I Was Told Surgery Was Impossible, But Now I'm Heading Toward It: A Future Changed by a Second Opinion

It has been about a month and a half since I was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer and began treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer.
In my previous article, I wrote about the physical changes I experienced shortly after starting HER2 treatment and the hope that had slowly begun to return.
Since then, there has been an even bigger change.

***
Before starting HER2 treatment, my tumor marker was 108.
After the first treatment, it dropped to



108 → 87.6


.

The number is still high, and the lump is still large.

However, compared to when it had spread across my entire chest and felt as hard as a stone, it has now softened and changed to the point where I can grasp it.This change has become a great source of joy for me.***

Before, I had accepted that


“Because it’s stage 4, surgery is not possible”



and “It is difficult to cure, so this will be treatment to prolong life.”
But was that really all there was to it?

To rethink my future treatment, I sought a second opinion.
What I learned there was that



breast cancer treatment does not have just one answer

.In my case, the possibility was that I could control the liver metastasis with my current Phesgo + docetaxel while monitoring my response to HER2 treatment, and then aim for surgery on the primary tumor.
And after surgery, I could use Enhertu to treat the cancer throughout my body and aim for remission.

I learned that such a treatment possibility existed.

After receiving the second opinion, I was able to move toward “treatment that considers the possibility of a cure, not just prolonging life.”


What can be done differs depending on the hospital and the doctor.



And I felt that
I am the one who must steer the helm of my own treatment.

Now, I am moving forward toward surgery in August.

Not “I might be cured,” but


“I am walking the path to be cured.”


Being able to have that feeling has made my heavy heart feel a little lighter.
***
Side effect notes for the second HER2 treatment

(Phesgo + docetaxel)

Overall, it was milder than the last time, and recovery was faster.

Around the 3rd day

・Fatigue in the entire legs→ Much milder than last time, just a sense of discomfort. Improved in about a day.Around the 5th day

・Diarrhea

→ Fewer episodes, settled down in a few days.Around 1 week・Whiteheads mainly around the mouth

→ More appeared than the first time, but improved with Locoid ointment. By the time of the third treatment, it had returned to a clear state.

Around the 10th day

・Discomfort in the eyes, swelling of the lower eyelids

→ After consulting my primary doctor, I visited an ophthalmologist. It improved with eye drops and ointment.

Others・No change in taste・No numbness

・The hair I lost is also slowly growing back
***

I still don't know if things will proceed as smoothly as the second opinion suggested.

It's not that my anxiety has disappeared.
But it is different from before.

I will proceed to surgery and the subsequent treatment.
I am still on the path, but


I have begun walking the path toward aiming for a complete cure.