Cancer Treatment

[DonnaD]

Hi -

On top of MS I now have breast cancer . I've been in The lady's room threads about breast cancer but now my question is more general cancer. My oncologist and neuro are in the same hospital so I know they will consult. The oncologist even seemed to be on top of MS info (like 5 days steroids for flares, heat affecting MS and numbness).

So it seems that I will be having radiation and chemo. The chemo is really scaring me. I know that if I have fever for any reason (infection, flu...) all my past symptoms are suddenly back and big. (I have RR MS so things go almost away - well not really, but I manage with what I have). If I have fever, suddenly I have vision problems, hearing problems and no strength to lift myself from sitting, worse walking problems...

This oncologist seemed unsure of what type of chemo would be strong enough but not make my MS really flare. She mentioned numbing but I'm afraid of the whole thing both during treatment and after. Cog-fog. Walking (I walk but not so well). Vision. Hearing... Everything.

So they'll kill the cancer but my life will be even worse? I've really come to terms with my MS life but this has be really worried. I don't want to spend my life lying in bed. And I'd like some normal days between chemo treatments.

Anyone have experience with MS and chemo?

(Also, I'm assuming that radiation won't have a big affect on my MS - Am I wrong on that?)

[kelm10]

too

I have been at that diagnoses stage.

I am sorry that you are going through this. I have found that most oncologists are very knowledgable about MS and MS medications.

I did not have to go through any chemo or radiation, because of the stage of my cancer. But, from my research, and seeing a couple of personal friends that have gone through this, the chemotherapy actually helps the MS. One friend was actually able to run with her grandchildren, and actually beat the preteen one. This may not be during the prime part of the chemo.

Will the radiation (and possibly chemotherapy) cause a psuedo flair of your MS? Any biological to the the body can do this. Like you have noticed with a fever. You will, probably, learn so much about your body. Become intuned to your body. You will learn to embrace the tools to keep your health at your optimum. Taking some tylenol as soon as the first hint of a fever. And, this is a clue to rest.

Utilize the resources of the cancer community. Massage (if you can handle), reiki (a form of theraputic touch), our community has a food panty. Not for the idea of monetary reasons, but, so that you do not have to deal with the onsult of the grocery store, and the germs of the grocery store. Seek out, and try these resources. If they have not given you this information, ask about it.

[Mermaid Susan]

Cancer and MS for me also

Dear Donna,
So glad you posted here. I also have MS and breast cancer. You might have read about my experiences in the "Breast Cancer and Me" series of posts.

My surgery and treatment for breast cancer certainly did exacerbate my MS. I had to be in a nursing surgical rehab center for two weeks after the surgery, but I must emphasize that I don't know of anyone else who had this extreme outcome. And, even more important, the physical and occupational therapy - plus the passage of time - restored me to (almost) where I had been before. I have secondary progressive MS.

My MS, like yours, responds with an escalation of symptoms when I have any inflammation or other illness. My vision, cognition, walking, fatigue, and strength are most affected. But the worst always passes with the passing of the underlying trigger.

Like kelm10, I have heard of a few cases where the chemo given for cancer actually helps the MS. I hope this will be true for you.

One thing I do for myself is a daily workout in a pool. I work on coordination, range of motion, strength, and endurance. It also cheers me up to be in the pleasurable aquatic environment.

Keep moving, stay strong, and take care of yourself. Even with cancer, please do not get discouraged or lose hope.

Stay lifted,
Mermaid

[msgijo]

Hi Donna.

If there is any disease that scares me worse than MS it is cancer. Not to be depressing to you, but I have just had too many family members who had various cancers and didn't make it.

But if I ever get my appointment at the MS clinic (I need to call this week and remind them about me) the first DMD I intend to ask them about is a chemo treatment called Lemtrada. You can find out more about that by looking for posts from "spacedive" and "69stang" here in the MS medicines section. 69stang even has a blog in which she details the experience, and on her most recent post to the blog (last week) she stated that coming up on a year post treatment she was still seeing improvements with her MS!
I believe that there are other chemo treatments available for use by MS patients also.

So before you get all upset about going thru chemo please read about this and realize that there just might be a silver liner in the cancer dx. Hey - if nothing else it will ensure coffee in bed not only first thing in the mornings, but maybe all day for a while

[msgijo]

My bad - look under Medications and Treatments. There is a thread titled lemtrada there.

[poohb3ar]

donna, i hate to hear that you're going through this! bless your heart , i know it's hard and scary.

i can't help you with any info or experience about chemo. fortunately, they got all my cancer and didn't have to do it. thank goodness i didn't have to make that decision, because i'm not sure if i'd have done it.

you've gotten some great advice from the best! mermaid & kelm helped me through my ordeal.

i'll be praying that you have a good outcome.

take care & God bless ya!

[DonnaD]

Thanks everyone. I looked at the lemtrada posts but don't see what that has to do with chemo. It's also a type of chemo? I'll ask the neuro and oncologist about it though I have a feeling that it's not here in Israel yet.

Today I had a real disaster day (Sunday is like any other day in Israel). A month ago even after my lumpectomy my neuro told me it was OK to get tysabri. Last week I met the oncologist who also told me it was OK to get tysabri. So today I went for tysabri and the nurse asked how I felt so I told her about the cancer and she panicked. My neuro was out of the country so she took the results of the pathology from the lumpectomy to a different neuro there and he wouldn't approve the tysabri (I used to go to this one and I think he was getting even with me for leaving him ) . So I went home untreated .

The nurse said I'll have to be off of tysabri for 3 months before chemo and they'll give me steroids once a month instead. She might be right. She deals with MS and tysabri every day. So tomorrow I'll try to contact the neuro and the oncologist was supposed to discuss chemo with him, but maybe she didn't since the nurse said he hadn't written anything in my file.