Pat and Herceptin

[Guest guest]

How did you manage to get the Herceptin without doing the Chemo? I

would have had to have both and declined as AC and Herceptin can cause

congestive heart failure and are especially problamatic when used

together. The AC chemo would have only increased my chances 2% as

well. I wasn't willing to take the risk of doing AC and Herceptin as

congestive heart failure with dementia runs in the family. I might

have been willing to do the Herceptin on its own but that was not an

option.

Ruth

>

I also take IV Herceptin on a weekly basis for a year due to the

aggressiveness of the tumors. I was

> given a 25-30% chance of recurrent disease; however, with the

Arimidex the risk is cut in half, adding the Herceptin buys me maybe

a couple more % points. I did not opt for Chemo as the % of benefit

was only 2%. I did not want the side effects with that small of

benefit....Only time will tell if I made the right decision. I just

wanted you to know that I went for a second medical opinion at

Vanderbilt Univ, Nashville, TN, and it was stressed that the Arimidex

was important even if I did nothing else, but you must take a Calcium

replacement up to 1200mg daily....

>

> We have to each make our own decisions on this journey; what works

for one may not work for another....Newer drugs have not been in

circulation for very long and the long term effects are not known. It

is a gamble, but you make the best decision you can with the info you

are given.

>

> I hope this helps....Pat

[Guest guest]

Ruth,

You may want to discuss Herceptin with your oncologist again. In light

of results at the Dec. San Breast Cancer Symposium, I think

oncologists are more willing to consider Herceptin on its own, without

chemo for early stage women.

-

ruthiema36 wrote on 12/30/2006, 9:28 PM:

> How did you manage to get the Herceptin without doing the Chemo? I

> would have had to have both and declined as AC and Herceptin can cause

> congestive heart failure and are especially problamatic when used

> together. The AC chemo would have only increased my chances 2% as

> well. I wasn't willing to take the risk of doing AC and Herceptin as

> congestive heart failure with dementia runs in the family. I might

> have been willing to do the Herceptin on its own but that was not an

> option.

> Ruth

>

[Guest guest]

same thing here in australia you can only get herceptin if you have the chemo

,i know things seem a bit diff world wide

ajtf.tm@...> wrote: Ruth,

You may want to discuss Herceptin with your oncologist again. In light

of results at the Dec. San Breast Cancer Symposium, I think

oncologists are more willing to consider Herceptin on its own, without

chemo for early stage women.

-

ruthiema36 wrote on 12/30/2006, 9:28 PM:

> How did you manage to get the Herceptin without doing the Chemo? I

> would have had to have both and declined as AC and Herceptin can cause

> congestive heart failure and are especially problamatic when used

> together. The AC chemo would have only increased my chances 2% as

> well. I wasn't willing to take the risk of doing AC and Herceptin as

> congestive heart failure with dementia runs in the family. I might

> have been willing to do the Herceptin on its own but that was not an

> option.

> Ruth

>

[Guest guest]

My Oncologist did not want me to take the chemo component followed by Herceptin.

He felt that if I were 10-20years younger (I am 65) then he would definitely

recommend 4 courses of Adriamycin (one course every three weeks) followed by

weekly IV Herceptin for 1 year..along with oral Arimidex. He has had patients

without recurrent disease using just the Herceptin; however, I do not know how

long a time line this particular drug has been used. I think a lot of it had to

do with my age and the fact that I had early stg disease, clear margins and

lymph nodes..He said the chemo is very hard on patients and you do have the

double whammy of the drugs affecting the pumping action of the heart. I have

been treated for high blood pressure for many years, and he felt going the chemo

route with such a small % of benefit would be too hard on me and too risky based

on my health history. He said quality of life is more important than quantity,

and to go ahead and live each day to the

fullest. In five years without recurrent disease, he would declare me disease

free.

According to the Oncologist I consulted at Vanderbilt University, their

studies have only utilized chemo/Herceptin together. They anticipate starting a

new group using just Herceptin alone, but at this time, they would not say

whether I would benefit with Herceptin by itself. Their comments were that it

has been shown that Arimidex alone, for those who have ER+ pathology, can cut

their risk in half of recurrence if they do nothing else. My decision was to go

with the Herceptin with echocardiograms every three months to see if the drug

has effected my heart. If the change is significant, then I will stop the

Herceptin, but I will continue with the Arimidex. I do get some hot flashes but

just deal with them by taking off a sweater/coat until it passes and putting

them on again. My local Oncologist said that his patients have had no heart

related problems with IV Herceptin in the short term, 1-2 years of use; however,

those that continue for much longer have exhibited

a decrease in the heart ejection factor.

The bottom line is we have to make the decision on our own based on the facts

as presented. There are studies out there and also a web

site.....www.her2support.org that might help you. They list ongoing studies

throughout the US and abroad that you could obtain more info from and perhaps

help you make your decision..Pat