Herceptin and HER2+ breast cancer
Using Herceptin with chemotherapy, instead of after, clearly improves treatment of women with HER2+ breast cancer, and should be the new standard of care, says a Mayo Clinic researcher who led what is regarded to be a key clinical trial determining the best use of Herceptin.
Patients using Herceptin and chemotherapy at the same time had a relative 25 percent reduction in the risk of recurrence of cancer or death, compared with women who used Herceptin after chemotherapy, says Edith Perez, M.D., chair, North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG) Breast Committee and a breast cancer researcher at the Mayo Clinic campus in Jacksonville, Fla. She presented the findings of the study at the Cancer Therapy & Research Center-American Association for Cancer Research (CTRC-AACR) 2009 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
These findings may have global implications for women being treated for HER2+ breast cancer, which makes up 20 percent to 25 percent of all cases, Dr. Perez says.
Source: Science Blog
once again, great to see medical advances like these
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I’m 35, married and have no children. I had a lumpectomy and my tumor was estrogen & progesterone receptive. Today, thank God I finished my 6th cycle of chemo with taxotere and cyclophosphamide. I’m very happy about that but now in 3 weeks I will start on herceptin and maybe radiation at the same time and further on start tamoxifen. I’m worried because of the side effects and all the chemo I was given already.
I would like to know if this is normal. To be given herceptin, raditation and tamoxifine at the same time ??? I would appreciate any ones feed back !! Should I request a muga scan because my doctor has not offered one???
Thank you &
God Bless,
Ana
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Ana, I am sorry I am not able to answer that question for you, but perhaps some of the readers here may be able to? Have you contacted any cancer support organizations either online or by telephone? They may be able to help put your mind at ease. Please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing and if you want to contact me at anytime via the email, don’t hesitate to do so. All my very best for your treatment. Marie
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Hi Anna, It sounds like you and I are very much alike in what we are are doing with the exception that I had the Herceptin at the same time as the chemo. Absolutely you should request a mega scan so you can get a baseline with your heart. I actually have not had a mega scan done as a baseline which, after my doctor realized this was not the case did order me one as one of the side effects of the Herceptin is the possibility of heart damage. Although this is small possibility it is still a possibility.
I will do the radiation next also. Everyone tells me the herceptin is not a big deal in the area of side effects. So that I cannot tell you about. Let me know if you find out anything!
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Luann thanks so much for replying to Ana here. This is what it’s all about! Reaching out and helping each other in this way.
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Thank you both for the support!
I will keep you posted on how the herceptin and radiation goes. My doctor said she will let me know about the scan, but I will push for it!!
thanks so much, Ana
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I am so pleased Ana that we could offer you a little support..know that we are here for you whenever you want to drop by..
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