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04-16-2007, 06:15 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Thornhill, Ontario
Canada
Posts: 2,320
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Starting Herceptin after Chemo
I hope someone on this board can give me some information. I will be completing my chemo on May 10, 2007. I had 3 rounds of FEC, will have done 3 rounds of Taxotere on May 10th. My onc. said he would redo my MUGA and then start Herceptin- which will be every 3 weeks for a year (17 rounds). How long should I be waiting after the last chemo on May 10 and the start of the Herceptin? I believe my onc. said "about a month", but I can't recall exactly - chemo brain for sure.
Any advice would be welcome, as I go for my Taxotere infusion this Thursday, and I would like to talk to him about this with some knowledge behind me.
Thanks
Caya
__________________
ER90%+/PR 50%+/HER 2+
1.7 cm and 1.0 cm.
Stage 1, grade 2, Node Negative (16 nodes tested)
MRM Dec.18/06
3 x FEC, 3 x Taxotere
Herceptin - every 3 weeks for a year, finished May 8/08
Tamoxifen - 2 1/2 years
Femara - Jan. 1, 2010 - July 18, 2012
BRCA1/BRCA2 Negative
Dignosed 10/16/06, age 48 , premenopausal
Mild lymphedema diagnosed June 2009 - breast surgeon and lymph. therapist think it's completely reversible - hope so.
Reclast infusion January 2012
Oopherectomy October 2013
15 Years NED!!
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04-16-2007, 06:40 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Maple Grove, MN
Posts: 67
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Hi I started my herceptin right after my last chemo, so mine was immediately.
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04-16-2007, 06:44 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Originally from Boston, Ma now reside in Deltona, FL
Posts: 30
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I did not have to wait any period of time to start Herceptin after 4 rounds of Taxotere........I took it for almost a year--had to stop because of muga scan
results---mine started in the 65% range and over the course of the year went down to 50%--------make sure you have frequent mugas--I know many women who ended up on beta blockers with serious cardio problems....Herceptin works great, but you just have to monitor your heart to make sure its not taking too big of a toll.......
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04-16-2007, 08:25 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Naples FL
Posts: 1,744
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I had my last chemo and 3 weeks later started Herceptin
__________________
 Suzan W.
age 54 at diagnosis
5/05 suspicious mammogram-left breast
5/05 biopsy-invasive lobular carcinoma with LCIS,8mm tumor,stage 1 grade 2, ER+ PR+ Her2+++
6/14/05 bilateral mastectomy, node neg. all scans neg.
Oncotype DX-high risk
8/05-10/05 4 rounds A/C
10/05 -10/06 1 yr. herceptin
arimidex-5 years
2/14/08 started daily self administered injections..FORTEO for severe osteoporosis
7/28/09 BRCA 1 negative BRCA2 POSITIVE
8/17/09 prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy
10/15/10 last FORTEOinjection
RECLAST infusion(ostoeporosis)
6/14/10 5 year cancerversary!
8/2010-18%increase in bone density!
no further treatments
Oncologist says, "Go do the Happy Dance"
I say,"What a long strange trip its been"
'One day at a time'
6-14-2015. 10 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!
7-16 to 9-16. Extensive (and expensive) dental work done to save teeth. Damage from osteoporosis and chemo and long term bisphosphonate use
6-14-16. 11 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!!
7-20-16 Prolia injection for severe osteoporosis
2 days later, massive hive outbreak. This led to an eventual dx of Chronic Ideopathic Urticaria, an auto-immune disease from HELL.
6-14-17 12 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!!
still suffering from CIU. 4 hospitilizations in the past year
as of today, 10-31-17 in remission from CIU and still, CANCER FREE!!!
6-14-18 13 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!! NED!!
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04-16-2007, 01:20 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Posts: 2,582
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My herceptin started when I started my taxol. I received my loading dose of herceptin the same day I started my Taxol. Taxol first and then the longggggggg loading dose of herceptin. Boy, that was a long treatment day. Herceptin continued every 3 weeks along with 4 taxol treatmens. The taxol I received every other week. Sometime (I think twice) I received the herceptin and taxol on the same day.
Mary Jo
__________________
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
Dx. 6/24/05 age 45 Right Breast IDC ER/PR. Neg., - Her2+++ RB Mast. - 7/28/05 - 4 cm. tumor Margins clear - 1 microscopic cell 1 sent. node No Vasucular Invasion 4 DD A/C - 4 DD Taxol & Herceptin 1 full year of Herceptin received every 3 weeks 28 rads prophylactic Mast. 3/2/06
17 Years NED
<>< Romans 8:28
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04-16-2007, 03:47 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: London, England
Posts: 96
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Hello Caya
I'm very similar to you in that I had 4 lots of FEC, followed by 4 lots of Taxotere, which all finished in November 06. They started me on Herceptin together with the Taxotere, I think on the 2nd or 3rd lot. I might be wrong (my own chemo brain here), but I believe it's thought to be more effective if given alongside the taxol, and that that is the treatment of choice if it's possible - it may not be with everyone? My understanding is that ideally you get it within 6 months of finishing chemo, so it could be that it doesn't matter too much. My oncologist was fine with me starting it after the Taxotere finished, if I didn't feel up to starting it alongside, so it probably isn't that crucial.
Best wishes with it all, anyway. I was quite afraid of starting it - what new and lovely side effects might it have? - but actually I've been okay with it. My heart function has come down a bit, but I've been told that they can stop the Herceptin, let my heart recover, and then they can re-start it hopefully. In other words, the heart problem is generally reversible, although of course it's a great idea to get regular MUGA's or echo's so it can be closely monitored before it gets too bad.
Take good care
Caroline
__________________
Caroline
Diag. March 10th 2006, aged 46.
Invasive ductal carcinoma, 2cm + multifocal. Stage 2, Grade 3
HER2+++, ER+/PR+
Right mast. May 2006. 6 of 20 nodes positive
FEC x 4, taxotere x 4; port implanted after 6 cycles
Rads x 25
1 year of Herceptin ended Nov 07.
Arimidex 5 years
Considering reconstruction, maybe soon...
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04-16-2007, 03:57 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: indianapolis, indiana
Posts: 1,544
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I waited three weeks after last chemo and first herceptin. I did have a muga in there, which amazingly it went up after chemo. Don't know how it did after I was completely done with herceptin.
__________________
dxd 9-04, lumpectomy,
st 1, gr 3, er,pr-, her2 +,
2 tac,33 rads,6 cmf
1 yr herceptin,
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04-18-2007, 02:13 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto
Posts: 64
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My first herceptin was 3 weeks after my last taxol. I do herceptin every 3 weeks.
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04-18-2007, 02:35 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Thornhill, Ontario
Canada
Posts: 2,320
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Thanks so much to everyone who replied. I fell better going in to talk to my onc. tomorrow.
Caya
__________________
ER90%+/PR 50%+/HER 2+
1.7 cm and 1.0 cm.
Stage 1, grade 2, Node Negative (16 nodes tested)
MRM Dec.18/06
3 x FEC, 3 x Taxotere
Herceptin - every 3 weeks for a year, finished May 8/08
Tamoxifen - 2 1/2 years
Femara - Jan. 1, 2010 - July 18, 2012
BRCA1/BRCA2 Negative
Dignosed 10/16/06, age 48 , premenopausal
Mild lymphedema diagnosed June 2009 - breast surgeon and lymph. therapist think it's completely reversible - hope so.
Reclast infusion January 2012
Oopherectomy October 2013
15 Years NED!!
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04-19-2007, 04:05 AM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 1
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Hi first time and have found it very useful. I'm hoping someone can help me with their experiences/information.
My last chemo was 26 Feb07 and am in the midst of doing my rads now and expected to finish by 1st week of May. My onc wants me to start on Tamoxifen and Herceptin as soon as possible. Also am aware that Herceptin given during rads treatment makes it more effective. I want to delay my Herceptin and not sure whether this is wise and for how long can I delay? Thx.
__________________
liya
____
Diagnosed Oct 2006 - stage 2b (T2, N1, M0)
11 Oct06 - left mastectomy, T2 (2.5cm tumour, Gr 2)
6 out of 18 axilliary nodes positive
er and pr +ve, c-erb2 3+ (Dako Herceptest)
start chemo on 13 Nov06 - 3xFEC +3x Taxotere
start 25x radiation on 4 Apr07
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