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Kim in CA · 07-01-2011, 11:07 PM

Hello Everyone,

My Oncologist called me tonight to report that my Her2 Serum test that I just had redone on Weds. was up again, to 16.9. He asked me what I wanted to do. Wait, and retest in another month, or go back on Herceptin. I must admit I'm not willing to gamble on this one. It's back on the Herceptin for me.

We don't think doing scans would show anything at this time. My CA15-3 four weeks ago was still normal, and that has always been a pretty good indicator for me. I just have a feeling that the Her2 Serum may be a little more sensitive, and I don't want to give those cancer cells a chance to really get going, if indeed they are getting active.

I mean it's just too much of a coincidence that my Her2 Serum has always been in the normal range since we started testing 5 yrs ago, and within 5 weeks of stopping Herceptin it starts climbing.

I feel so incredibly lucky to have had such a long run with NED, and I'm just not much of a gambler, even though the idea of stopping Herceptin was so alluring.

On a very sad note, my sister was just diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. She has a glioblastoma, and has one heck of a fight ahead of her.

I HATE CANCER!!

07-01-2011, 11:07 PM	#11
Kim in CA Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: California's Gold Country Posts: 404	Re: Her2 Serum ? Hello Everyone, My Oncologist called me tonight to report that my Her2 Serum test that I just had redone on Weds. was up again, to 16.9. He asked me what I wanted to do. Wait, and retest in another month, or go back on Herceptin. I must admit I'm not willing to gamble on this one. It's back on the Herceptin for me. We don't think doing scans would show anything at this time. My CA15-3 four weeks ago was still normal, and that has always been a pretty good indicator for me. I just have a feeling that the Her2 Serum may be a little more sensitive, and I don't want to give those cancer cells a chance to really get going, if indeed they are getting active. I mean it's just too much of a coincidence that my Her2 Serum has always been in the normal range since we started testing 5 yrs ago, and within 5 weeks of stopping Herceptin it starts climbing. I feel so incredibly lucky to have had such a long run with NED, and I'm just not much of a gambler, even though the idea of stopping Herceptin was so alluring. On a very sad note, my sister was just diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. She has a glioblastoma, and has one heck of a fight ahead of her. I HATE CANCER!! __________________ Diag. Feb 1997 4.5cm IDC <10%ER+, PR-. 5 out of 36 nodes +. Mastectomy followed by 3 rounds Adriamycin/Cytoxin. 5/1997 Hi Dose Chemo w/ Stem cell rescue. Spent 4 weeks in isolation ward. Then 6 weeks radiation. 9/2001 widespread mets to liver. 8 mos Taxotere/Herceptin brought me almost to NED. Stop Taxotere & add Femara . 11/2002 liver resection to remove spot that turned out to be necrosis. Officially NED! 7/2003 Tumor markers rising add Xeloda Disastrous reaction, 8 days hospital, but tumor markers came back to normal! June -Dec 2004 UW Vaccine Trial. 7/2005 MRI single 11mm brain met 8/2005 Gamma Knife. Brain MRI @3 months NED! 2006-2011 brain/body still NED 8/04/11 Taking Herceptin break, will monitor with tumor markers. 6/20/12 Tumor markers begin to rise. CA15-3 is 31.3 and Her2 Serum is at 17.1 Decide to repeat in one month. 7/23/12 CA15-3 now 49.3 Her2 Serum 26.8 8/6/12 Back on Herceptin CA15-3 now 76 Her2 Serum now 49 11/7/12 Add weekly Taxotere for 4 cycles 2/2013 Stopped Taxotere added Perjeta. MRI shows approx. 50% reduction liver mets. CA15-3 still elevated @ 55. Will continue on just Herceptin & Perjeta. November 2014 Continuing on Herceptin, Perjeta, and Femara indefinitely. Guess I'm NED again, but watching those tumor markers carefully! Dec. 2015 PET scan reveals mass in perirectal area of abdomen.biopsy confirms. Still Her2+, but no longer ER+. Bye bye Femara Jan 2016 Begin Kadcyla March 2016 PET scan shows tumor now barely visible, still NED everywhere else. 2016/2017 continue Kadcyla November 2017 brain MRI reveals small focus of T2 hyperintensity with possible 4mm enhancing nodule. Short term follow up MRI suggested. Stay tuned...