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Sarah,
I have IBC and I also progressed on Xeloda/Tykerb. After the first 4 weeks, I had great results with my tumor marker dropping in half to 70. The best it's been all year. But after 12 weeks, I had significantly progressed with my tumor marker rising to 345 and severe abdominal pain. Pet scan showed nothing, but an ERCP showed the cancer was growing back in my liver and pancreas and now my duodenum(opening for small intestine) causing obstruction. I was feeling so sick and unable to eat much of anything.
We switched my chemo to Abraxane, Carboplatin and Herceptin. I really do think being off the Herceptin for the entire time I was on Tykerb/Xeloda was a big part of the rapid progression. Herceptin works synergistically with Abraxane & Carboplatin. Also Abraxane has better results than Taxol or Taxotere. I get this regimimen weekly..3 weeks on 1 off..herceptin weekly. It is working really well for me..Tumor marker dropped in half again and I'm down to 157 after just 3 weekly sessions. I believe in this combo and will be on this for several months..we may try Tykerb/Herceptin down the road after I get more stable.
Hope this helps.
Jean
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Jean B
Inflammatory Breast Cancer 2003
A/C Taxol dose dense regimen
6 weeks radiation
1 year Herceptin
NED for 2 years and 4 months
Recurrence in July 2006 with extensive liver mets over 70%, tumor obstructing bile duct-gallbladder, mets to spine and pelvis, abdominal lymph nodes enlarged, mass on pancreas.
Hospice called in until Gemzar and Herceptin started in Aug. 2006
May 2007 pet scan shows only 1 liver lesion 1.1 cm. bone mets gone, no enlarged lymph nodes.
June 2007-Switch to Tykerb/Xeloda because markers increased
Sept 2007-tumor marker 357-2.4 cm mass on pancreas,1 cm lesion on thyroid, duodenum and more liver mets.--switch to abraxane/carboplatin/herceptin and doing much better
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