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Bad MUGA scan might mean no herceptin?
Just had my first visit with oncologist yesterday. Thought I was prepared because I had been reading up on what treatment to expect. She talked about TCH for 18 weeks, then herceptin with aromatase (sp?) inhibitor and radiation after chemo finished. No surprises there. Then she said I had to get a MUGA scan to be sure I qualified to take herceptin. WHAT? If herceptin is the miracle drug that will save a HER2+ person, then what happens if you cannot take it because your heart is not strong enough? Do you then have a choice of dying from heart disease or from cancer? What are the chances that my heart will fail the test? I am overweight, but have never had any issues. Grandparents have had cardiac problems and have died from them - but 20+ years past my age of 57. I was afraid of the chemo but now I am truly afraid of dying.
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Routine mammo 1/8/10
Ultrasound 1/22/10
Biopsy 2/2/10 - IDC, 2 cm, ER+, PR+, HER2 3+, Grade 3 (8/9)
Liver MRI (for other reason) on 2/12/10 clear - no mets
PET scan 3/5/10 - arm pit lymph nodes "lit up", no other areas of concern other than breast tumor
Lumpectomy 3/10 - tumor and all lymph nodes on left side removed
Pathology report results 3/19 show only 2 of 23 nodes removed were malignant, tumor margins were positive - additional surgery required
Second surgery 3/31/10
Pathology results 4/13/10- all margins clear
Stage 2a bc
Started TCH 4/30/10- finished 8/12/10 (2 more weeks of Herceptin to go)
9/2/10 - started Herceptin every three weeks
PET scan 9/18-10 - all well except shadowy area in lung
Started radiation 9/7/10 - finished 10/21/10
Aromasin started 11/1/10 (hate it!)
PET scan 12/13 area in lung is smaller - probably just inflamation
Aromasin stopped 1/14/11 due to side effects
Currently on AI holiday
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