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rentrac · 09-01-2007, 11:12 AM

As to the possibility of allergic reactions, your chemo nurse was exactly right. I'm sorry I didn't write more clearly (dain bramage); if you have a reaction, chances are 99.9% it will be while you're getting the chemo. That's certainly what happened to me.

I've gone through the genetic testing as well. As I recall, the more cancer (doesn't have to be breast) that runs in blood relatives, the higher your chances that insurance will pay for it. Remember, only about 5% of breast cancer patients are positive for Brca 1 or 2, and recall that the original population from which the study was done that found the genes were of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. I tested negative for both. I don't know if they are testing for any other genes, yet, but I suspect as the Human Genome Project yields more information, there will be quite a few genes that are going to be identified.

Warmly (thought not too - the temp has finally dropped below a heat index of 110!)
Rentrac

09-01-2007, 11:12 AM	#43
rentrac Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 65	As to the possibility of allergic reactions, your chemo nurse was exactly right. I'm sorry I didn't write more clearly (dain bramage); if you have a reaction, chances are 99.9% it will be while you're getting the chemo. That's certainly what happened to me. I've gone through the genetic testing as well. As I recall, the more cancer (doesn't have to be breast) that runs in blood relatives, the higher your chances that insurance will pay for it. Remember, only about 5% of breast cancer patients are positive for Brca 1 or 2, and recall that the original population from which the study was done that found the genes were of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. I tested negative for both. I don't know if they are testing for any other genes, yet, but I suspect as the Human Genome Project yields more information, there will be quite a few genes that are going to be identified. Warmly (thought not too - the temp has finally dropped below a heat index of 110!) Rentrac __________________ Oct. 2003: Dx age 48, Stage IIIA Ductal Ca. dense dose neoadjuvent AC. BrCa 1&2 -, ER+, PR-, Her2+. 2004: R mastectomy, 3+ nodes, dense doseTaxotere ( allergic), total hysterectomy, radiationx36 . Tamoxifen x6 mo., Arimidex x9 mo. Jan. '06: Multi left metastatic nodes left neck. Stage IV. Taxol, Carboplatin (allergic to both), Herceptin, radiationx27. Herceptin cont'd. 1 mediastinal met in old rad field. April: 2 brain mets - Rcerebellar, Ltemporal lobe. Gammaknife. Stop Herceptin, Start Tykerb. May: CyberKnife-mediastinal node, Zometa restart. July: New RLung mets. Xeloda add. Jan. 2008: CT: Lung mets shrinking. Fatty liver w/increased liver function panel. Feb '08: MRI: brain mets back, 2nd GammaKnife. June: Migraine headaches from cerebellar tumor. Team for WBR - Choose Craniotomy on Cerebellum only. Aug: Crainiotomy successful. Sept: PET -right lung apex clean; left internal mammary artery appears malignant. Herceptin in future. Left mastectomy?