mets are shrinking!!

[Celina]

My sister went to see doc to get results of her CT scan. He was so pleased to report "significant shrinkage" in her tumors on liver and bones. This is the first time in a long time that there has been significant changes (positive, that is). Oddly enough, she hasn't been on any chemo for months. Other than the two dosages of Navelbine, she hasn't had chemo since November (just Herceptin). She had a dose of Navelbine at the beginning of December and a second dose one month later. She stopped because she couln't tolerate it. Could it be these two sporatic doses of Navelbine? Has anyone had tumor shrinkage from Herceptin alone?

Anyway, weren't not complaining!! It just means that she is that much stronger to deal with the WBR..now if we could only figure out how to get rid of those nasty tumors!

Keep well everyone,
Celina

[Lolly]

Celina, THAT'S GREAT!!! I know Navelbine is considered to be very synergistic with Herceptin so it's probable that it helped, plus some do respond to Herceptin by itself, so it looks like "it's all good" as my kids would say! Give her a big hug from me!

Love, Lolly

[Lisa]

Thrilled to hear it! Yes, for many women Herceptin alone can do the trick. It puts the brakes on the tumors until they die a natural death. Unfortunately, others like me need the chemo combo to rid the deamons.

Send her our best.

Love and light,

Lisa

[*_madubois63_*]

So glad to hear the great news about your sister! And yes, Herceptin could be doing the job on it's own. Putting it in very simple terms, it is my understanding that the Herceptin piggybacks the cancer cells so that the immune system can identify cells and starve/kill them off (at best). Enjoy the moment with your sister...do something you used to do when you were young(er). Play Candyland or The Dating Game, buy her some old fashioned candy, paint her nails for her or have a tea party! Enjoy this time with your sister. Maryann

[*_Barbara H._*]

I was first diagnosed in May of 1998 at age 50. I was given four rounds of AC followed by four rounds of taxol and then radiation. Seven out of 9 nodes were positive and I was er,pr-, and Her2+++. My cancer returned last May, 2004. I had surgery for brain mets. (3cm tumor on the left pre-frontal cortex. My scans also showed liver and lung mets and mets through out the lymph system. There was no evidence of bone mets. I started only herceptin in July because my ocologist wanted me to feel well for my daughter's wedding and he thought it would be interesting to see if I responded to herceptin alone before adding anything else. By August my tumor markers were down in the low normal range and I was feeling good enough to return to my full time teaching job. I receive herceptin every three weeks and so far it seems to be doing the job. If it hadn't been for the wedding my ocologist would have given me another chemo along with herceptin. I find the most difficult part of this disease is making long range plans: e.g. should I redo my kitchen? How do others deal with this? Hopefully, the herceptin will continue to work for a while longer because it allows me to live a normal life. I hope the same for your sister.
Best,
Barbara H.

[al from canada]

Barbara,
I would redo the kitchen.
Al