In Brief

My battle in brief in reverse chronological order :
16 Oct 2012
Stopped Navelbine
Started Femara

12 Oct 2012
Cancer marker => 155.0

20 Sep 2012
Only navelbine and zometa infusions.  Stopped herceptin

20 Sep 2012
Cancer marker => 100.0

13 Sep 2012
CTscan neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis

3 Sep 2012
Herceptin + navelbine infusions
24 Aug 2012
Cancer marker => 106.0


10 Aug 2012
Herceptin + navelbine infusions

06 Aug 2012
Cancer marker => 110.0

16 Jul 2012
Started herceptin + navelbine infusions

11 Jul 2012
Heart function test (MUGA)

3 Jul 2012
CTscan chest, abodomen, pelvis

03 Jul 2012
Cancer marker => 104.0


25 Jun 2012
Stopped Tykerb and Xeloda

22 Jun 2012
Cancer marker => 85.2
 
10 May 2012
Cancer marker => 70.0


3 May 2012
CTscan chest, abdomen and pelvis

13 Apr 2012
Cancer marker => 97.6

26 Mar 2012
Xeloda 3rd cycle

21 Mar 2012
Cancer marker => 153.0

5 Mar 2012
Xeloda 2nd cycle

29 Feb 2012
Cancer marker => 242.0

13 Feb 2012
Started Xeloda, 1300mg per dose, 2 times a day, 2 weeks on and 1 week off.

02 Feb 2012
Cancer marker => 399.0

25 Jan 2012 to 27 Jan 2012
30 Jan 2012 to 3 Feb 2012
6 - 7 Feb 2012
10 doses of radiotherapy to the spine, T5 to T8 and T11, T12 and L1, L2

16 Jan 2012
Started Tykerb 1250mg

05 Jan 2012
Cancer marker => 393.0

20 Dec 2011 to 23 Dec 2011
Pleural effusion.  Warded for coop loop procedure to drain fluid from pleural lining of left chest.

01 Dec 2011
Cancer marker => 278.0

11 Jul 2011
Cancer marker => 81.9

25 Mar 2011
Cancer marker => 35.0

20 Dec 2010
Warded for indigestion due to fasting and intake of liquid contrast for CTscan.
 
13 Dec 2010
Cancer marker => 26.3
CTscan and blood test
more nodules on my right chest wall and one in the liver is still there

27 Sep 2010
Cancer marker => 17

Sep 2010
New lump above surgical line
Pain in right collar bone and on/off pain near surgical line. Pain disappeared after repeated energy healing therapy.

Aug 2010
Another lump (lymph node) just below right collar bone

12 Jul 2010
Cancer marker => 15.7

Rejected Zometa and ctscan

19 Apr 2010
Cancer marker => 14.6

Felt mild pain in the area where the 2 lumps are, near the surgical line

25 Jan 2010
Cancer marker => 13.3

25 Nov 2009
Found a new small lump about 2-3 cm below the right collar bone

9 Nov 2009
Cancer marker => 13.9
Rejected onco's suggestion for oral chemo and hormone therapy

4 Nov 2009
Discovered two small lumps on right chest wall
Another two tiny bumps on right side, near the upper inner arm

31 Aug 2009
Cancer marker => 13.8
Rejected onco's suggestion for hormone therapy

6 Jul 2009
Cancer marker => 13.1
Rejected onco's suggestion for hormone therapy

13 Mar 2009
Cancer marker => 12.9

19 Jan 2009
Cancer marker => 12.0
1 lump on right side, near the upper inner arm

30 Oct 2008
Cancer marker => 13.4

6 Oct 2008
herceptin - 300 mg (last dose - did not complete one year's prescription)

15 Sep 2008
herceptin - 300mg

25 Aug 2008
Chest x-ray
Increased right-sided pleural effusion (fluid in lining of right lung)
Atelectasis of right lower zone (partial collapse of lower right lung)
Stable left moderate pleural effusion

25 Aug 2008
Cancer marker => 12.7
herceptin - 300 mg

13 Aug 2008 - 1546 hours
Chest x-ray
Reduction in right pleural effusion
No change in left
Deformity of lateral aspect of right 7th rib suspicious metastatic involvement

13 Aug 2008
Pleural fluid sent for culture and test for -
- Fungal culture
- Lower respiratory culture
- AFB smear
- Gram Stain Smear
- Respiratory culture, anaerobic (culture of fluid extracted from lungs)
Results - all negative

13 Aug 2008
Chest tap - right lung - 1.2 ltrs of fluid
Fungal culture - negative

13 Aug 2008
Chest x-ray - 1150 hours
Bilateral moderate size pleural effusion
Bilateral partial bilateral lower lobes of lungs

4 Aug 2008
Herceptin only - 300mg

14 Jul 2008
Cancer marker => 16.0 (after 5th dose - I stopped chemo on the 5th cycle)

14 Jul 2008
Chest tap - right lung - 1 ltr of fluid removed
Herceptin only - 300mg

7 Jul 2008
CT scan - brain, chest and abdomen
No intra-cranial haemorrhage (compared to May 9 2008)
Fracture line extending to base of skull
Enhanced nodular thickening of mastectomy scar resolved
Moderate large bilaterial pleural effusions noted
Partial collapse (passive atelectasis) of lung bases
No definite nodule seen in aerate lung
Significant improvement of hepatic metastases in left lobe of liver
Mets in segment 6 resolved
Diffuse bony metastases show increased sclerosis compatible with treatment related response (I think it means when the bones healed, they become thicker.)

26 Jun 2008
herceptin only - 300 mg
chest tap - left lung - 590 ml of fluid

12 Jun 08, Thursday
chemo - 5th dose, 2nd half - taxotere 40 mg+ carboplatin 200 mg
pleural effusion again

29 May 2008
chemo - 5th dose, 1st half - herceptin 300 mg + taxotere 40 mg + carboplatin 250 mg
water retention in legs and lymphedema on right arm

26 May 2008
Cancer marker => 18.8 (before 5th dose)

9 May 2008
CT scan - brain
bleeding in left frontal region
vertical fracture on left rear, top to base of skull (from a previous fall some years back)

8 May 2008
Took another frusemide and 1 potassium chloride for water retention problem
Passed out and fell from a standing position and hit my head on the floor
Had seisure about 1 hour later
Warded for 2 days, blood test showed low potassium level due to large quantity of urine passed (as a result of frusemide) as cause of fainting

6 May 2008
Took one frusemide and one potassium chloride for water retention in legs and lymphedema in right arm

5 May 2008, Mon
chemo - 4th dose (full dose) -herceptin 280 mg + docetaxel 90mg + carboplatin 650mg

5 May 2008
Cancer marker => 20.0 (before 4th dose) Note : marker dropped below normal after the 3rd dose.

14 Apr 2008, Mon
chemo - 3rd dose (full dose) - herceptin 280mg + docetaxel 90mg + carboplatin 700mg

7 Apr 2008 - herceptin only - 90mg

1 Apr 2008
chemo - 2nd dose, last part - 90mg herceptin + 40mg taxotere + 250mg carboplatin

31 Mar 2008
Cancer marker => 48.1 (before 3rd, i.e. last part of 2nd dose)

24 Mar 2008
chemo - 2nd dose, 2nd part - 90mg herceptin + 40mg taxotere + 250mg carboplatin

17 Mar 2008
chemo - 2nd dose, 1st part - 90mg herceptin + 40mg taxotere + 250mg carboplatin

10 Mar 2008
Herceptin only - 80mg

3 Mar 2008
chemo - 1st dose, last portion - 40mg docetaxel + 200mg carboplatin

26 Feb 2008 - discharged from hospital

25 Feb 2008
chemo - 1st dose, 2nd portion - 35 mg docetaxel + 200mg carboplatin

22 Feb 2008
Chest tap on right lung - 700ml of fluid

22 Feb 2008
CT scan - Chest
Metastasis to left lung uper lobe - 0.5cm node
Suspected possibility of lymphangitis carcinomatosis (a condition where the tumour grows in and obstructs the lymphatics in the lungs)
Moderately large bilateral pleural effusions (fluid in lining of both lungs)
Partial collapse of right middle lobe of lung (right lung has 3 lobes), and bilateral lower lobes (left lung has only 2 lobes)
Small pericardial effusion (fluid in lining of heart)
Thickening or muscle on right side of chest (on the surgical site)
Metastatic deposits in the liver

22 Feb 2008
CT pulmonary angiogram done, confirmed damage to minor heart muscle
CT Cardiac Calcium scoring done after heart attack

20 Feb 2008
Smaller and newer lumps started disappearing after chemo

19 Feb 2008
Heart attack after chemo

18 Feb 2008
Started chemo - 1st dose, 1st portion
Drugs : taxotere + carboplatin + herceptin

18 Feb 2008
CT scan - (compared to ctscan of 4 Dec 2007)
More lumps on right chest wall measuring up to 1.2x0.8cm
Subcentimetre carinal node seen
Metastases to liver and bones increased
Metastases to thoracic spine, lumbar spine and ribs, largest in the left L1 hemivertebrae measuring 3.1x2.1cm
Bilateral pleural effusion worse, partial collapse of both lungs
Suspected collapsed gallbladder
New metastases in segments 2, 3, 4a, 6, 7 of the liver

Segments of the liver

15 Feb 2008
Cancer marker => 309 (before chemo)

15 Feb 2008 NM Heart Function (MUGA - MUltiple Gated Acquisition scan)
Normal LV (left ventricular) function at rest
LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction) was 63.4% on Nov 27 2006

15 Feb 2008
Admitted again, this time to SGH due to difficulty in breathing caused by bilateral pleural effusion

29 Jan 2008
Admitted to Changi General Hospital and warded for 7 days for coop loop procedure to drain fluid from lung linings
right lung - 1.3 ltr of fluid drained
left lung - nearly 500ml

12 Dec 2007
Bone scan - metastasis left 1st rib and L1 vertebra

4 Dec 2007
Cancer marker => 69.3

4 Dec 2007
CT scan of neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis
Scarring in bilateral lung bases
Borderline subcarinal node, measuring 1.3x0.9cm
Hypodense lesion in sgement 4B (of liver) measuring 3.3x2.9cm suspicious for metastasis
Lytic lesion in L1 vertebra
Nodules in right chest wall, suspicious for recurrence

22 Nov 2007
Ultrasound scan confirmed the relapse

Nov 2007
Started coughing
Vitamin C high dosage by iv treatment

Sep 2007
Pea-sized lump above surgical scar
Back to nutritionist who recommended antioxidant hotbed treatment

Apr 2007
Completed course of natural therapy and should have continued with maintenance (Carnivora), but did not and chose to follow a nutritionist's advice instead.

Dec 2006
Started on natural therapy (Graviola and Carnivora)

Turned down all conventional treatment, opted for natural therapy - Carnivora + Graviola

13 Nov 2006
Mastectomy of right breast
ER/PR, Cerb2(Her2) Positive
Stage 3 with grade 3 cancer cells
Infiltrative ductal carcinoma (invasive + DCIS)
Tumour size : 5 x 3.5 x 1.5 cm
Out of 9 lymph nodes removed, 4 were affected - biggest 1.3 cm

18 Oct 2006
2nd mammogram
Ultra sound scan
Ultrasound Guided TruCut Biopsy of right breast

End Sep 2006 - 1st mammogram