BFF has breast cancer metastasis to bone

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-14-2007
BFF has breast cancer metastasis to bone
7
Tue, 06-03-2008 - 9:38pm

Hi,


My best friend, more family to me than my own family, just told me an xray confirmed bone cancer (she is having a bone scan Friday, but the xray is positive for a sclerotic lesion.


She is single, alone with no family support except for my family and some friends. She was treated for Stage 2 or 3 Breast cancer with lumpectomies, chemo and radiation. When the tested her lymph nodes they were positive for cancer (5 were) but one had burst out of it's capsule.


She has been doing really well except for shoulder pain.  The lesion is on her scapula.

I just wonder if anyone has advice or can let me know what to expect as her support person (I am her medical power of attorney and soon to be power of attorney).  She is only 50, I am 41. I didn't expect this so soon in our lives.


I am in shock...it's not everyday you learn your best friend, best support and a wonderful person has incurable cancer. To me, this just sucks.


 


 

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2007
Wed, 06-04-2008 - 11:30pm

thw10.gif image by maggie3333


Welcome to the board.

Photobucket

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-14-2007
Fri, 06-06-2008 - 8:10am

Hi Maggie,


Thanks for responding. I know my bff is already on an estrogen inhibiter drug (forget the name). She just finished 6 months of chemo (she also has polycystic kidneys and liver which made her go slow with the chemo so they didn't start failing) and 6 weeks of radiation this past winter. I am not sure how much treatment she will allow, but we will have to talk to the doc. She thought she was cured and had a clean bone scan right after.


So you know StageIV Breast cancer ladies that have lived years with bone mets without too many problems? That is encouraging, though I think the ACS says only 20% make it to 5 years.


She will met with her doctors next week after the bone scan today. I will probably ask more questions after that. If you have any suggestions or stuff I can read that would be great.

What a great lady you are running these two websites.


Thanks,
Joanne


iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2007
Fri, 06-06-2008 - 9:55am

Joanne, remember that statistics are old news once they are released.

Photobucket

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-14-2007
Sun, 06-08-2008 - 8:02pm

Hi,


Thanks again for your positive vibes. Wow 12 years with bone mets.

My friend has polycystic kidney and liver disease...her only chemo she had started her kidney failure (luckily it has gone slow). Has your friend that survived that long had to get a lot of treatment? I ask because my friend may even refuse treatment if she thinks she just has to keep getting it over and over to survive.


Thanks again, we get the results of her bone scan tomorrow or the next day..


Joanne


iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2007
Sun, 06-08-2008 - 10:27pm
I don't want to discourage you, but she has been on treatment the entire time, basically.

Photobucket

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-13-2008
Fri, 06-13-2008 - 1:43pm

Hi, coolteach, just want you and your friend to know that there is hope.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-19-2008
Thu, 06-19-2008 - 8:12pm

Hi Joanne,


Does your BFF have bone cancer or breast cancer in the bone? When my breast cancer came back, it was on my back in my bones.