HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - ACTH vs TCH chemo

JillaryJill · 05-02-2012, 07:36 PM

Hi Kathleen,
Thank you for being a patient advocate for your sister. She needs you right now. I can ditto Darlene's reply. TCH chemo on Thursdays, worked remotely through the wireless network at the chemo center. Pumped up on steroids, Thursday, the day of treatment and Friday....Saturday & Sunday on the couch watching movies, eating clear broth soups. Monday back to work. Neulasta shot kept my white blood cell counts good, did not miss a treatment. In regards to TCH, ACTH, my onc who is from a large teaching hospital in Chicago and is quite renowned regarding her work with Her2 patients...has adopted TCH as her standard of care. She told me the chemo regimen is less toxic with the same results. There is also some info on the web, statements by Dr. Slamon regarding TCH vs. ACTH. He leans towards the TCH regimen. The smaller community hospital where I sought out my first opinion for treatment suggested the ACTH regimen, but also offered TCH. I was so scared at the time, I did not research it thoroughly but went with my "intuition" and the recommendation of the teaching hospital. I have read a great deal about the 2 regimens since then and it seems TCH is the standard of care. I feel good about my decision. Good luck to your sister! Jill

05-02-2012, 07:36 PM	#3
JillaryJill Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 271	Re: ACTH vs TCH chemo - thoughts welcome Hi Kathleen, Thank you for being a patient advocate for your sister. She needs you right now. I can ditto Darlene's reply. TCH chemo on Thursdays, worked remotely through the wireless network at the chemo center. Pumped up on steroids, Thursday, the day of treatment and Friday....Saturday & Sunday on the couch watching movies, eating clear broth soups. Monday back to work. Neulasta shot kept my white blood cell counts good, did not miss a treatment. In regards to TCH, ACTH, my onc who is from a large teaching hospital in Chicago and is quite renowned regarding her work with Her2 patients...has adopted TCH as her standard of care. She told me the chemo regimen is less toxic with the same results. There is also some info on the web, statements by Dr. Slamon regarding TCH vs. ACTH. He leans towards the TCH regimen. The smaller community hospital where I sought out my first opinion for treatment suggested the ACTH regimen, but also offered TCH. I was so scared at the time, I did not research it thoroughly but went with my "intuition" and the recommendation of the teaching hospital. I have read a great deal about the 2 regimens since then and it seems TCH is the standard of care. I feel good about my decision. Good luck to your sister! Jill __________________ DX November 2010 Brain MRI, CT of lung, liver, bone, all clear Double Mastectomy w/expanders December 1, 2010 ER- PR- Her2+++, grade 3, 12 positive nodes out of 15 Stage IIIc Started TCH/Chemo December 31, 2010 6 rounds TCH Herceptin every 3 weeks for a year 33 rounds of TomoTube radiation, to chest wall, neck, skin and lymph area September, 2011, MRI to lower spine, hips, DX bulging disk, L4 & L5, pain not from cancer Expanders removed, implants in Dec 1, 2011 Finished Herceptin, December 21, 2011 August 2012, CT of chest and abdomen, all ok Enrolled in MC1136 Phase I Peptide Vaccine Trial at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota March 2013, First Vaccine April 2013, 2nd Vaccine May 2013, 3rd Vaccine June 2013, 4th Vaccine July 2013, 5th Vaccine August 2013, 6th Vaccine Done! September 2013, Mayo visit, Echo results 68, vaccine did not effect my heart! Blood work normal. January 31, 2013, Mayo visit, Echo normal February 23, 2014, Numb lips on right side, Brain MRI, normal! June, 2015, Finished the trial at Mayo Clinic. Feels good!