My Mom is diagnosed with Stage IV Breast Cancer

Welcome to the board. So sorry about your mother's diagnosis. I  know nothing about the health care system in Hong  Kong. But, I do understand that stage IV cancer needs agressive treatment. I am sure doctors will advise chemotherapy. This is the time to bring out the "big guns."  I hope there is some way you can find to go this route. It will offer your mother the best chance of survival. Lauri

Thanks all your advice.
My mon was first diagnosed with breast cancer back in 1991/92. She had her right breast removed surgically and underwent sessions of chemotherapy later. A year and a half ago, she found her right arm go limp and suspected a recurrence. So she consulted a few doctors who said it was probably related to the bones and nerves and operated on her joint areas. they also said there were a black spot on my mom's lung but they said it was okay.
but her arm got worse after surgery, and right now she can hardly grasp or hold a thing. It goes limp and numb. And she found some lumps in her right breast a month ago. We saw another doctor, and after all these X-ray, MIR, biopsy and PET Scan, he suspected it was either a stage IV recurrence or even a new type of cancer. We will be getting the core needle biopsy report this morning. Also he said only hormonal therapy or chemo is suitable, for the cancer is inoperable, already spread to lung, ribs and lymph. Early signs of metastasis in the lung.
I am not sure if chemo is okay with mom (whether it is too expensive with no clear improvement guaranteed I am not sure) and I am thinking about chinese medicine. Too many questions and too many options. I am just despearate.
Please kindly give me any advice. Thank you all.

A black spot on the lung and the doctors say it is OK?!?! I'm no medical person, but a black spot on the lung does not sound OK to me. Limp arm and inability to grasp? Has anyone considered the possiblity of a stroke? If she had her right breast removed, are the lumps she has found on the chest wall? Can't be in the breast if it is gone. Lots of questions that leave me wondering. Lauri (dxed 04/11/1996

First, you need to find out if this is what is called a "local recurrence," which is where the cancer is limited to the same breast (even with a mastectomy, microscopic breast tissue is left behind, so cancers can recur at a mastectomy site), or whether the cancer has, indeed, spread to the lung.

I see some good news here. If this is a recurrence, it has taken a LONG TIME to come back. That would make it a slow growing cancer, which is typically easier to fight with chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy. Your mom may have many good years left in her, sweetie!

Chemotherapy affects different people in different ways. Chemotherapy is not painful. I had 6 months of chemo and worked every day, without interruption, for the entire 6 months. I wasn't always 100%, but then I'm not always 100% now, either! They have some very good drugs to fight the side effects of chemotherapy, especially the nausea and fatigue.

Hormonal therapies can also be very effective, and the side effects are minimal

A close friend of mine had an oncologist who was Chinese. He treated her with both Western and Chinese methods, including herbs and acupuncture. The Western medicine was to fight the cancer, the Chinese medicine to help with side effects. She thought the Chinese herbs and acupuncture were beneficial.

Again, your mother may have many good years left! Please don't lose hope yet.

Hugs...
BEV

Metastasis means the cancer has spread to another part of the body. If she has a metastisis to the lung, it means she has breast cancer in the lung. Lauri (dxed 04/11/1996)

I don't think any doctor can guarantee a "cure" for metatstatic breast cancer.  To date, there is no known "cure."  Most of us, even those of us who have gone a long time without evidence of disease, know that the proverbial "other shoe" could drop at any time, as it has with your mother. 

I haven't heard of photodynamic therapy as a breast cancer met treatment, but I am by no means an expert on the subject.  I would think that most doctors would talk about treatment in terms of expected months or years that could be gained by a treatment.

We have many women who come here who have survived with mets for many years, and some doctors prefer to talk about metatstatic disease in terms of a "chronic illness," rather than a life-ending illness; and while I do say that your mom could have many good years left, I think you should be aware that there IS no cure. 

My hope for my friends with mets is that current treatments give them the time it takes to FIND that cure.

Perhaps someone with more knowledge will be able to answer your question about the success with that particular treatment.  But beware of anyone who promises a cure.

BEV

cujlm said...
Good to find this forum.
I am from Hong Kong.

My mom is diagnosed with recurring Stage IV Breast Cancer in her first Biopsy. She has just completed her second biopsy because her doctor is not sure whether it is really a recurrence or new cancer. The report will be ready tomorrow.

Can you all give my some advice on this? I am now desperate about what treatments should be adopted. On one hand, chemotherapy is too expensive and aggressive, and on the other hand, I am not sure if we can just depend upon Chinese Medicine. I am thinking a combination of both but learning about the meagre 10% 5-year survival rate, it brings out my tears...

hi sorry to hear what your dad is going through. just exactry what my mum went through untill untill somone gave us an info somewhere in africa where cancer is treated withouth any operation or surgery. they cure with roots. as we heard about that, we quickly rush to nigerian embercy in berlin and secure a visa and flown my mum down there. she spent nearly 1 month and got the treatment untill everything got disappered. so try there and i promise you that the cancer will be vanished. up till today my mum is helthier than before and we all are so happy about the result.i wish all the best
cychi

well is been quite long now that we went through these processes. to be updated on the whole information i need to contact my mum once more. but anyway i think what yoou mama need is to be healthy again. the procedure might be uninteresting to her i guess. just try there and see with your eye. life has no duplicate and i know how worried we were during this hard time of ours. cancer is a deadly sickness as we all know and is not advisable to delay.