Zometa

Zometa is a drug that is used to build up osteoclasts in metastatic breast bone cancer. It slows done the growth of the tumor significantly and in some cases, cures it. Now there are trials to see if it will prevent bone metastases. Preliminary results are in indicating that not only does it cut down on the number of bone metastases, it cuts done on other metastases too although there is not a good explanation for that. Most of this work has been done on estrogen positive, node positive ladies. See http://www.biovalley.ch/content.cfm?nav=4&content=10&command=details&id=8803The first place for metastases in these ladies is in the bones. Not true for triple negative which seems to go to the lungs, liver, brain and then bone. My oncologist has been pressuring me to sign up for a clinical study for Zometa in triple negative patients and plans on having the papers for me to sign in 2 weeks.

Whoa. Hold on. I'm not sure I want to do this. First of all, monthly infusions over I don't know what period of time. I want this whole business over with in April. This is what is keeping me sane. Second of all, the drug has its own problems-the most serious is osteonecrosis of the jaw. They recommend no dental work at all while on it and I need some work soon. Minor problems include bone pain. So the idea behind the drug is basically to build up bone strength so the cancer can't burrow into it. What I have are strong bones!!! I had them tested 2 years after menopause and I was not on replacement hormones yet, and they were stronger than the average 20 year old. I was running 100miles/month and I'm a big girl. I had them tested again while on hormones, same result. Now it's true I snapped my humerous in half but it was hit very hard.
Third of all, bone mets in TNBC who are node negative are rare. I went through all the ladies today on the TNBC web site who have mets (this took forever!!!) cataloging them. Of the 77 people with mets, 12 of them had it in their bones only. Lungs were the favorite site. Brain was tied with bones. In any case, only a few of these ladies were node negative. Also I think the bone people were over-represented as they have much longer to fight their disease and find their way to this website. Brain mets work fast. Some of the cases on the website were reported by their significant others as the patient was too wiped out to go on line.

So no problems yet. No queasiness either so what I suffered last time must have been left over from the RedDevil. Went for a nice, long walk today. I had plenty of energy. Tomorrow the myalgia might start but I will knock it down at the first hint of it with drugs. Steve will give me my belly shot of Neulasta when I get off of this.

There is a support group tonight at UM that I went to 2 months ago. Might as well go.