Anyone here have a history of cancer?

[fab4fan]

I battled breast cancer just last winter with surgery and chemo (the chemo actually put my P and PA into remission temporarily). As soon as the chemo went out of my system, my PA flared badly and I was stuck with swollen and painful hands, wrists, fingers, and one toe. I was having trouble doing anything simple, such as turning a doorknob, starting my car, opening a jar, anything that required a twisting motion as my wrist was very painful.

My rheumy put me on methotrexate at first (I was already on docycycline and prednisone) but it didn't have much effect. He concluded it was time for Remicade and so far I've had 2 infusions, with about 90% of improvement in my swelling and pain.

Here's the problem: I read an article recently that said that people who have immune system imbalances are much more likely to suffer a relapse of cancer or the emergence of some kind of new cancer, because the immune system isn't effectively killing off those stray mutated cells. Now I'm terrified. If I'm suppressing my immune system, does this mean I'm doomed to die of cancer? It hasn't been enough time since my cancer treatment that I feel I'm "out of the woods" and I'm not sure I'd ever feel that way, but now I feel even more vulnerable going through these treatments for my auto-immune disease. I'm wondering if there is anyone here who has been treated for cancer in the past and is now receiving treatment for P or PA that involves immunosuppressants. If so, what have you been told about this as it relates to the risk of the cancer returning? I'm a nervous wreck, naturally.

[luvwinnie]

Have you talked to your oncologist about this? I don't have a history of cancer, but that is my best advice. Good luck!

[MikeK]

Hi Fab4fan,

I don't think that we've met, so let me take this opportunity to welcome you to the Board! :cool: Nice to meet you. I'm sorry to hear about your battle with breast cancer and your PA diagnosis. :(

Margaret (screen name: LottieBay) is thankfully in remission for Leukemia. She has both psoriasis and PA. At one point she mentioned that her rheumy:asked about my Leukemia remission status last time and offered to add Enbrel when I told her I was still in complete remission.Source: http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showthread.php?p=46393&highlight=Leukemia#post46393.

Unfortunately, in reponse to another poster's question about Leukema, Margaret mentionedThere aren't any biologic meds we can takeSource: http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showthread.php?p=126939&highlight=limited+choices#post126939.

Helen (screen name: HEPS) has also battled breast cancer. She doesn't have PA, but I know that she once mentioned that she's pretty much limited to using light treatments to treat her psoriasis.

Neither one of them posts very often, but hopefully one or both of them will see this and post a response.

I'm sorry that I couldn't be more helpful.

Good luck. I hope you find a treatment that gives you relief from the PA and at the same time relieves your very understandable fears that the medication may cause your cancer to return.

Keep us posted.

Mike

[fab4fan]

Mike and luvwinnie, thank you for your replies. I realize I'm an infrequent poster around here, mostly I "lurk" to try to learn more, but occasionally something really eats at me and I feel the need to send out an S.O.S.

Mike, the links you posted were helpful. I have already drafted letters to both my rheumy and oncologist, letting them know I'm very concerned about this. I can't believe they would blithely treat me in a way that was dangerous to me, yet I wonder why I'm receiving these treatments when others have been told "no." If I have to go off the remicade I don't know what I'll do. I was practically disabled before I started it.

Anyway your replies mean a lot. Best wishes to you both.

Carol

[LottieBay]

Hi Carol; and Welcome!
I have Leukemia. I'm about 2 1/2 years in remission. When I had Chemo, it was High dose Ara C and Daunarubicine and I was in the hospital plugged in with a double lumen port 24/7 for a week. I stayed a month until my counts stabilized, went home and started the same regime all over again in six weeks. I went through that four times from Nov to April. When My body started to feel somewhat normal, my blood counts were within normal range and my hair started to grow back, My P started to flare. Then PA and Fibromyalgia. My Oncologist sent me to a Rheumatologist and she put me on Methotrexate. ( Which She OK'd with my Onc.) For the first time in nearly a year I had been feeling like I had a little bit of energy and they zapped it right away!!! I stayed on the MTX for about three months. I hated it! It's a chemo drug! I was so tired of feeling sick and tired and I was so depressed that I stopped taking it on my own. I just didn't go back to that rheumy. I flared again terribly. I started seeing a Dermatologist and he wanted to put me on Enbrel. My Onchologist checked with Amgen/Wyeth Labs and they said NO! We started looking into more biologics and so far they have ALL been a big fat NO!!! The main reasons being that any complications could be masked by a relapse or the meds themselves could mimic a relapse.
I will tell you what has really helped my PA and that is Glucosamine Hydrochloride with MSM 3000 mg per day. My New Rheumy has added Calcium 600 mg per day and Magnesium Chelate 800 mg per day to that and I have seen an awesome improvement.
There are some meds that I have to take, but I'm trying to stay as natural as possible in treating my P and PA. If you try the magnesium Chelate, start with 200mg and work up to 800 over a couple of weeks. They will give you diareaha otherwise. Dr neglected to tell me that until it was too late. :o
Prayers for your continued remission,
Margaret