjs123172 | Nov 18, 2023
In reply to @maliamd "Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx..." + (show)
@maliamd

Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx with breast ca 4 years ago. Very small, HR+, no lymph node involvement. Lumpectomy and rad. Placed on aromatose inhibitors. Needless to say was a shock to hear about the spread which was found as an incidental finding for a lower spine x-ray. Very active, runner, healthy lifestyle and a RN. Treatment for this bone met Ibrance, Zometa, an d Fulvestrant. Feel good. Minimal side effects. Repeat PET scan this week to see how it is going. Bone hot spots responding well to treatment. One hot spot gone. One hot spot hotter. The scan did show a very small minimally active spot on my liver. Question to y'all....what are the treatment options for the very small liver spot?

Jump to this post

Here's the trial at 10 years.

https://www.dana-farber.org/newsroom/news-releases/2023/therapy-for-small-her2-positive-breast-tumors-continues-to-be-highly-effective-after-10-years-study-finds
REPLY
maliamd | @maliamd | Nov 18, 2023
In reply to @maliamd "Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx..." + (show)
@maliamd

Hello All, Diagnosed 3 months ago with breast cancer met to several bone areas. Was dx with breast ca 4 years ago. Very small, HR+, no lymph node involvement. Lumpectomy and rad. Placed on aromatose inhibitors. Needless to say was a shock to hear about the spread which was found as an incidental finding for a lower spine x-ray. Very active, runner, healthy lifestyle and a RN. Treatment for this bone met Ibrance, Zometa, an d Fulvestrant. Feel good. Minimal side effects. Repeat PET scan this week to see how it is going. Bone hot spots responding well to treatment. One hot spot gone. One hot spot hotter. The scan did show a very small minimally active spot on my liver. Question to y'all....what are the treatment options for the very small liver spot?

Jump to this post

Thanks for the link.

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