First Post

schoolteacher · 02-16-2008, 04:51 PM

My name is Amelia, schoolteacher. I live in Georgia, and I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the first of December. I am Estrogen Postive 77, Herceptin +++ and Progestron +1. My tumors were 3.8 and larger. I have take two AC treatments and the tumors did not go down any, so my doctor changed me to Taxol and Herceptin. One reason he changed me was he suspects I have cancer nodes starting on the skin of breast. I was wondering if any of you have ever taken estrogem suppression with neoadjuvant therapy. I took examples of some of the chemos some of the women on this site have used to shrink their large tumors and showed them to him and asked if they were a possibility. Two or three women had used texatore, some drug that begins with a c, and herceptin. These women reported that their tumors shrank and some disappeared. When I showed him these treatments, he said they might be trials. Will someone please let me know if they are trials? I have gathered information on using estrogen suppression as neoadjuvant therapy. If any of you have used this please let me know. I have chemo flog really bad this after, so if I made any mistakes in my typing please disregard.

KellyA · 02-16-2008, 05:21 PM

Hi Amelia,

Although I can't help you regarding the trial information, I wanted to welcome you to this site. I think that you will gain so much knowledge and support from the women here. It truly has been a godsend for me. Where in Georgia are you located? I am in Savannah.

Love, Kelly

schoolteacher · 02-16-2008, 05:47 PM

I live in Northwest Georgia (Dallas). I teach Severe/Emotional Behavioral Disorder students. Thank you for replying to my message. The night time seems to be the worse part for me.

goops · 02-16-2008, 05:57 PM

I am sorry - I also cannot help you, but welcome to the site and I hope they will quickly find the right treatment to help you. I had both AC and then Taxol and Herceptin and I can tell you that Taxol is a lot easier on a person than AC.

I also had cancer nodes on the skin of my breast - in my case I had a mastectomy before starting treatment.

sassy · 02-16-2008, 06:02 PM

Schoolteacher,

Welcome to this site. I hope you will find information and support here. The night is usually the time of most worry. At times it is very lonely. Come here anytime.

Like you I am triple positive, however I had a mastectomy prior to treatment. You can see my treatment in my signature. I am still on hormone suppression (Lupron shots) at this time. Please feel free to private message me or ask any questions anytime.

My thoughts and prayers are with you as you embark on this journey.

schoolteacher · 02-16-2008, 06:15 PM

It really scared me Thursday when he told me about the cancer nodes on my breast. Since taking the Taxol and Herceptin the nodes on the skin have gone done some. I hope to have my masectomy soon.

schoolteacher · 02-16-2008, 06:16 PM

Sassy, did you have the node biopsy done before your masectomy?

Mary Jo · 02-16-2008, 08:55 PM

Hello Amelia and welcome.........

I'm sorry that I cannot offer any advice in your treatment but did want to say that I was happy you found us and know you will find the women here helpful to you.

So a warm welcome I give you and I ask God to surround you with His peace.

Love to you,

Mary Jo

sassy · 02-16-2008, 09:08 PM

Teacher,

I responded to your PM. Yes, I had sentinal node biopsy prior to mast which was positive. Extensive DCIS and micro-calcification.

Bill · 02-17-2008, 01:05 AM

Hi schoolteacher! I'm glad you came to this site. It is an awesome source of information and support. Welcome, Love, Bill

Joanne S · 02-17-2008, 04:12 AM

Amelia, I think you may be confusing some of the information and the chemo drugs. All of this is probably very overwhelming for you. Perhaps the following will help:

A = Adriamycin (Doxorubicin)

C= Cytoxan (Cyclophosphamide)

AC = both above chemos administered the same day.

T = Taxol (Paclitaxel)

H = Herceptin (Trastuzumab)

Taxanes are a group of drugs that include Paclitaxel (Taxol) & Pocetaxel (Taxotere). They have a unique way of preventing the growth of cancer cells. They affect cell structures in a way that cancer calls cannot grow and divide.

Herceptin (H is part of the common primary breast cancer chemo treatment regimen containing A, C, & T ), is indicated for the adjuvant treatment of patients with HER2-overexpressing, node-positive breast cancer. H is a

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=571 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top>monoclonal antibody that binds to HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2), and can kill HER2-positive cancer cells</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) is a medication in pill form that interferes with the activity of estrogen (a hormone). It is used as adjuvant, or additional, therapy following primary treatment for early stage breast cancer.

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Following are some very good educational sites:

NBCF Beyond the Shock Video:
http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/...yond-the-shock

NBCF Breast Cancer Library:
http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/...cancer-library

My best to you! Jo

michka · 02-17-2008, 04:33 AM

Hi Amelia! Sorry to welcome you on this site but you will find a lot of information through our shared experience. I cannot tell you what treatment to choose, I can only invite you to read the one I had since I have very close characteristics.
I had neoadjuvant chemotherapy. 3xFEC and then Taxol+Herceptine. It worked but not enough to save my breast. I have small breasts and the surgeon said that with the margins, I would be better off having a mast. and reconstruction. But everyone is different. Most of the times it works well.
I send you all my love and hope some other girls will give you opinions.
Michka.

Joan M · 02-17-2008, 06:33 AM

Amelia,

Welcome to the Her2 site, you will receive a lot of support and information here. My case was different from yours, but since you are newly diagnosed, have you considered getting a second opinion?

Is your oncologist with a large medical center? Oncologist at larger centers see a lot more cases and often times have access to more information than a local oncologist.

Frequently, a local oncologist will follow the recommendation of a larger center. So, you would still be able to get treatment locally for convenience.

Best, Joan

BonnieR · 02-17-2008, 10:10 AM

As Joan suggests, a second opinion is a good idea. I got 3!!!
We are all very individual in the composition of our cancers and resultant treatments. I received Taxol, Herceptin and Carboplatin ( that may be the drug that begins with "C" you are trying to recall).
Keep the faith.

Catherine · 02-17-2008, 11:04 AM

Hi Amelia,

Welcome to our site. This is the best place to come for support and information. From what I have gleaned from this journey, all of the cancers and all of us are not exactly the same. So a good doctor really has to figure out what is right for your DX.

For me, I was lucky that my mulitfocal tumors shrunk to nothing and my 3 positive nodes shrunk to nothing after ony 2 treatments of Adrimycen and Cytoxen. Read below for my treatment description. My DX is different than yours, so I do not know how this compares. I was not on any trials, just standard proceedure.

You might want to buy Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book it is a great reference tool. Breast Cancer treatment has wonderful results, so I wish you all the best.

Hugs, Catherine

chrisy · 02-17-2008, 12:38 PM

Hi Amelia,

Sorry the AC has not given you great results so far, but the taxanes (taxol and taxotere) are VERY effective against Her2+ breast cancer. I think the "C" that generally goes with Taxol and Herceptin is Carboplatin. I had that and the combination kicked butt.

I'm not ER+ so haven't any direct input on your other question, but I'm sure others can respond on this. I would think you would want to shut that down, too, but maybe taking one step at a time is better.

schoolteacher · 02-17-2008, 12:48 PM

Thanks, Chrissy. One reason I posted was to see if any one had started the hormone suppression during neoadjuvant therapy. I read an article Friday that stated one women in California was only going to take the hormone suppression therapy and not take chemo.

Thanks,
Amelia

mts · 02-18-2008, 07:20 AM

Not taking chemo... there are several ladies that post regularly that did not take chemo either (because of small tumor or other health issues).
From my understanding, if a tumor is less than 1cm and you have negative nodes, and a high ER+ percentage -then no chemo and yes to Tamoxifen... However, in my humble opinion, being HER2+ changes the equation to the need for something more- like Herceptin.

Then you have people like Suzanne Somers who "control" their bc with diet and supplements... good or bad... we don't know, but she beleives it works for her and at the end of the day its what YOU feel you need, not someone else. I hope your onc is more forthcoming... if he/she needs to question about trials to you, then you need another oncologist !

maria

tousled1 · 02-18-2008, 07:30 AM

Schoolteacher,

I had neoadjunct chemo and it did shrink my tumor to almost nothing. I had 4 rounds of Adrymycian and Cytoxan followed by 4 rounds of Taxatore. I then had a bialteral mastectomy. As for hormone suppression I can't help you there since I'm hormone negative. When I had my initial biopsy I also had my lymph node biopsed since I had an enlarged one. We knew then that I had lymp node involvement just didn't know how etensive.

basset girl · 02-18-2008, 09:22 AM

Hi Schoolteacher, I am also a triple positive and in Georgia. I did not have chemo first. I had my mastectomy and then chemo. The Taxol and Herceptin was so much easier on me than the AC. My onc would not start me on Tamoxifin until I had completed the Taxol. I was on it only a few months though and choose to have my ovaries out so I could go on Arimidex. I also had radiation after the chemo. I hope the Taxol/Herceptin combo works well.

Nancy