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Darlene Denise · 08-29-2010, 07:51 PM

Patricia: It might be that you need an additional onc to consult and advise with your local onc. Find one at a facility that does a lot of clinical trials for bc brain mets. You need someone who specializes in this type of situation. I get treatments from my local onc, consult at Dana Farber which enables me to access their clinical trials and actually had Cyberknife for the brain lesions at UNC. My local onc is receptive to this and welcomes info from thought leaders at leading NCI facilities to help us navigate my care. No one doctor can know and be on top of everything plus take care of patients everyday. This is were researchers come in handy.

Avastin has been proven as safe when using it on a patient that has brain cancer or brain mets, and has shown efficacy in some primary brain cancers, however, not a lot of data proving effective for breast cancer brain mets. Just because a drug can pass the BBB doesn't mean it will be effective on the breast cancer that is there. This area of treatment is not well understood or studied at this time for many reasons. Long way to go on this from what I have learned.

Wishing you well...Darlene

08-29-2010, 07:51 PM	#13
Darlene Denise Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia Posts: 145	Re: New Mets to brain/WBR Patricia: It might be that you need an additional onc to consult and advise with your local onc. Find one at a facility that does a lot of clinical trials for bc brain mets. You need someone who specializes in this type of situation. I get treatments from my local onc, consult at Dana Farber which enables me to access their clinical trials and actually had Cyberknife for the brain lesions at UNC. My local onc is receptive to this and welcomes info from thought leaders at leading NCI facilities to help us navigate my care. No one doctor can know and be on top of everything plus take care of patients everyday. This is were researchers come in handy. Avastin has been proven as safe when using it on a patient that has brain cancer or brain mets, and has shown efficacy in some primary brain cancers, however, not a lot of data proving effective for breast cancer brain mets. Just because a drug can pass the BBB doesn't mean it will be effective on the breast cancer that is there. This area of treatment is not well understood or studied at this time for many reasons. Long way to go on this from what I have learned. Wishing you well...Darlene __________________ 12/14/07 IDC ER- PR- HER2+++ LIVER METS AT DX CONFIRMED BY LIVER BIOPSY 01/14/08 2 AC TREATMENTS-NOT WORKING 02/04/08 13 TAXOL, CARBO, HERCEPTIN TREATMENT-EXCELLENT RESULTS! 05/12/08 HERCEPTIN EVERY 3 WKS 08/22/08 BRAIN METS! 8 <5MM 09/17/08 CYBERKNIFED BRAIN METS 10/20/08 BRAIN METS SHRINKING 12/29/08 BRAIN SCAN SHOWS 1 LESION GONE, 7 SHRINKING & STABLE, 1MM ? SPOT 01/16/09 LIVER REOCUR-XELODA/HERCEPTIN 03/02/09 BRAIN SCAN 2 LESIONS GONE, 5 STABLE, 1MM ? SPOT STILL A ? 3/27/09 REGRESSION OF 2 LIVER LESIONS XELODA & HERCEPTIN 06/08/09 STUPID BRAIN HAS 3 LESIONS 06/29/09 CYBERKNIFE 07/01/09 LIVER REGRESSION NO NEW METS 07/07/09 TYKERB XELODA HERCEPTIN 11/11/09 GEMZAR/HERCEPTIN FOR LIVER PROGRESSION 03/22/10 BRAIN MRI GOOD-3 SMALL NECROSIS LEFT FROM ORIG 11!! 03/26/10 CHANGE TO NAVELBINE/HERCEPTIN 3 LIVER LESIONS PROGRESSING IN SIZE 05/21/10 NAVELBINE/HERCEPTIN WORKING! 07/19/10 GOOD BRAIN MRI 08/20/10 LIVER PROGRESSION 09/08/10 TDM1 - NASHVILLE TN 01/10/11 LIVER RESPONDING TO TDM1