HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post

DeenaH · 10-29-2010, 09:37 AM

I got some great news last night. While I was at CTCA in Chicago, they ran a CTC test (circulating tumor cell). I just got the results yesterday. I don't know if anyone else has experience with this test because I had never heard of it until last week. It can identify cancer cells in the blood. It's supposedly better than tumor markers. My results showed zero cancer cells in my blood!! The doctor said this means I am NED.

Does anyone know if cancer can get to your organs via the lymph nodes and not be in the blood? My husband's friend works for the company who developed this test, and he said it will someday be replaced by the tumor marker test because it is so accurate. He said if my result is zero, that means I have no cancer in my body. I'm afraid to get too excited though.

I finally heard back from Dr. Slamon's nurse, and I can get in to see Dr. Hurvitz on the 19th. But, I think I am going to skip it. I got Dr. Slamon's input in a round about way, and I am seeing Dr. Melisko at UCSF next week. Her husband also works at UCSF and is supposed to be a HER2 guru. I hear wonderful things about Dr. Melisko, and feel like seeing her is my best bet. I can always see Dr. Hurvitz another time, or I can continue to try to see Dr. Slamon. I am also still waiting to hear back from my local oncologist, whom I have alot of faith in.

10-29-2010, 09:37 AM	#13
DeenaH Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 129	Re: I could really use some input I got some great news last night. While I was at CTCA in Chicago, they ran a CTC test (circulating tumor cell). I just got the results yesterday. I don't know if anyone else has experience with this test because I had never heard of it until last week. It can identify cancer cells in the blood. It's supposedly better than tumor markers. My results showed zero cancer cells in my blood!! The doctor said this means I am NED. Does anyone know if cancer can get to your organs via the lymph nodes and not be in the blood? My husband's friend works for the company who developed this test, and he said it will someday be replaced by the tumor marker test because it is so accurate. He said if my result is zero, that means I have no cancer in my body. I'm afraid to get too excited though. I finally heard back from Dr. Slamon's nurse, and I can get in to see Dr. Hurvitz on the 19th. But, I think I am going to skip it. I got Dr. Slamon's input in a round about way, and I am seeing Dr. Melisko at UCSF next week. Her husband also works at UCSF and is supposed to be a HER2 guru. I hear wonderful things about Dr. Melisko, and feel like seeing her is my best bet. I can always see Dr. Hurvitz another time, or I can continue to try to see Dr. Slamon. I am also still waiting to hear back from my local oncologist, whom I have alot of faith in. __________________ March 2010: Diagnosed with Stage IIIC IDC with axillary, mammary and suplaclavicular node involvement. ER/PR -, HER2+++. 7cm tumor in right breast. April 2010: Started neoadjuvent chemo. 4 DD A/C every 2 weeks, 4 DD Taxotere every 3 weeks with Herceptin weekly. August 2010: Finished chemo! August 20, 2010: PET/CT showed no cancer in any nodes, and only a little uptake to the breast. September 9, 2010: Bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction with implants and Alloderm. September 16, 2010: Pathology report showed 18/51 positive axillary nodes, 3.2cm tumor. Granual sized cancer found in the fatty tissue between levels 1 and 2. October 19, 2010: CT showed several spots on lungs and 1 spot on liver. Liver spot is 2mm, lung spots range from 2mm to 4mm. We don't know if they are cancer or not. 12/15/10: Brain MRI clear 1/7/11: PET/CT 1/13/11: Recurrence in lungs. Start Tykerb 5/13/11: Progression in lungs 6/3/11: Lung surgery to get tumors for chemosensitivity testing.