Hello !
According to the most recent PET scan, all of my wife's metastases have disappeared after 10 months on Letrozole and Palbociclib (Ibrance). Her scan seems to show however that the original breast tumour (which was never removed) might actually have grown a little. In fact, the tumour has now reached the surface of the breast and is suppurating like a small open wound.
Opinion is divided as to whether this is a good development or a potential problem. The oncologist recommends a mastectomy as a "hygienic measure" (to prevent the wound from getting bigger and to eliminate the risk of infection) however we are unsure what might be the best path to follow and I am writing here to ask if any other readers have had a similar experience with their breast tumour and to find out what options they followed and what results they gave.
Our doubt about what to do is because quite a few former breast cancer patients have described that their tumour "came to the surface" as a stage in its eventual disappearance, almost as though it was a boil or a pimple (which reaches its maximum size and inflammation just before "popping" and disappearing). It seems a plausible option that the tumour might be "expelled" from the body rather than having to be reabsorbed. And it does seem incongruous (strange) that, at the same time that all the metastases have disappeared, the principal tumour could be undergoing a worsening. What's more, my wife feels (and looks) wonderful and vigorous and feels that the rest of the breast has become much softer and "healthier".
Also, we have heard that tumour-removal operations can lead to the release of a large number of cancerous cells which then course through the body.
For all these reasons we are hoping that this slight growth of the tumour and its breaking through the skin surface might be a positive sign and a pathway to ultimate healing which perhaps shouldn't be interrupted by an operation.
If you have any experiences of a similar situation, we would very much appreciate hearing about them to help us decide what to do. MANY THANKS !!
