Stage IV HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Regina's Patient Story
This breast cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage IV
- Biomarkers
- HER2-positive
- Sex
- Female
- Spread to
- Liver | Lung
- Treatment
- chemotherapy, surgery and radiation
- Outcome
- Living With Cancer
Treatment course, step by step
- May 2008 HER2-positive breast tumor with liver metastasis diagnosed after painful large right-breast finding and CT
- palliative chemotherapy aimed at preserving quality of life; tumor later no longer visible on ultrasound
- MRI after second opinion showed right-breast lesions
- mastectomy/breast removal
- July 2011 recurrence treated with adjuvant chemotherapy, tumor removal, and radiation
- following summer CT showed inoperable lung metastasis
- oral chemotherapy/tablet-form chemotherapy ongoing at interview.
What happened, in summary
Regina Ritter was 51 at the time of her interview and a mother of 4. Her breast cancer began in May 2008, when she was 47 and felt something painful and very large in her right breast. Further examinations found a tumor, and CT also showed a liver metastasis. The cancer was HER2-positive and already metastatic. Her doctors recommended palliative chemotherapy to maintain quality of life, and Regina was initially given a prognosis of about 9 months. Chemotherapy caused severe abdominal and leg pain, eventually helped by a morphine-like patch. After treatment, the breast tumor was no longer visible on ultrasound, and Regina tried to restart life, including beginning a new training program. Later, uneasiness led her to seek a second opinion. MRI showed lesions in the right breast, and she had the breast removed. In July 2011, a recurrence was found during follow-up. She then received adjuvant chemotherapy, tumor removal, and radiation. The following summer, after extreme exhaustion, CT showed an inoperable lung metastasis. At the 2013 interview, Regina was receiving chemotherapy in tablet form and living with metastatic disease while focusing on family, photography, support groups, and quality of life.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by Krankheitserfahrungen.de. Read the original in full
How we source and attribute stories Accuracy and limitations
These are lay summaries of published cancer stories, for information only. No two cancers behave the same way, and nothing here predicts your own diagnosis or replaces advice from your oncology team. Read the full disclaimer