HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - 32 year old w/ HER2+++/Mitral Valve Prolapse & Herceptin???

Jean · 07-21-2010, 09:52 AM

Your wife has a similar dx to mine.
er+ pr- (which is a rare subtype)
I also had a small tumor 6MM

Your doctors are impressive...but...this is what I would strongly recommend that you contact Dr. Slamon in UCLA who is the dr who is the Father of Herceptin. He has done all the trials and he did the studies of TCH verses A/C and Herceptin. The TCH arm had 0 issues with any heart issues. While you wife has a medical history with her heart I would seek Dr. Slamon's advise on treatment for her in regards to herceptin.

The herceptin was found to have heart issues when given with A/C chemo.

All women fear chemo of any kind that is a normal reaction as no one wants to be dx. with any type of cancer. But please know that the stats have changed drastically with Her2 breast cancer.

Some of the few percentage of women who had heart reaction to the herceptin - once the treatment was stopped the medical issue reversed itself.

Your wife will require additional monitoring but I do not believe that she would NOT be able to have herceptin due to the mitral valve prolapse. Most people live normal lives with this condition - (of course do not know how severe your wife's prolapse is) does she take medicaiton for it? Has the dr. thought of surgery due to her ejection fraction? Herceptin can lower the muga score and that is when the treatment would be halted.

I know it is easier said then done, but try to relax as you will need to have calm clear heads to make the best medical choices. We have made great strides in this disease especailly when caught early like your wife.

Below I have linked information on trial studies of Dr. Slamon and TCH and herceptin studies...knowledge is power with this disease. When I was dx. (05) early stage women could not be given herceptin as it was not FDA approved. I went to see Dr. Slamon who agreed with me that my top dr. in the East had missed the boat. 1.5 yr later herceptin was approved for all early stage Her2 women. Dr. Slamon is cutting edge. I was lucky that I continued to get opinions and do my homework and fight back hard. You have found the very best site for information and support.

I am so very sorry that you and your wife need our support and help - but all here will do their best to always help you!

http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/dr....-breast-cancer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Slamon

http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/con...nc.mdq096.full

http://www.herceptin.com/hcp/adjuvan.../bcirg-006.jsp

http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/content/full/26/8/1198

http://www.drugs.com/newdrugs/first-...-her2-993.html

contact for Dr. Slamon
310 829-5471

Best Wishes,
Jean

07-21-2010, 09:52 AM	#2
Jean Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 3,154	Re: 32 year old w/ HER2+++/Mitral Valve Prolapse & Herceptin??? Your wife has a similar dx to mine. er+ pr- (which is a rare subtype) I also had a small tumor 6MM Your doctors are impressive...but...this is what I would strongly recommend that you contact Dr. Slamon in UCLA who is the dr who is the Father of Herceptin. He has done all the trials and he did the studies of TCH verses A/C and Herceptin. The TCH arm had 0 issues with any heart issues. While you wife has a medical history with her heart I would seek Dr. Slamon's advise on treatment for her in regards to herceptin. The herceptin was found to have heart issues when given with A/C chemo. All women fear chemo of any kind that is a normal reaction as no one wants to be dx. with any type of cancer. But please know that the stats have changed drastically with Her2 breast cancer. Some of the few percentage of women who had heart reaction to the herceptin - once the treatment was stopped the medical issue reversed itself. Your wife will require additional monitoring but I do not believe that she would NOT be able to have herceptin due to the mitral valve prolapse. Most people live normal lives with this condition - (of course do not know how severe your wife's prolapse is) does she take medicaiton for it? Has the dr. thought of surgery due to her ejection fraction? Herceptin can lower the muga score and that is when the treatment would be halted. I know it is easier said then done, but try to relax as you will need to have calm clear heads to make the best medical choices. We have made great strides in this disease especailly when caught early like your wife. Below I have linked information on trial studies of Dr. Slamon and TCH and herceptin studies...knowledge is power with this disease. When I was dx. (05) early stage women could not be given herceptin as it was not FDA approved. I went to see Dr. Slamon who agreed with me that my top dr. in the East had missed the boat. 1.5 yr later herceptin was approved for all early stage Her2 women. Dr. Slamon is cutting edge. I was lucky that I continued to get opinions and do my homework and fight back hard. You have found the very best site for information and support. I am so very sorry that you and your wife need our support and help - but all here will do their best to always help you! http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/dr....-breast-cancer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Slamon http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/con...nc.mdq096.full http://www.herceptin.com/hcp/adjuvan.../bcirg-006.jsp http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/content/full/26/8/1198 http://www.drugs.com/newdrugs/first-...-her2-993.html contact for Dr. Slamon 310 829-5471 Best Wishes, Jean __________________ Stage 1, Grade 1, 3/30/05 Lumpectomy 4/15/05 - 6MM IDC Node Neg. (Sentinel node) ER+ 90% / PR-, Her2+++ by FISH Ki-67 40% Arimidex 5/05 Radiation 32 trt, 5/30/05 Oncotype DX test 4/17/06, 31% high risk TOPO 11 neg. 4/06 Stopped Arimidex 5/06 TCH 5/06, 6 treatments Herceptin 5/06 - for 1 yr. 9/06 Completed chemo Started Femara Sept. 2006 Last edited by Jean; 07-21-2010 at 01:39 PM..