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Congratulations on recovering from that monster tumor and on being node negative. It's wonderful how medicine can save us these days (not counting your idiot plastic surgeon). Please consider herceptin and taxatere. There are millions of cancer cells in a 1 centimeter tumor. On the chance that a few of them could have broken away from your tumor, I'd seriously consider herceptin. It's recommended for tumors over 1 cm. Yours was 19.5. A combination of Herceptin and Adriamycin can damage the heart. You are not getting Adriamycin. A study showed that taking just a taxane chemo and herceptin had fewer incidents of heart damage in patients.
I took adriamycin, then taxol and herceptin. My heart is fine so far. I'm so sorry for your friend. She may have had a heart weakness she didn't know about that was exacerbated by the adriamycin and herceptin combo. When you take herceptin, you get something called a MUGA test before treatment and then every three months. It measures your heart's pumping strength. If the score below a certain level, they stop the herceptin. Most hearts stay fine. The affected hearts usually recover after the herceptin is stopped, and some patients go right back on herceptin. Please post your concerns on the main board. It's a great group. Some of the survivors are in medicine or are scientsists and can explain things very well. Best regards, MJO
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