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Ceyenne
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I am on eighteen weeks of low dose Paxlitaxel plus three weekly fusions of Herceptin and Perjeta and once a month injections of Denosumab. I am recently diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer to liver and bones. I know that as I am triple positive I will be treated according to the CLEOPATRA guidelines but wondered what happens if chemo does not work? I've read that doctors do not exhaust chemotherapy options but give up if first line fails. I don't see how hormone therapy alone would keep me alive.

Does anybody have experience of this?

Thank you. 

Ceyenne

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    Hi Ceyenne,

    Sorry for what you're going through during this difficult time. Usually if the first line treatment fails, then there should be more options, hence why it is known as first line as there are second line options to. This may be another chemo, targeted therapy or clinical trial. Hormone therapies may work as it will "trick" the cancer that feeds of these hormones, hence allowing them to die, so don't rule this out! Keep in touch with your oncologist and share your concerns. Hope this helps.

     

    Nat.

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    Hello Nathan, 

    Thanks for your reply and sorry to hear about your mother. I hope you don't mind but I have added you as a friend on this site. I too, despite my own diagnosis. am very interested in other people's stories. 

    My doubt is that chemotherapy has to 'dampen the fire down' and then targeted/immuniotherapies can do their job but not before, and not if chemotherapy doesn't beat the cancer back. It's so nerve wracking.

    Sounds as if your mother either didn't respond to chemotherapy or that her cancer moved too quickly? That happened to a friend of mine who has primary liver. He was only at Stage 1 when diagnosed but his cancer took off like crazy and two months of chemotherapy did nothing for him. Doctors took him off it and didn't try systemic further. Awful. Primary liver is a killer. 

    I'm thinking I can get a second opinion but given what I have has such clear NICE guidelines I don't know if I'd get better treatment elsewhere.

    Thanks again. 

    Ceyenne

  • Offline in reply to Ceyenne

    Hi ceyanne. 

    My cancer is prostate gone to lymph nodes, spine, ribs pelvis and a lung. Diagnosed Feb 2016 went on hormone therapy then had docetaxel chemo. Nothing but hormone therapy since and alot (not all) of my cancer has receded. So you see hormone therapy can help and it can be changed after time to keep it working better. With me it's not a cure i have to live with my uninvited guest.

    Good luck with your treatment and your future. 

    Billy 

  • Offline in reply to Billygoatt

    Thanks, Billy - you do give me hope. Long may your case of small, spontaneous remission continue!

    Ceyenne

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