Chest Pains on Tykerb
 

Hi all:
As some of you have been reading, I enrolled in the TEACH trial in May of 2006. I'm on the last 3 months of Tykerb. I went in for my 3 month trial check up early Feb. They took blood as usual and also I did my echo. Blood pressure and echo and all labs were normal. Within the last two weeks, I also had my 6 month check up with my regular onc. All markers/labs showed normal as well. Over the last 2-3 weeks, I've been having irregular chest pains. Some shortness of breath and fatigue. I called the trial onc. yesterday and they have scheduled for me to have a repeat echo and a CT heart scan. It is difficult for me to describe the pains exactly. I just don't feel right and I'm concerned the Tykerb has had some effect on my heart. Has anyone else had chest pains while being on a chemo treatment that has cardiac risk? During chemo, I had regular muga scans. How do muga scans and echos differ in what they show. I'm a little scared and hope it is nothing. We will run the tests tomorrow to find out. Any inputs would be greatly appreciated!
Joannie

Chest discomfort
 

Hi Joannie, I tried e-mailing you but got no answer. Does your insurance offer the option of a nurse line to for her to Q/A you and provide more exact advice? If not, you could try calling a local ER to see if they could give you some basic feedback so you could decide whether to be seen in person.

This is an old 1997 Mayo article, but basically the answer as to which procedure is best is that "it depends". Echoes are more available.

http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com...p?AID=3369&UID=


AlaskaAngel

Tykerb can have a side effect of inflammation of the lungs and a minor side effect of heart issues... But always remember that it can also be something coincidental. (I had a respiratory virus in January that made my chest hurt and caused a yucky cough. I was scared it might be the Tykerb, but it wasn't.) If the muga shows an issue in your LVEF, they may want you to discontinue Tykerb either temporarily or permanently. If it is a side effect of the Tykerb, your heart function should return to normal after discontinuation.