i can't believe this...

[michele u]

I got the email back from Dr. Berry already!! He must have been up late on his computer. This is what he said:

"Assuredly so. (meaning he was including her2 pos with this article). Some of this has been published and some is yet to be published. Her2 pos, ER neg starts out with a relatively poor prognosis. but chemo reverses it. The two markers seem to comtribute equally. Clearly important is Adriamycin. Some suggestion that the benefits of Taxol are concentrated in Her2 pos patients"

So, for us that have had Adriamycin, and Taxol, we should feel like we got the right combo. I hope all has gotten at least these 2 drugs.

[StephN]

Hi Michele U -
Thanks for clearing that up for us!
Nice responsive doc.

I had Adria first line - 12 weekly for a higher overall dose. Then Taxotere. but liver mets came raging anyway within 6 months.
It was Taxol/Navelbine/Herceptin that kicked them out.

So, it seems that Adriamycin might not have been effective for me (I had 8 pos nodes). But Taxol sure did the trick.

[michele u]

Steph N,
Are you hormone pos or neg? Did you get Taxol first line too?

[StephN]

Hi -
I am ER and PR neg.

First line was Adriamycin and Taxotere (a trial with this "new" drug at that time in 2001). By joining the trial that was partly sponsored by Amgen, I did not have any co-pay for the Neupogen that I had to take with it, like I did for the Adria.
In my last trial to kick out the liver mets, I had no copay for the neupogen either - some trials have a financial side benefit.

You may find MY Story of interest - it is under that area of this site. But, now needs an update to include my latest with brain mets.

Still feeling fine today and now on 3 4mg, tomorrow I can cut to 2 times a day for 3 days.