[chrisy]

hey tuney

heck of a month - thank goodness February only has 28 days...

Sorry you are here, but glad you are here. It's natural to be feeling numb and disconnected.

You specifically asked for advice on the choices before you. I agree, a second opinion is always in order; at least make sure your team includes a breast cancer specialist at a highly regarded cancer center. You deserve the best.

Obviously your real choice is between door #2 and #3 - and you don't necessarily "not" have quality of life by choosing one of these (don't claim side effects until/unless you actually get them).

Either #2 or #3 are good options - so whatever choice you make will be a good one. #2 is the proven combination and Laurel raises a good point about hitting it hard, maybe adding carboplatin.

From a side effect profile there is a bit of difference but both would be tolerable. Both lapatinib and herceptin have shown to be effective, so it's not a question of a completely experimental drug. As I said I think either one would be a good choice.

A big difference is that Lapatinib crosses the blood brain barrier, herceptin does not so there is some evidence that Lapatinib is protective of the brain. If I had cancer in multiple locations, I may lean towards the lapatinib.

Whatever you decide, it will be the right decision for you. Then save the other one for later. Forget about the bell curve, not only is most data prior to the availablity of Herceptin, but it is only a statistic, and you are not.

Hang in there, and let us know what you decide!
Chris