April Witkowski Breast Cancer Questions

Why Did Your Hair Only Recently Fall Out?

At first, I did not lose my hair because my treatment consisted of two hormonal therapy drugs. While the medicine sent me from breastfeeding my youngest to full on menopause within a matter of weeks, it did not touch my hair.

Often cancer patients lose their hair because most types of cancer treatment programs will employ chemotherapy at some point.  Chemotherapy’s most well-known side effect is hair loss. But the assumption that all cancer patients will lose their hair for the duration of all treatments proves to be a stereotype.  If/when I have my hair back does not mean that I am cured or in remission. Also only recently losing my hair does not mean we are finally fighting back my cancer tumors.  Hair proves to be a poor indicator of my health. However, I will be VERY HAPPY to have it back!

April Witkowski Breast Cancer Questions

Could You Have a Liver Transplant?

Just as cancer is a tragic diagnosis, there is tragedy involved in the liver transplant process. One life is given for another. With the limited number of liver transplants available, the process is understandably strenuous to decide who receives them. Much like a current alcoholic would be passed over for the concern that he would damage a new liver in the same way he hurt his own, so a metastatic cancer patient would not qualify either. There is cancer in my blood. Doctors would have no reason to trust that a new liver would not ultimately be infected with cancer tumors just as much as my current one.

Pray with me that this vital organ of mine would continue to function properly (damaged though it may be) and my cancer tumors would shrink. God holds my life in His hands.

April Witkowski Breast Cancer Questions

Do You Have Different Types of Cancer?

Though cancer has invaded my breast, spine, lymph nodes, and liver, I only have one type of cancer, ER+PR+HER2- breast cancer. Strange as it may seem, you could say that I have breast cancer in my liver and bones. The letters note my specific type of cancer. Being a hormonal breast cancer, the cancer in my body feeds primarily off Estrogen and Progesterone (the ER and PR parts). When I undergo treatments that fight ER+PR+HER2-breast cancer, the medicine attacks the tumors in my breast as well as all those tumors in my bones, liver, and the rest of my body. Even within the subgroup of ER+PR+HER2- breast cancer patients, there exist variations as the cancer can mutate in a variety of ways. Thus even some treatment options which work for other ER+PR+HER2- breast cancer patients will not work for me.