Radiation worked really well and pretty much killed the rest of the cancer in my bones and also a rogue 2cm node in my chest wall. It also gave me 4more months on Xeloda, which I may not have gotten if I didn't opt for radiation.
Radiation left me with awesome side effects, mostly because my dumb butt kept taking my chemotherapy. I was apparently supposed to stop it. So I have had acid reflux and digestive issues, which are so awesome.... yep. It was well worth getting pain away and also zapping more small cancer lesions.
Life went on, markers dropped. Like I said good, but last month the markers began to creep up by 10pts and again this month by 10pts. Granted they are in the 60s and normal is 37. Last year my markers were in the upper 300s, had a 1/2 functioning left lung, and also had cancer pretty much in small spots everywhere.
Now I guess here is the kinda bad news, Xeloda is allowing cancer to grow, small, but its growing. I have two small spots on my left lung that grew from 2mm to 4mm and 5mm. That coupled with my markers rising, my doctor & myself felt it would be best to move onto a new drug.
It is not ideal, I really wanted no drama for once, but I guess I will not get that now or at least not yet. I am finishing out this chemo cycle tomorrow and start my two new drugs on Friday - Faslodex and Ibrance.
Ibrance and Faslodex are therapies that specifically target my dumb tumor. I have a genetic mutation called CCND1, which works with Ibrance. Faslodex is a shot (two large ones) that reduces the estrogen that is produced in my body. Here is some boring, but maybe helpful information on both drugs:
Faslodex (chemical name: fulvestrant) is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat postmenopausal women diagnosed with advanced (metastatic) hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer that has stopped responding to other hormonal therapy medicines, such as tamoxifen. Its two large shots in the butt. I go every two weeks and then monthly.
Faslodex is the only ERD available to treat breast cancer.: ERDs block the effects of estrogen in breast tissue by attaching to the estrogen receptors in breast cells, by reducing the number of estrogen receptors, and by changing the shape of the estrogen receptors so they don't work as well. It comes with all the side effects women get in menopause x10. I am used to this by now, so its no shock.
Ibrance - IBRANCE is an oral inhibitor of CDKs 4 and 6,1 which are key regulators of the cell cycle that trigger cellular progression.3,4 IBRANCE is indicated for the treatment of HR+, HER2- advanced or metastatic breast cancer in combination with letrozole as initial endocrine based therapy in postmenopausal women, or fulvestrant in women with disease progression following endocrine therapy.1 Its given in 125mg pills and if you get LOW WBC, they drop the dose to make sure your counts are OK.
Like every drug, you hear good and you hear bad. My doctor specializes in genetics and feels that people with my mutation get a good run on it. Especially since my cancer is now only in my lung region. Like I always ask, just keep me in your thoughts.
I also have been having a go fund me to help me pay for debt for my medical care. It has been six years of this and I am tired of playing the what credit card should I use so I can pay for my medical bills, treatments, and vitamins. I usually don't ask for help and try to do things on my own, but I figured I would give it a shot. It has been doing really well & I thank you all for that.
https://www.gofundme.com/2cxdds6s
