Annemarie,
Thanks for replying;your post is very interesting on several points:
1. your onc is giving you Femara while you are HER-2 positive (but not ER+ ?)
2. you are young & anti estrogen medication such as Femara is usually
for postmenopausal ER+ cancer patients.
3. you are long term NED (congratulations & best wishes for 2007!) in spite of
a reccurent brain met.
How do you (or your onc) explain this nice success & the choice of regimen?
Did you get other treatments?

Herceptin and Femara
 

Hi,
I am her 2+++, ER+/PR+. I take Lupron for the Femara to work and then get 6 mg of Herceptin every three weeks. I also have been taking the Temodar for a year. My Dr. wants to put me on Tykerb once that gets approval and come off of the Herceptin. Really I pushed my Dr. to do all of these things and he was opposed but would do them if I got second opinions from respected oncologist. So that is what I did and he listened.

My Dr. wanted me to take Tamoxifen but I had read that Her 2+ patients don't respond that well and do better with aromatose inhibitors. That was a fight because he had to give it to me with Lupron and it is not protocol. Then I had met Christine and told my Dr. that I wanted Herceptin and he felt opposed because it does not cross the bbb. So I got a second opinion from a thought leader. I am doing well. I know I should go for a PET scan which gets me very anxious.
Annemarie

Thanks so much for this new info! I have been on Arimidex during Herceptin and now by itself for one year. I was 1 node +. This gives me a *sigh* of relief!

Marcia

Hi,

I am 50 years old. BC History - 1989 bc stage 2 in left breast CAF & mastectomy, 1999 bc stage 1 in right breast mastectomy and no further treatment, 2003 hysterectomy.

Feb. 06 diagnosed with mets to bone, skin, lymph nodes, chest wall ER+,
PR+ and Her+. Had spinal surgery to replace C6 due to spinal cord compression from cancer.

March 06, Started trial with Femara and Lapatinib (50% chance). Zometa monthly. Skin, chest wall, lymph nodes resolved within a few weeks.

3 month scans showed all except bones resolved but I had progression to liver - 7 tiny spots. Switched to Gemzar and Herceptin for 4 months liver spots down to 3 and described as the size of a few grains of sand. After 4 months we stopped chemo and did 15 treatments of radiation to spine C6 area. The radiation was originally planned for added protection after the surgery after some healing time. Resumed chemo for 1 more month 2 weeks after completion of radiation.

December scans showed only 3 specs on liver and bones show healing activity after initial flare effect. Third week in December switched to loading dose of Faslodex and continuing Herceptin weekly and Zometa monthly. I hope it works and will keep you posted.

Still don't know if I was getting Lapatinib during the trial or not.

Thanks, Carolyns

kat in the delta
 

Kathy,

Sorry to hear about your cousin having breast cancer. I wish her well and wanted to let others know that you and I have exchanged emails.

Best wishes, Carolyns