Herceptin and surgery

[juliesu]

To all the Her 2+ girls out there. Did anyone undergo surgery whilst on Herceptin. I had a right mastectomy in Oct. Had AC and started Herceptin 2 weeks ago. My oncolgy surgeon told me he would not do it until I was off herceptin as there is the chance of wound healing issues. If he wasn't so damn cute I'd have punched him. Noone told me this before I started the treatment.

He is happy to put a port in but not do the mastectomy!!! I hope my PS will do my expander replacement whilst on Herceptin I will be totally pissed off if I have to stay lob-sided for a year. If that is the case I will punch HIM. Cute or NOT!!!

Jxxxx

[Becky]

I had an oophorectomy while on Herceptin. I know you will get responses from this site that some gals had elective surgeries (hysterectomies and propholactic mastectomy) while on Herceptin.


Wound healing is a problem while on chemo but Herceptin is immunotherapy not a chemotherapy.

Hope this helps.

Best regards,

Becky

[juliesu]

Thanks Becky
Yes I should have said this will be a prophylactic mastectomy and implant replacement. I was shocked that herceptin was going to be a problem. He said he would avoid the mastectomy as it was a more radical surgery than expander replacement and it is still unclear as to whether herceptin does or doesn't interfere with wound healing? He thought it was a risk. Looking forward to hearing everyone's thoughts.

Thanks
Julie

[Julie2]

I had tubal ligation while on Herceptin. Healing was not a problem.

Julie

[lia]

I was told by a registrar ( not my surgeon ) at my first follow up appt at my nhs hospital ( in the uk ) that i couldnt have oopherectomy or prophylactic (sp ?) mastectomy until my 1 year of private hospital herceptin had finished in october.I wasnt given a reason and i didnt ask as i was shocked not to see my surgeon and the doctor didnt even seem to have opened my file. My private oncologist is not particularly interested, so I ve asked my gp to find out why the wait, i d not heard of problems healing on herceptin , but this may well be the answer i eventually receive.

[kim]

I have had 2 surgeries while on herceptin. I had a proph. mast. with a tissue expander put in. Then I had the expanders replaced with implants. I did not have any trouble with healing either time.
Kim

[DianaK]

I had just started Herceptin last year when I had my prophylactic mast and expander put in.No one said anything about not doing it.Of course,it had only been one or two treatments.I have since had my implant exchange and nipple recon-have not had any complications.I will be finished with herceptin in a couple of months.Diana

[DeborahNC]

I am currently on Herceptin (thru Oct.) and a PS is ready to begin reconstruction with no reservations as soon as I call to make the appointment. I spoke with my breast surgeon as well and he sees no problem with surgery while on Herceptin.

edit: I keep forgetting to sign my name. Deborah

[Lolly]

Julie, I had a right mastectomy in 2002, while on Herceptin. My surgeon is a breast specialist and considered one of the best in our state, and he was emphatic that I NOT suspend Herceptin for surgery and recuperation, to help prevent another recurrence. I healed fine, no complications, no recurrence.

<3 Lolly

[SusanAnne]

Hi Julie,

I was 9 months into my 1 year of herceptin and I had TRAM flap reconstruction. My plastic surgeon just requested a note from my oncologist that it was OK to proceed and my onc. provided it no problem. Good luck.

Susan

[Monique M]

Hi Julie:

I am having my tissue expanders put in on Friday (I have been on herceptin since December 2004 and expect to go off it in December of 2006). My PS said that he had operated on others who were on herceptin without a problem. My onc also said it was no problem. (I let you know how it goes next week).

Peace and Blessings,
Monique

[jsattaw]

Hi Julie:

I had a complete hysterectomy and my expander replacement while on Herceptin. I've had excellent results with healing and no doctor suggested that Herceptin could interfere with healing.

Good luck with your treatments and surgery.

Jill

[Liz J.]

Hi Julie, Just a guess, but maybe some oncs. are more concerned about the safety of having surgery while on Herceptin for heart issues. Especially those who are very conservative. I guess it depends on the onc. and how involved the surgery is i.e. amount of time under anesthesia, etc. My surgeon's nurse told me that I could not have any surgery without my onc's permission until I was one year out of chemo. They all have different protocols.

[Kimberly Lewis]

I had a R mastectomy 3 weeks ago and went for my Herceptin treatment the week after surgery. No problems to speak of. I did have fluid on this side that I didn't have with the L while not on hercepting but don't think that had anything to do with it...

[Unregistered]

Thankyou ALL. looks like my surgeon is getting other opinions as well ;-) And other surgeons are obviously operating whilst on hercptin!

Jxx

[lu ann]

Plastic Surgeons have to be extra carefull when doing the Tram and Diep Flap surgeries. The patients body has to be in optimum healing condition as the tissue that is transplanted can turn black and die.

Love and Blessings Lu Ann

[Jackie]

I had my tissue expander removed with implants placed while I was on Herceptin. My PS also did nipple construction. I didn't have any difficulty.

Jackie

[snoopy]

I've had surgery - Laprascopic Oophorectomy, LD reconstruction and Reduction of other breast (done in 2 ops 3 weeks appart. Longest was the LD/reduction - about 5 hours). Neither my Oncologist or Surgeon was concerned about surgery whilst on Herceptin. All of this has happened in the last few weeks so I can't comment on long term issues however all of my wounds are healing well (and the surgery went "as expected" by Surgeon).

[Barbara]

Hi:

I had my gallbladder out while on Herceptin as the harsh chemo had casused it to not eject bile well. I healed very fast. Faster than my younger sister who also had gallbladder surgery six months before I had mine.

Barb

[katcdale@yahoo.com]

Diana K. and Kim,
How has the expander surgery and replacements been going. I have had a MASC. of my right breast a yr.(APR.) ago. I've been on Herceptin a few months now, and will continue it for at least another year. I am 5'3" and weigh about 105 lbs-108,51 yrs.old. Do you think reconstruction is worth it??? Kat in the Delta

[katcdale@yahoo.com]

TO ALL YOU HER2WOMEN ONLINE, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN OR ARE YOU GOING TO BE ON HERCEPTIN as Preventative Reoccurring B.C.??????????? Is a Year the Norm?? RSVP----kat in the delta

[Jackie]

Kat,


I was suppose to have Herceptin for a year as a preventive. I had it for 6 months and my MUGA dropped from 68 to 54. My onc. has taken me off of Herceptin for now. He said 6 months was enough considering the significant drop in my MUGA. I have and appt. with him on Tues. to discuss this further. I am in a study and my chemo. nurse told me that I was taken off because of the protcol of the study. They have patients all the time in the low 50s stay on Herceptin, just watching there MUGAs closely. I want to know if he is open to idea of putting me back on it if I come out of the study. I do think a year is norm. I have a close friend who was diag. right after me and she will remain on Herceptin for year, also.

Jackie

[DianaK]

Kat

I am so happy that I got the recon-it was worth all the discomfort.I never considered NOT getting recon.I had the nipple recon a month ago and get my areolas tattooed on in May.I also finish up my one year of Herceptin around then too!It has been a long haul,and barring a recurrence-I can slowly start to put this behind me.Diana