Background: 6 years ago, at age 40, I went for my first ever mammogram to learn that I have Breast Cancer . I quickly had a lumpectomy followed by 7 weeks of radiation (did not have time to think or feel really, was all rushed!). I’ve had a lot of reactions from the radiation as the years have gone by. Too many to list. But I just deal with them as they come.
I am luckily in remission now, but frequently wonder what would happen if my breast cancer was to come back- what would I do?
So, what is My Plan when it Recurs?
Second, I would do a genetic test to narrow down the list of drugs that may work on my tumor, and in parallel do a sensitivity assay that tests which drug, experimental drug or combination works best on my tumor. The results from these tests will help my oncologists pick the right drug or combination that we know has a higher chance of working on my tumor.
In this day and age there is no reason to settle for standard of care when there are better or supplementary options out there. I want to find all these options and be ready!
Ladies, what else is out there? What else should I research?
First of all, let me say I pray your cancer never returns and you live to a ripe old age, never having to deal with this again. Knowledge is power for sure. In order to get the kind of treatment you talk of you will probably have to be near a major teaching cancer center. We are not. We are fighting pancreatic cancer. We see ads for immunotherapy and wonder why it’s not being offered. We went to Dana Farber Csncer Center in Boston. They have a whole department that treats and researches our kind of cancer. I asked him about immunity therapy. He said there isn’t any. I said but I have seen ads and articles about it. He said there isn’t any that are effective but for profit hospitals offer it but it’s not proven to be effective. I guess my lesson is just to beware. Dana Farber is a large research, teaching and treatment center. If anyone knew of a more effective treatment, they certainly would. Again I wish you wellness for many more years to come. We did get much needed information from them that has shaped our future treatment and the recommendation to forgo radiation. We were told for my husbands condition there is no proof that it’s benefitial and in fact some people do less well with radiation. I guess for now it can remain in the toolbox in case it is needed down the road.