Vitals

Name:
Joyce (joyce)

Member Since:
February 19, 2008

Home page:
Click here.

Location:
Scotland Neck, North Carolina

Type of Cancer:
Breast Cancer

Diagnosis Date:
January 1994 & November 2005

Stage of Cancer:
Stage 2

Tumor Size:
03

ER:
Positive

PR:
Positive

Lymph Node Involvement:
Yes

Surgery:
Lymph Node Removal, Mastectomy

Chemotherapy:
Fluorouracil, Methotrexate, Cyclophosphamide (brand name: Cytoxan), Adriamycin (chemical name: doxorubicin)

Hormone Therapy:
Tamoxifen

Profile:
Cancer Survivor

What I Hate Most About Cancer:
The Chemo

What I Have Learned From Cancer:
Be Thankful For Every Day You Have

Things My Supporters Can Do To Help:
Pray for me and donate to this site and to cancer research if you can.

Cancer Symptoms:

I really had no symptoms that I noticed. I accidentally found the first lump in 1994 myself. The second one in 2005 was detected during my annual mammogram. I would never have found this one because it was in the center of the breast at the back wall.

Surgery Description, Dates & Side Effects:

January 1994 – Stage II - 2.4 cm lump… a second 0.3 cm lump found in breast after surgery. Left modified radical mastectomy with removal of 9 lymph nodes…1 (3cm) lymph node positive. ER/PR both positive.

November 2005 – Stage I – 1.6 cm lump. Right modified radical mastectomy with lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy. 2 lymph nodes removed…both clear of cancer. ER negative(1%) and PR positive(7%).

Radiation Description, Dates & Side Effects:

None either time.

Chemotherapy Description, Dates & Side Effects:

6 treatments from March 3, 1994 to June 29, 1994. Started with Taxol Study. Received high-dose Cytoxan 3980 mg and Adriamycin 74.6 mg for 2 cycles. A blood transfusion was required after 2nd treatment due to low hemoglobin. I developed a blood clot in my right arm shortly after the transfusion and had to be hospitalized and put on coumadin for 3 months. Had to be taken off Taxol Study because I could not take high-dose Cytoxan/Adriamycin and Coumadin. I was given Cytoxan 995 mg, 5-FU 995 mg and Adriamycin 99.5 mg for the next 4 treatments. I also had to get blood transfusions for the next 3 treatments. Other side effects were nausea, some vomiting, sores in mouth, diarrhea, heartburn, fatigue and complete loss of all hair.

6 treatments from January 20, 2006, to June 2, 2006. I was given a CMF combination of 1200 mg of Cytoxan (Cyclophosphamide), 80 mg of Methotrexate and 1200 mg of Fluorouracil (5-FU). This bout with chemo was much easier than the first. Only side effects were minor nausea, fatigue, sore mouth, minor diarrhea and only thinning of my hair.

The worst thing to happen was the death of my husband and my boston terrier dog in May during this bout of chemo.

Hormone Therapy Description, Dates & Side Effects:

Tamoxifen – July 1994 through July 1999
Hot flashes were the only side effect I remember.

Arimidex – June 2006 through January 2007
No side effects that I noticed.

Bone Marrow Transplant Description, Dates & Side Effects:

None

Immune Therapy Description, Dates & Side Effects:

Injections of G-CSF 10 mcg/kg until my ANC recovered. No side effects that I remember.

Joyce's Stats

joyce's Cancer Blog (10)

  Cataract Surgery Update

  Cataract Surgery Update

  Cataract Surgery Today

  Why I Have Been Away So Long

  April 6 Update On Parathyroid Surgery

  Information On Parathyroid Surgery

  Update On Parathyroid Surgery

  Back Home After Surgery

  Surgery On Friday

  Breast Cancer Survivor Twice

joyce's Photos (14)

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