7th Scan Results and Update - 1/6/26

Not the way I wanted to start this year off.  Unfortunately, the news is bad this time around and I have progression in multiple areas.

I’m in tears as I right this because I am scared.  I am scared I am going to die soon, I am scared of starting a new treatment with unknown side effects and I am scared for what comes next.  This is a lot for me to share as I am trying to process something so heavy, but writing it out seems to be healing for me in a way.

I’ll share the key findings on the results that Chat GPT generated from my test results:

Key findings:

• Bones:

  • More active bone metastases, including new lesions at C1 and C7 in the spine.

  • The left sacral bone lesion has grown and become more metabolically active.

  • Several older bone lesions remain stable and inactive.

• Lymph nodes:

  • New cancer-active lymph nodes in the right armpit (axillary), around the pancreas, and retroperitoneal (deep abdominal) areas, consistent with new nodal metastases.

• Lungs:

  • New small (5 mm) FDG-avid nodule in the left lower lung, suspicious for metastatic disease.

• Breast:

  • The right medial breast lesion shows increased activity, but still much less active than it was in August 2025, suggesting partial treatment response compared to that time.

• Thyroid:

  • Mildly increased uptake likely due to thyroid inflammation (thyroiditis) rather than cancer; blood tests are recommended for confirmation.

• Other organs:

  • No active cancer seen in the liver, kidneys, spleen, or adrenal glands on this scan.

Overall I have new lesions that are popping up in areas such as my bones and lungs.  At this point, I don’t think I would quality for radiation since I have too many areas of progression.  While unfortunate news, this also isn’t super surprising, as I stayed on current therapy when I had progression last year in August.  I just thought the trial I was on was going to get me to NEAD and I would stay there a while.

I don’t meet back with my oncologist until Thursday, and I am supposed to get my next infusion of Enhertu later today.  I messaged my oncologist to ask about receiving a new treatment today instead, but I imagine she would want me to get Enhertu and then switch in three weeks to something else.  We will see what she says.

The hard part in this is, I feel like I am doing everything in my power to fight this thing.  I workout, eat healthy, stay active, find joy where I can, and yet still progression.  This goes to show that cancer doesn’t care how healthy you are, and that sucks so much.  The other hard part is I actually feel fine overall.  I am running and lifting weights, and actually have energy that lasts all day. 

I hate that I am starting the new year with this kind of news. Fuck cancer.  It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions from a high of NEAD to this low.  With news like this, I am having a hard time processing, and this morning I just hugged my mom as we cried together. 

I am also trying to say hopeful that this next treatment will be the one that works for me.  I remember what Dr. Lassi had said though. If I progress on this next line within six months, I will have less than two years left to live.  I know she wanted to be real with me, but I hated hearing that and now that’s all my mind is going to right now.  It’s such a painful place to be in.

Although hope is what is going to carry me through. Hope that this next line of treatment will be the thing that brings me back to NEAD or stable.  Where there is fear, there is hope. 

I will try to give an update after I meet back with Dr. Lassi on Thursday.

Appreciate all the thoughts and prayers from near and far.  For everyone that is there for me, I appreciate you.  Cancer can’t take that away from me. 

Love, Stacy