Battling Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Canadian rowing medallist Krista Temple, a 44-year-old mom of two, is battling metastatic breast cancer, a disease she was diagnosed with after breaking her arm while opening up a can of pickles. Now she’s hoping her story will lead others to early detection and finding treatment plans.
- Metastatic breast cancer, also called “stage four” breast cancer, means that the cancer has spread, or metastasized, beyond the breasts to other parts of the body. While there is technically no cure, many advancements in treatments exist to improve patient outcomes, which is something to be hopeful about.
- In breast cancer that has spread to the bone, the cancer is often hormone receptor-positive, according to SurvivorNet experts. In most instances of hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer spreading to the bone, the first line of attack is hormone therapy.
- In immunotherapy treatment, the immune system uses its white blood cells to attack cells in the body that are abnormal or foreign.
Temple, who previously was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022 and bravely fought the disease until she beat it, was told her cancer had come back and spread to her bones on March 9, 2024.
Read More“They say for a radical remission, you need a strong reason to live,” Temple told Global News. “For me, it’s my four- and six-year-old kids. They’re my everything.”
As a two-time Olympian and Canadian rowing silver medallist, Krista Temple knows what it takes to go up against the world's best. But facing a resurgent, aggressive cancer she's now in a different kind of battle.
READ MORE: https://t.co/0FueJwwIa8https://t.co/0FueJwwIa8— Global BC (@GlobalBC) July 13, 2024
Temple, who was born in New Westminster, B.C., and now resides on London, Ontario, previously opened up about her cancer recurrence a few months back, writing in an Instagram post in April, “Leading up to March 9th, I had a niggly shoulder issue. Pain and weakness. I had been helping walk our basement tenant’s dog, Jeter, and he yanked my arm in the wrong direction once or twice so I just thought I had injured myself. Although I can’t say I had been feeling awesome, nothing was awful enough to raise a flag for me.
“March 9th of 2024 and I was going about my day. I rode my spin bike and I went grocery shopping and then decided to make a sandwich…..with a pickle. I went to open the jar and was taken to the floor. My shoulder felt like it was dislocated and in the moment that was all that made sense. I was alone, which is rare, crawling around for fear I would faint. I managed to call 911 and then Dave and my parents and sisters.”
After testing and an X-ray while in the emergency room, Temple was informed her bone appeared “irregular” and likely due to the spread of a disease or cancer.
She recounted being told, “I am sorry, your shoulder is not dislocated it is broken and the bone looks irregular. Based on your history we have good reason to believe this is a pathological fracture (a fracture caused by spread of disease/cancer).”
Temple admitted that she was overcome with fear and panic, but knew she had to stay strong for her children.
“I have now had a PET scan which confirmed 6 hot spots in my bones and I have had humerus stabilization surgery. Next up radiation on my C2 vertebra followed by my arm to help the healthy cells take over and heal my arm. It’s surreal and unbelievable, but this is my story and I plan to share it in hopes it will help guide someone else one day,” she continued, noting that her sister and loved ones had set up a GoFundMe, with hopes to raise $250,000 for treatment.
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The GoFundMe, titled, “Project 125: A Run from Vancouver to Whistler to Save Krista,” has since raised nearly $18,000 CAD, describes Temple as “a remarkable individual who has represented Canada twice in the Olympics, earning a silver medal in the 2012 London Olympics as part of the women’s 8 team,” adding, “In addition to her athletic achievements, Krista is an author, speaker, and cancer warrior. She is also a loving mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend, colleague, and mentor.”
It adds, “Krista is widely recognized for her hard work, consistency, and her innate sense of “boat feel.” She became a respected team leader due to her ability to push and motivate people simultaneously.
“Her dedication and unwavering commitment led her to several exceptional achievements in rowing at the national level, World Cup Regattas, World Championships, and the Olympic Games, rank her as one of the greatest female rowers in Canadian history.”
Expert Resources On Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Advances in Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatments Over the Last Year Offer New Hope for Those Fighting
- Are You A Metastatic Breast Cancer Patient Curious About The Drug Enhertu? Here’s What You Need To Know
- Chemo Plus Immunotherapy for Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- CD4/CD6 Inhibitors For Metastatic Breast Cancer — What Are The Side Effects?
- Do You Have HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer? Here’s A Breakdown Of Some Of Your Treatment Options
- FDA Approves Diagnostic Test to Identify Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer Expressing Low Levels of HER2
A July 12th update shared on the GoFundMe page confirmed Temple underwent two treatments of advanced Intratumoral immunotherapy and is on a hormone treatment protocol.
“She has undergone a lot of testing. Lots of waiting, but she has handled all of this like the champion that she is. If you are interested in joining our efforts, please do so. This is all happening in the next few weeks. Then our stand out event, Project 125 is September 6th,” the GoFundMe adds.
Metastatic Breast Cancer and How It’s Treated
Breast cancer spreads through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. The blood carries cancer cells to different body parts, where they grow as new tumors.
Once breast cancer spreads, the cells may continue to grow slowly or stop growing and stay at equilibrium.
“Metastatic breast cancer is a treatable disease,” explains Dr. Kenneth D. Miller, medical oncologist at the Alvin & Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore.
“Fortunately, we have so many new treatments for women with recurrent breast cancer and for many women who look at this as a chronic disease that they can live with often for many years.”
Breast cancer is sometimes classified as either local, regional, or distant.
Local: Cancer is located in the breast and has not spread
Regional: Cancer spreads from the breast to nearby lymph nodes
Distant: Cancer spreads to distant parts of the body, including bones, liver, lungs, and/or brain
WATCH: Treatment Options for Late-Stage Breast Cancer
Treatment for metastatic breast cancer focuses on decreasing the spread of cancer cells, as well as relieving symptoms and improving quality of life.
Women with HER2-positive breast cancer, meaning they have high levels of a protein called HER2 on the surface of their cancer cells, targeted treatments are available. The drugs trastuzumab (Herceptin) and pertuzumab (Perjeta) have transformed the outlook for some women with late-stage breast cancers. These therapies, which are often combined with chemo, are very effective at controlling breast cancer once it has spread.
Another notable treatment is for triple-negative breast cancer. This has historically been one of the most aggressive and most challenging to treat forms of the disease because it lacks any of the main drivers of breast cancer, the estrogen receptor, the progesterone receptor, and the HER2 receptor, and it doesn’t respond to treatments that target these receptors.
Now, in addition to chemotherapy, immunotherapy has been approved to treat triple-negative breast cancer.
The Outlook for Immunotherapy Treatment
Breast cancer that has spread to the bone – such was the case with Anderson’s mom – the cancer is often hormone receptor-positive, according to SurvivorNet experts. Women may think when this happens, they need aggressive chemotherapy. However, in most instances of hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer to the bone, the first line of attack is hormone therapy.
Hormone therapies are often combined with other medications to improve their efficacy. For example, CD4/CD6 inhibitors are a type of oral medication that is sometimes combined with hormonal therapies to help shrink breast cancers.
Chemo Plus Immunotherapy for Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Understanding immunotherapy
The immune system uses its white blood cells to attack cells in the body that are abnormal or foreign.
RELATED: Is Immunotherapy Effective in Treating Breast Cancer?
Cancerous cells have the ability to prevent the immune system from doing its job. The cancer produces certain proteins to protect the tumor from white blood cells. As a result, the body does not recognize the tumor as abnormal.
Immunotherapy drugs stop this from happening and ensure the white blood cells recognize the cancer cell properly and attack it. The cancer cells themselves are not necessarily difficult to fight. However, they continue to divide rapidly. So, immunotherapy drugs help a patient’s immune system control their cancer on its own before it can spread.
Understanding How Immunotherapy Works
Coping with an Emotional Breast Cancer Diagnosis
When you are diagnosed with cancer, feelings of fear and anxiety are completely normal. SurvivorNet experts recommend four tips for women diagnosed with breast cancer to better cope with their emotions during this difficult stage of the journey.
- Let your family and close friends know and let them help. After a diagnosis, you’re often faced with a ton of emotions and need help. It would be best if you encouraged people close to you to jump in with whatever practical help they can offer.
- Keep a journal. Many cancer warriors have shared with SurvivorNet that keeping a journal is an effective tool for acknowledging your feelings and emotions.
- Join a cancer support group. There is a good chance someone else is facing what you are facing or has been through this emotional leg of the journey before. Support groups in nearly every community offer opportunities to connect with others going through a similar journey. You’ll learn constructive insight from others who can tell you about what to expect and how to stay strong on tough days.
- Seek professional help from a therapist. Ask your doctor to refer you to a therapist so you can discuss your fears and concerns in a safe space. Vocalizing your thoughts and feelings rather than bottling them inside can be therapeutic.
WATCH: Maintaining a Positive Headspace
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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