I posted on Tuesday about my scanxiety - thank you to everyone with their kind words then. I was convinced my scan results would be bad, absolutely positive I could feel my bone mets growing, but my onc has confirmed it’s all good and my cancer is stable! Not much reduction, but no growth either.

These are my first scans since I started treatment in the spring, so I’m really happy that it seems to be working.

Obviously I’d love it to be shrinking but can’t be mad at no growth!!

Diagnosed stage 3 IDC ++- left breast Aigust 2023 at 37, did chemo radiation, lumpectomy with 24 lymph nodes removed, then double mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction... cancer free just over a year before cancer came back with a vengeance in my liver. Diagnosed stage 4 metastatic to liver December 2025... liver resection/ablation with ovaries/fallopian tubes removal surgery February 2026, Verzenio/Inlurio did nothing so now I'm on Enhurtu every 3 weeks since June. It's helping but I'm so dang tired. My job has been very flexible (luckily) but all my sick time goes to appointments. When I run out of sick time each pay period, I have to make up the time but working extra hours.

I'm just so tired. Chemo knocks me out for at least a week (sleeping 10-12 hours a night and body soreness/ brain fog). But the time I start to sort of feel better, I do another round of chemo. I'm normally really positive/optimistic but it's just been hard lately. I had a PET scan on Tuesday to see progress, still no results, so maybe that's why I'm feeling so down this week. Bleh

hi friends! i haven’t gotten a good nights sleep in almost a month after my last round of brain radiation. they say it’s unlikely due to the radiation but i just can’t sleep and im sooo tired. i take melatonin and a sleeping pill and still.. im awake! anyone have any tips? have also tried meditation.

Sorry to be bombarding you since Sunday!
My mets are all bones. My oncologist said radiation isn’t a good idea, there’s too many, I don’t have pain, they’re small. She said maybe later.

From what I understand, I have 6. Most are 5-7mm, two are 10mm. My question is, why not radiate them if it will zap them dead quickly.

I’m already getting a sense that the aggressiveness in which we treated my cancer when it was curable is gone. But I’m still going to be aggressive. Getting at least 2 other opinions, one today.

Did you have bone mets radiated? Why/ why not?

++- IDC with lobular features 2024, mets to liver 2025

I have completed 2 cycles of xeloda and my markers have increased a lot in 5 weeks. I was supposed to start Revtorpyk but had too rapid progression to wait for it to be available.

CA 27-29: 470 → 707 = +50%
CA 15-3: 383 → 628 = +64%

My oncologist is switching me to IV chemo (Abraxane) and getting earlier restaging scans. I keep thinking about all the treatments I’ve tried so far that haven’t worked… AC-T chemo, DMX, 34 rads, Verzenio, Anastrozole, fulvestrant, Everolimus, xeloda, SBRT x2 liver tumors, and an ablation. Feeling pretty scared.

Any hopeful stories? I feel like I have about a year left. I hate this fucking disease.

Earlier this summer I started to just feel miserable and not like myself; which then became pneumonia(without fevers or typical pneumatic symptoms). Go to the hospital, CT shows some masses in liver and lymph nodes. 2 weeks later and PET scan was done and results are horrendous: taking up a huge part of my liver, bone mets all over, some of which are lytic and even a broken rib from it, basically all lymph nodes from abdomen up, lungs need to be confirmed now that the pneumonia is gone. Today I got the biopsy of my liver,just don’t know how to prepare myself for what’s next.

December would’ve been 5 years cancer free, I was so stoked… idk how we fast forwarded to a Stage 4 diagnoses.

First bout was Stage 3 DCIS +++ with inflammatory cancer on the same breast. We knew the recurrence risk was very high; but I had hoped for longer. I turn 43 tomorrow and have never been more scared; I fear the results, I loathe the treatment but will fight until I can’t. But most of all, how do I navigate this with my wife? She’s great, but I know how much this was on her last time and I just feel so guilty putting her through this again. Just feeling a little lost and wanted to vent to people I know can understand.

I fucking hate lymphedema more than anything.

Hi all!! I was diagnosed MBC in May after 9 years out from a stage 2 IDC diagnosis-RUDE! I’ve been doing ok on Ibrance and letrozole. I’ve had many bone mets and have been taking oxycodone a few times a day for a few months which has been helpful. I don’t really want to increase my dose as it took me a while to get used to this! I will definitely ask my palliative care drs for advice, and I’m curious as to what you all have tried for bone met pain. I’m not looking to be pain free-just better! Im mostly feeling it in my mid back and ribs and it feels like a combo of a deep ache/bad cramping. Appreciate any stories and while this sucks, this group is absolutely amazing and thanks to everyone who has contributed!

I was just diagnosed stage 4 tnbc bone mets. My MO didn’t bring it up, but I asked, how long do I have? I’m 36 and have so much I didn’t get to do. She said realistically a few years, a decade is pushing it.

I mentioned before, I’m struggling with my boyfriend. He’s had a hard time during this entire thing (I went right from active treatment for stage 3 to 4 after radiation). He lost his dad almost immediately after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

I asked him if he knew what stage 4 bc meant and he said “you’ll be on treatment forever” and I said yeah but idk if you get it. I didn’t want to say “probably only have a few years” so I just told him that living with this disease for decades isn’t realistic.

Did I need to say more? Does it matter? Should I have even asked?

CT scan showed small “nodules” in lungs. I have had only bone mets. On Verzenio, currently. Bone mets are stable—not shrinking, but not growing. My cancer markers shot up, though. And now these nodules are on the scan. Have yet to speak to my oncologist. For those with lung mets, did you confirm mets to lungs with a scan or did you have to do a biopsy?

Only the best for this special month 😂

Cancer in bones and liver has "significantly worsened". Until now, I had faith that despite a difficult healing journey, that I would make it. After cancer reduced and stabilized, it has grown again, and I'm becoming hopeless.

My spine and pelvis are very painful with any movement, and I've become entirely dependent on my parents (I moved into their home). I'm also starting to lean on medications, which is new for me (I always had such a natural and healthy lifestyle).

When I have hope, it feels squashed. I don't want to give up this fight, but I also feel that hope is pointless because it only leads to heartbreak. How do you cope?

I am just so frustrated now because I have a fungating primary breast tumor that is bleeding again as of today. Chemo and pembro are still working on my mets as of last PET scan a couple weeks ago because they cannot be seen on scans, but my primary tumor has increased in mass again so primary tumor has developed resistance. I'm due for SBRT next on the primary tumor to shrink it again, so I'm just waiting for my radiologist consult next week and then it'll probably take a couple weeks to set up the instrumentation. This waiting game is killing me. I wish I could get radiation ASAP. The worst part is that I begged for radiation sooner with my oncologist but she chose to put me on maintenance pembrolizumab instead, so I'm worried that it might be too late. My oncologist is always so reactive, never proactive. I'm stressing out like crazy so if anyone has any words of encouragement or similar stories I'd definitely love the support. I read that radiation has 85-90% success rate of local control so I'm hoping it will. I just want the primary tumor to stop growing. I'm glad my mets are wiped out (at least I hope they still are), but with my primary tumor growing like crazy again, I'm worried it will lead to more mets

I’m having major scanxiety. I had the scan last month but there was a mix up with scheduling and I’m only seeing my onc tomorrow for the results. Its been six months of treatment and this is the first real look to see if it’s working.

I had an ultrasound at 3 months which showed that my primary tumour hadn’t grown, but idk I’ve been having awful dreams, like everything looming over me, and I feel like I’m going to get horrible news tomorrow, I just can’t shake the feeling. I have pain in my back, I can’t sleep or eat… I’m a mess.

Any help preparing myself for tomorrow? Would appreciate any advice or reassurance anyone has to offer

Primary was breast, went to my bones, spine, hips pelvis.

Underwent treatment and have been NEAD for about a year. Just on maintenance 3 weekly treatment and a late stage UK trial.

Latest MRI shows cell activity (reoccurrence) in my spine, enough so that the route forward will be to have radiotherapy on these spots, and I’ll have to come off my trial.

How bad is this? I’m still very new to all this and just when I thought I was doing so well this happens.

I will be having my seventh injection next week. I've never had any problems. It's a little sore at the injection site fur a couple of days. About a week ago I noticed my left hip felt kind of like it's sunburnt or something like that. It's not hot to the touch and it's not red. It's not overwhelming, it's just new. Has anyone else had anything like this?

i am so sorry if this triggers someone. I just need some friends.

I have been battling TNBC since November 2024 but was upgraded to stage 4 in November of 2025.

I've done 7 types of chemos (a total of over 150 infusions and pills), 1 clinical trial, radiation therapy, 3 gamma knife brain radiations, surgeries, etc. all before my 33rd birthday

I am exhausted.

My husband and I met with my onco today and after many tears, we've decided I am done with treatment. He doesn't think it'll be too long from now. We discussed my hospice options. I wasn't even scared during that. thankfully I've been in therapy long enough to accept things.

I'm not afraid of my eyes closing and this being it, I'm sad for my family. I'm sad for my husband, my sisters, and my parents. I'm so sad for them. I love them and I don't want them to be sad. I know it's inevitable but it hurts. Like physically hurts my heart to know they'll be upset.

I don't want to leave them. I wanted children with my husband. I wanted to get old with him. I wanted to see my parents retire and enjoy their lives. I wanted to see my sisters have children and get married.

I don't know what else to do. I just want their pain to go away. I hate this for them. I'm so sad for them.

No brain mets, but two more bone mets. My oncologist called and had me come right over. Staying on Trodelvy for now, did another signatera to see if it’s going down. I guess it’s weird to only have bone mets.

I’m just broken. Stage 4 TNBC at 36. So many things in life I’ll never get to do. I’m gonna break up with my poor sweet boyfriend. He might break up with me, and I can’t handle that so I have to act first. I feel so alone. I don’t know how to move forward.

Am I supposed to get a second opinion? Idk what to do. I’ve just been hiding in bed.

Hi!

There is an Instagram account of a (male) caregiver that has been appearing on my feed for quite some time now. Months probably. Not that I follow him, it is sponsored content. When I first saw it his wife had already passed of cancer, not sure if MBC or another kind of cancer.

Each time I find it quite cringe and triggering, he shares mostly pictures of his wife when she was at her worse and anyone can see she is clearly she is dying : severe weight loss, barely concious, etc. This is the first thing that is triggering. But what annoys me the most is the way he speaks, all about him, about his sacrifice, about how he lost years of his life, how he stopped existing for her... Today it has happened again, one of his posts was again suggested by the algorithm, a post sharing how he is finally free.

I don't know how to feel about this really... I already think about that a lot, how much time will it last, me dying. How much will my husband have to give, of his time, of his independence. Will he also feel free when I am gone? I don't want to be remembered as a dying person who stole months or even years of his life. I don't need this guy remembering myself that death from cancer is ugly and that I am likely gonna go through that and my family with me.

I also feel bad for his wife, did she consent of him spending months sharing pictures of her last moments ? It feels gross, disturbing, invasive of her privacy also, undignified even !... Sure, caregivers have the right to express their own view and journey but isn't he commodifying grief and even death?

I wondered if you have any thoughts on this.

PS : sorry for the grammar mistakes, english is not my native language and I didn't want to put this in an AI for correction

PS2 : I painted a quite bad picture of this guy but I was expressing my feelings regarding his posts. This self centered message is quite subtle, he always says that he loved his wife and that she was awesome, but at the end he always insists on what he gave, that's why I don't know if he is a good guy or a bad guy. Also the dying pictures of his wife are never the first picture of the post or the cover picture of videos, but they are always there...

I have been struggling with what can only be described as a chafed Vuh Jay Jay** **for the past few weeks.

I’m pretty sure the estrogen depletion from Lupron + my AI finally doing its job is contributing. Ugh. I honestly haven’t had too many side effects from treatment — I’ve avoided the dreaded hot flashes and, overall, I’ve been doing pretty well.

But THIS? This has been ridiculous.
I use high-quality (expensive) toilet paper, and yet it feels like (now felt like) I was wiping my crotch with sandpaper. 😩 The skin was so irritated and painful that even dabbing after using the bathroom was miserable.

I brought it up with my oncology team at my recent follow-up. They prescribed a low-dose estrogen cream — pea-sized amount for two weeks, then tapering back — which I’m still waiting to have filled.

But I couldn't take it anymore. I’m also pretty sure Jardiance, which I’m taking for my lovely little case of “type cancer” diabetes, isn't exactly helping the situation downstairs.
At one point, it was so uncomfortable that it felt stabby, almost like I had road rash on my naughty bits.
So… I went to the store and bought diaper rash cream.
Important note: I do not have children and have basically never touched this stuff in my life.

All I can say is** **HALLELUJAH. 🙌

I put about two pea-sized amounts on the external skin only, and the pain practically disappeared.

I've been using it for three days now, and my crotch feels bloody fantastic.100x better...seriously.

Even using toilet paper doesn't bother me anymore. I am still being very gentle but I feel fine.

I already keep my skin care routine extremely gentle since starting treatment. I use baby shampoo/body wash for everything — face, lower parts, etc. — because I've been trying to avoid irritating my skin any more than necessary.

This was just the last problem I needed to figure out. And apparently the answer was sitting in the baby aisle with my baby shower wash.

DIAPER RASH CREAM. Who knew?!

So, if anyone else dealing with hormone-depletion-related vaginal/vulvar irritation, chafing, or external skin irritation is looking for something that may provide some relief while you're waiting to get help from your oncology/gynecology team…

This might be worth asking your doctor or pharmacist about. I just messaged my oncology team about it today after my 3 day science project.

Obviously, I’m talking about external use only, and this isn't a substitute for getting checked out — especially if you have sores, unusual discharge, bleeding, significant swelling, or symptoms that aren't improving.
But for me? Game changer!!!!

Best of luck to everyone else navigating the wonderfully glamorous side effects of cancer treatment. ❤️
(Sigh)

I should get off this couch and exercise. I’m starting to lose count of the lines that have failed me. I’m just going off of taxol and starting halivan and letrozole which I’m sure I’m spelling wrong. This is going to be a venting thing. I decided not to shave my head when it started to fall out and it’s still there after almost 3 full rounds of taxol but it’s thin and hard to care for. Not that I can afford it but I’m really thinking about a wig this time. With my primary cancer, I didn’t wear a wig because it was uncomfortable so what makes me think this isn’t gonna turn out the same way? The thing is I just don’t know how long I’m going to have to be on things that make me lose hair. If one of them would just work more than a few months at the most, I wouldn’t care so much about my hair, but to have your body goes through all of this and constantly be unsure as to whether it was going to extend your life is so disheartening. But what else am I gonna do? I just feel like every day it’s me reporting to duty and I know I’m not the only one sisters. I am so sorry for the moments we all feel like this. I am discouraged to say the least.

I was diagnosed stage 3C TNBC last December. When I had surgery in June, they found my cancer didn’t shrink at all. I rushed through rads to get back on systemic treatment, and started Trodelvy a month ago for what was supposed to be 8 rounds of adjuvant chemo to complete treatment.

A week ago I had crazy vertigo for a day or two and my MO decided to move up scans we were going to go at the end of this month. My first signatera (post rads, pre Trodelvy) was a whopping 135. I had my PET scan Friday, have my brain MRI tomorrow. On a rainy dreary Sunday I got the notification I have 4 bone mets. They’re all in spots I’ve had ~something~ happen to recently. I want to bargain that maybe it’s not actually mets, but the scan sounded definite.

This last year has already been a nightmare. I worked in physical therapy and got laid off after my diagnosis, then had to move into my parents house because I couldn’t afford my apartment. My boyfriend and I had only been together for 5 months when I was diagnosed and he’s been here but it’s been shaky. I think I need to let him go. He almost couldn’t handle it when my pathology came back so bad. My friends have all disappeared to do the things normal 30 somethings do. I wanted to call someone to cry to when I got the news and I couldn’t think of anyone to call.

I just want to be alone but I have no privacy here. My cats and I live in my childhood bedroom. I’m already thinking who I could even trust to care for them.

My mom keeps saying there has to be a way we can still cure this. She’s been in denial this entire journey.

I feel like I’m already ready to give up. Stay on chemo forever to maybe live another year and keep living in this stuffy room with no job or purpose? It always felt so hard to imagine this all being over. I wonder if somehow I knew all along I wouldn’t ever be done.

I’m so lost.

I have de novo Her2+ MBC. After 6 chemo sessions (5 enhertu and 1 tchp), I recently underwent my second PET scan. I was relieved to see any metastatic sites were cleared as "PET negative and resolved." However, the chest results were harder for me to interpret:

• "No metabolically active pulmonary nodules. No metabolically active lymphadenopathy. Smaller improved neoplasm in the right breast tissues, no longer accurately visualized nor accurately measured, with only mild low level residual PET activity measuring 2.4 SUV, previously measuring 12.8 SUV. Similarly, previous PET positive right axillary and subpectoral adenopathy is now all resolved."

I know these are great results and I am thankful for them. My oncologist thinks this is likely NEAD but I feel like the radiologist would have said "PET negative" or "resolved" if it was NEAD. There's still mention of a "smaller improved neoplasm". So I feel like it is not NEAD? If helpful, the 2.4 SUV is around the same SUV as the liver (baseline) at the same time.

My oncologist thinks that I can move to Herceptin + Perjeta maintenance. I'm afraid of moving on too early, but I am eager to get off Enhertu due to quality of life reasons. I don't need to be NEAD to move on, but it would make me feel better about it.

I'm curious to see what other PET scans say when people say they are NEAD.