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Mary Anne in TX · 04-09-2009, 06:14 AM

I had read a ton about CTCs and realized that it has been around for a couple of years and is used faithfully by some, and of course, not by others. I do CA 27-29 every 2 months (they have been accurate for me all along) but felt like I needed some more information. I did not go off of herceptin willingly.....Mr. Insurance Man made that decision! I guess being a "trust my gut" kinda person (good or bad)....I just "knew" I needed to stay on it! Well, after much worry and not being full engaged in life as I want and need to be (for me and for my GD), I decided to do something about my goofy brain. I re-read the information and decided that since I had been off of herceptin since the middle of December '08, it would be a good baseline if nothing else.
When I read one of the articles and it talked about 0-5 and over 5 CTCs and the predictor of time to progression (I know, it only means averages, etc) I thought that it would at least give me a reason for action....herceptin or a kick in the britches to get back into life full time (what a joke for a bonafided turtle now) but I just wanted to do something. The economy and rearing our GD plus my mom-in-law has begun to require some more life adjustments.
If it turns out 0-1, that will tell my head to knock it off and get busy with life totally. If it is 3 - 4, I'll give my head a couple of weeks to live in cancer fantasy world and then decide. Over 5 and it's look out Mr. Insurance Man!!!! Thank God for great doctors! I love mine! ma

04-09-2009, 06:14 AM	#8
Mary Anne in TX Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 2,357	Really great stuff here....type in CTC and read and read I had read a ton about CTCs and realized that it has been around for a couple of years and is used faithfully by some, and of course, not by others. I do CA 27-29 every 2 months (they have been accurate for me all along) but felt like I needed some more information. I did not go off of herceptin willingly.....Mr. Insurance Man made that decision! I guess being a "trust my gut" kinda person (good or bad)....I just "knew" I needed to stay on it! Well, after much worry and not being full engaged in life as I want and need to be (for me and for my GD), I decided to do something about my goofy brain. I re-read the information and decided that since I had been off of herceptin since the middle of December '08, it would be a good baseline if nothing else. When I read one of the articles and it talked about 0-5 and over 5 CTCs and the predictor of time to progression (I know, it only means averages, etc) I thought that it would at least give me a reason for action....herceptin or a kick in the britches to get back into life full time (what a joke for a bonafided turtle now) but I just wanted to do something. The economy and rearing our GD plus my mom-in-law has begun to require some more life adjustments. If it turns out 0-1, that will tell my head to knock it off and get busy with life totally. If it is 3 - 4, I'll give my head a couple of weeks to live in cancer fantasy world and then decide. Over 5 and it's look out Mr. Insurance Man!!!! Thank God for great doctors! I love mine! ma __________________ MA in TX. Grateful for each and every day.... Diag. 12/05 at age 60 Stage II, Grade 3, 4.5 cm primary tumor ER/PR- Her2 +3 strongly positive Her2 by FISH 7.7 amplified vascular invasion Ki67 20% borderline Jan - March '06 Taxotere/Adriamycin X 3 to try to shrink tumor - it grew April '06 Rt Modified Radical Mas, 7 of 9 nodes positive April - Aug. '06 Herceptin/Taxol/Carboplatin X 8 (dose dense) Sept - Dec. '06 Navelbine/Herceptin x 8 (dose dense) Radiation & Herceptin Jan. 22 - March 1, 2007 Finished Herceptin Dec. 10 '08! One extra year. Port removed August, 2012. 8 1/2 years since diagnosis! 5 1/2 Years NED! Last edited by Mary Anne in TX; 04-09-2009 at 06:16 AM..