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When I first found out I was HER2+, I thought I was doomed. I was pregnant with my daughter at the time and in reading stuff on the internet (which I now know was pre-Herceptin), it said that people who were HER2+ would live for 2 years. Then, after my daughter was born, I found out that my cancer was stage IV due to the spread to the liver & bones.
Since I am stage IV, I will get Herceptin until it stops working. I almost feel lucky now that I am HER2+ because we now have so many options for treatment. Happily, I have lived beyond the 2 years that I originally thought I had and continue to live a full life.
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Diagnosed 10-03-2005 (34 wks pregnant, 38 yrs old)
Lumpectomy Nov-2005. 10/18 Lymph Nodes impacted
Mets to liver, spine & femurs (thus being stage IV right from the get-go)
ER-, PR-, HER2+
Taxol/Herceptin/Zometa started Dec-2005. 11 cycles of Taxol.
Sept-2006: PET/CT scan of mets to liver, spine and femurs - Stable. Activity in R breast & mediastinum (not seen in prior scans).
Navelbine (3 wks on/1 wk off) as of Oct--2006 & continued Herceptin (every 3 wks) & Zometa (every 6 wks)
Jan-2007: PET/CT Scan - Stable. Continued Nav. through March-2007, then Herc./Zom. only after that.
June-2007: PET/CT Scan - activity in mediastinum. Back on Navelbine as of July-2007.
Scanned Quarterly since Oct-2007 - a few small scares, but otherwise stable due to continuing weekly Navelbine, Herceptin and Quarterly Zometa.
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