[Mtngrl]

Lauren,

Here's what my oncologist said in an email to me:

"The discussion at the Molecular Tumor Board on Friday suggests that perhaps your tumor has become resistant to HER2 targeted antibodies as evidenced by an ERBB2 (HER2) rearrangement noted in the report. It is noted as a variant of uncertain significance however given the increased copy number of the HER2 signal and the fusion protein created there is concern that this may be leading to resistance to such therapy.

As such it was suggested NOT TO continue on dual HER2 antibody therapy but rather a HER2 tyrosine kinase such as Lapatinib. How did you tolerate this before and would you be willing to try this again?"

Drugs with the "mab" suffix are monoclonal antibodies, so they help the person's immune system kill the unwanted cells. Drugs that have a "nib" suffix block growth of the targeted protein. I found this explanation online: "Drugs that end in NIB act within the cell blocking the messenger activity of the tyrosine kinase which is part of the signalling process within the cell. When this is blocked the cells can't divide and grow."

Also, the "ase" suffix indicates that something is an enzyme. So a TKI (tyrosine kynase inhibitor) blocks an enzyme that is part of the HER2-neu cell growth process.

I don't really understand my doctor's explanation of what they saw in the report, but I trust that the tumor board people know what they're doing. I'll be monitored pretty frequently and we'll see how it goes.

Amy