Re: How Her2+ BC patients develop brain metastases
 

Rolepaul, I amglad your wife is doing well, wow since 2012, thats great! I have Stage IV breast cancer (Her2+,ER/PR-), after 4 months of chemo and until now receiving Herceptin/Perjeta every 3 weeks (since january), on a brain MRI on Oct 23 they found about 20 brain lesions . Only option given was WBRT. My question for you is did your wife had single brain tumor that s how you know what kind cancer? Did she do any radiation therapy before trying the protocol you mention? this is all new to me, I avery confused about the options available and very scare of doing whole brain radiation. I wonder if the side effects are with the extra time... Thank you.

Re: How Her2+ BC patients develop brain metastases
 

Rolepaul, Iam a glad your wife is doing well. wow since 2012, thats great! I have Stage IV breast cancer (Her2+,ER/PR-), after 4 months of chemo and on Herceptin/Perjeta every 3 weeks since january , now they found about 20 brain lesions on MRI last Oct23. Only option given was WBRT. My question for you is did your wife had single brain tumor that s how you know what kind cancer? Did she have any type of radiation therapy? this is all new to me, I am very confused about the options available and very scare of doing whole brain radiation, I wonder if the side effects are worth the extra time...Thank you.

Re: How Her2+ BC patients develop brain metastases
 

Re: How Her2+ BC patients develop brain metastases
 

Thanks for this post!

Re: How Her2+ BC patients develop brain metastases
 

Nina had several lesions on her brain. When we did "whack-a-mole" radiation, we never were able to eliminate the lesions. When se did the IT Herceptin and Topotecan, we put all but one into remission. That one we had to have treated with a laser. The cancer tumors can modify with treatment. Immunotherapy might work for five years and then need something else. The Herceptin and Toptoecan pairing delays remission and gets most of the lesions. The more we have patients treated, the more we know about slightly modifying treatment for each case. The IT Herceptin and Topotecan should get rid of most, if not all, of the brain lesions. Then CyberKnife or another means can deal with any remaining disease. Six years ago, the median time after discovery was 4 to 6 months. With IT Herceptin and Topotecan, it is at about 30 to 36 months, but at over four years (as the database gets more time after treatment) for those who are not paralyzed.