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One year post treatment of TNBC
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Joy63 posted:
I am one year post treatment after have two tumors in right breast that were triple negative. I have undergone chemotherapy and radiation. During this past year my liver enzymes of ALP and GGT have been both elevated and normal. I will be having a liver biopsy on Dec 20th and would like to know if anybody has experienced anything like this. Thanks for your comments
4 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:One year post treatment of TNBCI am one year post treatment after have two tumors in right breast that were triple negative. I have undergone chemotherapy and radiation. During this past year my liver enzymes of ALP and GGT have been both elevated and normal. I will be having a liver biopsy on Dec 20th and would like to know if anybody has experienced anything like this. Thanks for your comments
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tnbcstage4 responded:
My mother has tnbc, with nearly full metastasis to the liver. Stage IV. Please, please, right away, do a PET scan of the liver and lungs, including all lymph nodes, and all other major organs if possible, as well as a brain MRI (although, for some reason, it's not easy for cancer to metastasize to the brain).

Do NOT trust liver enzyme levels. My mom's liver enzymes went back to normal 3rd week of June. The doctors did nothing till mid-October. Not a single scan, nothing. Next thing we know, it fully metastasized to the point of being ineligible for even a liver transplant.

Also, do not trust a "bone scan" either. In my mom's case, it came out completely clear, no cancerous anything, and on the other hand, we've got CT and PET scan results that rubbish the bone scan.

Currently, mom's mid-way through her 3rd chemo (Doxil and Carboplatin, combined with Xgeva and Neulasta), we did a CAT scan last Thursday, and the oncologist basically said that this current chemo regimen is useless. We should have known something was off when mom did not lose any hair the last 7 weeks.
Report This| Share this:One year post treatment of TNBCMy mother has tnbc, with nearly full metastasis to the liver. Stage IV. Please, please, right away, do a PET scan of the liver and lungs, including all lymph nodes, and all other major organs if possible, as well as a brain MRI (although, for some reason, it's not easy for cancer to metastasize to the brain). <br /><br />Do NOT trust liver enzyme levels. My mom's liver enzymes went back to normal 3rd week of June. The doctors did nothing till mid-October. Not a single scan, nothing. Next thing we know, it fully metastasized to the point of being ineligible for even a liver transplant.<br /><br />Also, do not trust a "bone scan" either. In my mom's case, it came out completely clear, no cancerous anything, and on the other hand, we've got CT and PET scan results that rubbish the bone scan.<br /><br />Currently, mom's mid-way through her 3rd chemo (Doxil and Carboplatin, combined with Xgeva and Neulasta), we did a CAT scan last Thursday, and the oncologist basically said that this current chemo regimen is useless. <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/frown.gif" align="top" border="0"> We should have known something was off when mom did not lose any hair the last 7 weeks.
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tnbcstage4 responded:
According to a family-friend oncologist, doing a biopsy when you've got tnbc (and if it's a grade 3, like my mom's, i.e. aggressive) is like heading out to a huge lawn and randomly picking a one square foot area to find out if it has weeds. Fail.

Relying on a liver enzyme test is like heading out to that same lawn and taking a look at the lawn from one end and then saying that you cannot see any weeds. Fail.

If things get bad or really bad:
Stay off of anything that has sugar, salt, and anything spicy. Make sure to avoid loose motion like the plague. Ban visitors to your home. If they do come, take em straight to the bathroom and have em wash hands with soap. Hand sanitizer is useless against C-Diff, a common bacterial infection whose side-effects (primarily loose motion) negate the effect of the chemo. Increase intake of Calcium, B12, Vitamin C, Protein. If your stomach does not agree to regular Ensure, go with Ensure Clear, available at Walmart and other fine establishments. Make sure to ask for Ensure Clear coupons from your Oncologist Dietitian.
Report This| Share this:One year post treatment of TNBCAccording to a family-friend oncologist, doing a biopsy when you've got tnbc (and if it's a grade 3, like my mom's, i.e. aggressive) is like heading out to a huge lawn and randomly picking a one square foot area to find out if it has weeds. Fail.<br /><br />Relying on a liver enzyme test is like heading out to that same lawn and taking a look at the lawn from one end and then saying that you cannot see any weeds. Fail.<br /><br />If things get bad or really bad:<br />Stay off of anything that has sugar, salt, and anything spicy. Make sure to avoid loose motion like the plague. Ban visitors to your home. If they do come, take em straight to the bathroom and have em wash hands with soap. Hand sanitizer is useless against C-Diff, a common bacterial infection whose side-effects (primarily loose motion) negate the effect of the chemo. Increase intake of Calcium, B12, Vitamin C, Protein. If your stomach does not agree to regular Ensure, go with Ensure Clear, available at Walmart and other fine establishments. Make sure to ask for Ensure Clear coupons from your Oncologist Dietitian.
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Joy63 replied to tnbcstage4's response:
Thanks for your heartfelt reply. My heart goes out to you and your mother. I will take your advice under advisement. I go see the oncologist first part of January. This enzyme thing has been going on for close to a year. I will request or demand a PET scan at that time. Did my liver biopsy yesterday and am hoping that they find out what is going on. I would like to follow your mother's progress if at all possible since it seems we have so much in common. Let me know and thanks again
Report This| Share this:One year post treatment of TNBCThanks for your heartfelt reply. My heart goes out to you and your mother. I will take your advice under advisement. I go see the oncologist first part of January. This enzyme thing has been going on for close to a year. I will request or demand a PET scan at that time. Did my liver biopsy yesterday and am hoping that they find out what is going on. I would like to follow your mother's progress if at all possible since it seems we have so much in common. Let me know and thanks again
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Joy63 replied to tnbcstage4's response:
Thanks for your comments and for responding to my question. I just did my biopsy yesterday and will let you know what happens next, thanks again
Report This| Share this:One year post treatment of TNBCThanks for your comments and for responding to my question. I just did my biopsy yesterday and will let you know what happens next, thanks again
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