Post by babe on Apr 8, 2009 19:08:59 GMT -5
Hello ladies,
Well it's been a tough week and I have thought of you often just didn't have the strength to come here and tell you what is going on.
Last week I went in to start my 6th round of the Abraxane trial and learned that I was being removed from the trial because the cancer had spread further. Although my lungs are now clear and the existing tumours have shrunk, they have found more tumours in the bones and liver. We were dealing with 7 tumours in the right lobe of the liver. Now there are a total of 19 tumours in both right and left lobes. There is now a tumour in my left shoulder, left femur and both hips and my lumbar spine.
So I have been switched to FEC chemo which is the same thing I had 10 years ago. This is much harder chemo with more side effects. It has been a tough week physically dealing with that as well as the emotional discouragement of knowing things are spreading.
I also learned something that I am hoping some of you may be able to shed some light on. Apparently although I have always been told that my cancer estregon positive, in fact my estrogen levels are weak, but my progesterone levels are very high. So although the 2 hormones are linked they do different things. My orginial tumour measured 59 for estrogen and 350 for progesterone!!! My current biopsy was 30% estrogen (weak) and 80-90% progesterone positive. What the heck!!!
Has any ever heard this before or aware if it really matters? Tamoxifen is supposed to suppress estrogen but if my estrogen levels are weak to begin with then what is it really doing? I hope someone can answer this or have some ideas, thanks everyone!
Love n hugs
Colleen
Well it's been a tough week and I have thought of you often just didn't have the strength to come here and tell you what is going on.
Last week I went in to start my 6th round of the Abraxane trial and learned that I was being removed from the trial because the cancer had spread further. Although my lungs are now clear and the existing tumours have shrunk, they have found more tumours in the bones and liver. We were dealing with 7 tumours in the right lobe of the liver. Now there are a total of 19 tumours in both right and left lobes. There is now a tumour in my left shoulder, left femur and both hips and my lumbar spine.
So I have been switched to FEC chemo which is the same thing I had 10 years ago. This is much harder chemo with more side effects. It has been a tough week physically dealing with that as well as the emotional discouragement of knowing things are spreading.
I also learned something that I am hoping some of you may be able to shed some light on. Apparently although I have always been told that my cancer estregon positive, in fact my estrogen levels are weak, but my progesterone levels are very high. So although the 2 hormones are linked they do different things. My orginial tumour measured 59 for estrogen and 350 for progesterone!!! My current biopsy was 30% estrogen (weak) and 80-90% progesterone positive. What the heck!!!
Has any ever heard this before or aware if it really matters? Tamoxifen is supposed to suppress estrogen but if my estrogen levels are weak to begin with then what is it really doing? I hope someone can answer this or have some ideas, thanks everyone!
Love n hugs
Colleen