HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post

chrisy · 08-01-2007, 05:51 PM

Hi!

Her2+ means that your tumor has too many copies of the Her2 protein, which is a growth factor causing (duh) growth. In breast cancer, it is associated with rapid growing cancers.

Historically, it WAS associated with poor prognosis because of this. Ignore that, it is OLD news, and the story has changed dramatically. That was before Herceptin and way before adjuvant use of herceptin for early stage cancers.

The availability of herceptin to target the "problem" of Her2+ has turned it around - now some doctors consider it a good prognosis. In the adjuvant trials which led to approval of herceptin for early stage, it showed 50% reduction in the rate of recurrence!

You picked a good time to get this (HA HA), in all likelihood you will leave this behind you for good!

BTW, nobody KNOWS whether anyone will have a recurrence - you just go on and hope!

Hope this helps.

08-01-2007, 05:51 PM	#3
chrisy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Central Coast, CA Posts: 3,207	Hi! Her2+ means that your tumor has too many copies of the Her2 protein, which is a growth factor causing (duh) growth. In breast cancer, it is associated with rapid growing cancers. Historically, it WAS associated with poor prognosis because of this. Ignore that, it is OLD news, and the story has changed dramatically. That was before Herceptin and way before adjuvant use of herceptin for early stage cancers. The availability of herceptin to target the "problem" of Her2+ has turned it around - now some doctors consider it a good prognosis. In the adjuvant trials which led to approval of herceptin for early stage, it showed 50% reduction in the rate of recurrence! You picked a good time to get this (HA HA), in all likelihood you will leave this behind you for good! BTW, nobody KNOWS whether anyone will have a recurrence - you just go on and hope! Hope this helps. __________________ Chris in Scotts Valley June 2002 extensive hi grade DCIS (pre-cancer-stage 0, clean sentinal node) Mastectomy/implant - no chemo, rads. "cured?" 9/2004 Diag: Stage IV extensive liver mets (!) ER/PR- Her2+++ 10/04-3/05 Weekly Taxol/Carboplatin/Herceptin , complete response! 04/05 - 4/07 Herception every 3 wks, Continue NED 04/07 - recurrence to liver - 2 spots, starting tykerb/avastin trial 06/07 8/07 10/07 Scans show stable, continue on Tykerb/Avastin 01/08 Progression in liver 02/08 Begin (TDM1) trial 08/08 NED! It's Working! Continue on TDM1 02/09 Continue NED 02/10 Continue NED. 5/10 9/10 Scans NED 10/10 Scans NED 12/10 Scans not clear....4/11 Scans suggest progression 6/11 progression confirmed in liver 07/11 - 11/11 Herceptin/Xeloda -not working:( 12/11 Begin MM302 Phase I trial - bust:( 03/12 3rd times the charm? AKT trial 5/12 Scan shows reduction! 7/12 More reduction!!!! 8/12 Whoops...progression...trying for Perjeta/Herceptin (plus some more nasty chemo!) 9/12 Start Perjeta/Herceptin, chemo on hold due to infection/wound in leg, added on cycle 2 &3 11/12 Poops! progression in liver, Stop Perjeta/Taxo/Herc 11/12 Navelbine/Herce[ptin - try for a 3 cycles, no go. 2/13 Gemzar/Carbo/Herceptin - no go. 3/13 TACE procedure