[fourboysmom]

Hi Louise, Haven't been on this board in a bit, and then I stumbled onto your post...I, too, was node negative, and had a mastectomy at age 38. I was told I had alot of calcifications in that breast, in addition to the mass. and therefore required a mastectomy. Because of the government regulations, you need chemo in addition to Herceptin. I say go for it...but you do have a choice in the types out there. Ask about Navelbine with Herceptin. Minimal side effects and no hair loss. I was in a study at Dana Farber in Boston that studied the effects of Navelbine/Herceptin with Taxotere/Carboplatin/Herceptin. I got into the latter group with worse side effects. Both combos were highly effective. I, too am ER,PR-, stage 2. My tumor was quite large, which even more is amazing I was node negative.

You still have alot of life ahead of you-- I wish you the best. Love, Janet in CT