Physicians have new resource for managing disease in patients with early-stage breast

News · 07-09-2013, 01:40 AM

Physicians have a new resource for managing disease in patients with early-stage breast cancer. Patients diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ -- cancer that has not left the breast ducts -- now have the benefit of a multi-gene analysis that considers gene patterns to individualize therapy and determine the chance for recurrence, potentially sparing the patient additional therapy.

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'lizbeth · 07-09-2013, 12:25 PM

This sound great - another move toward "smart" medicine, matching the treatment to the individual!

SusanN · 07-09-2013, 03:17 PM

Once again...Great stuff!! I get some great insight on "Practiceupdate"...Knowledge is Power...we certainly need to be educated and proactive, huh!?!!... UHHHH, who do I think I'm talking to??!!

Thanks so much dear friend!!

Oh, July 22nd is my LAST TCH chemo!!! Then to finish the year of Herceptin...!!! Doable...BUT...bumps along the road...

PS...love your new profile picture!!

'lizbeth · 07-09-2013, 08:05 PM

Thanks sister of another mister,

I'm glad you like my 4th of July picture.

The Herceptin will be a walk in the park.

I am just mearly trying to dispel some misconceptions that more is better when it comes to chemo. It is not one size fits all in cancerland. Many women don't even benefit from chemo but are subjected to toxic treatments because we don't have a better system.

I am truly shocked that I haven't seem more combinations of targeted therapy for early breast cancer. Where is the clinical trial for Herceptin and Perjeta for Stage 0 and Stage I?

Why only women who are 65 and older for a Herceptin clinical trial, why not 55 or 60?

Why not a Herceptin trial for tumor size below .5 if markers show it is an aggressive tumor?

Why am I not in charge at the FDA, lol. Do you think if I applied it would scare the blankity blank out of them?

SusanN · 07-10-2013, 09:55 AM

Hey Sister!!!

You are SPOT ON with soooo much you've said...with evidence...trials etc...

Agreed as to WHY hasn't a Herceptin trial for tumor size below .5 as an aggressive tumor...!!! At FIRST...(hmmm), I almost fell in that "stage"...then things went south...BUT, I'LL FIGHT BACK...I'M WINNING!!

Can you advise...this last 5th treatment has really been rough...my bones are soooo weak...etc...last treatment the 22nd...YESSS!!! What can I take to gain my strength back...???

Thanks sooooo very much... AS ALWAY!!! <3

'lizbeth · 07-10-2013, 07:23 PM

I can imagine how wiped out you are. That is why I suggested stopping at 4 or 5 of the TC. You might want to consider a dose reduction for the final chemo.

Contrary to popular opinion, the side effects of chemo do not all cease shortly after taxotere, some last a lifetime. How bad are your symptoms? What do you mean your bones are tired? Is this fatigue, or is it low blood counts from chemo? How is your cognitive function doing?

Quality of life gets much better when you only do Herceptin! Almost there . . . yeah for you!

Drink plenty of water. Get as much exercise as you can tolerate. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables of every color, including the dark greens.

Take Vitamin D supplements. I had a terrible fatigue and brain fog after surgery and discovered by accident that Selenium supplements resolved it significantly.

SusanN · 07-11-2013, 02:03 PM

I appreciate your input & encouragement so very much!!

I was truly thinking about calling as to my dose this last cycle...the toxicity between 4 vs 6 has has really puzzled me with the reading I've found since I've taken this on...you & I have discussed this before...the "standard of care"...

My last treatment was July 1...I always have "delayed" side effects, of course from the decadron, etc...I went down (literally) on the couch for a good 2 days with body fatique, slept...bowels...stomach...no appetite...I honestly barely had it in me to walk from the living room to the kitchen...just soooo weak...then upstairs...I HAD to make myself DRINK & DRINK...water, G2 Gatorade, Boost or Ensure Complete...as to food...HA, what I can try and get down or EVEN sounds good!! As I KNOW I have to keep my weight on!!! I dropped to 108 one time...and normally weigh 115...this week, it's just been tough...today, I'm FINALLY feeling good...

Side effects for me last about a GOOD 4 days...my muscles/joints hurt...that would be a better description...and I feel like I have shin splints...hmmm...

One thing that would REALLY would be nice...if my mastectomy from infection would heal quicker than it is...my ribs are still so sore...UGGHH... expander placed at mastectomy, then infection 3 days later...awful experience...I have VERY thin skin...

As to what I take...Vit D 1000 am/pm, CoQ10, Biotin, a prenatal vitamin...I know there are many more I could take...

May I ask..."Selenium??"

My nurse onc told me NO to fresh veggies/fruits...too much cause for bacteria infection...okay only with peeling, so I could take off...like cantaloupe, apples...etc...

Anyhow...hope I've made a mess..."sense of myself"...I'm just sooooo ready to move on to Herceptin...the "targeted" therapy!!

I'll kick it SISTER...I wasn't in the Army and wore combat boots for 13 years not to fight and WIN...GEEEEZZZZ!!!! LOCK & LOAD!!!!

'lizbeth · 07-11-2013, 03:39 PM

Hey sister,

You can always count on me to point out the reality of a situation, albeit sans tact.

With the 4 vs 6, I believe the Paclitaxol folks were expecting 6 to be more effective than 4 treatments.

The Taxotere group is not going to make the same mistake and reduce sales by 33%. I certainly would not if I was responsible to the shareholders.

You are equating 6 treatments with "fight & win". I'm telling you that logic is based on a false premise. There is no evidence that you, as an individual, have gained any advantage by doing TCH. Only an inference from a study with a large group of women that most benefited from TCH. You are doing chemo because it "could" help to reduce your chance of a recurrence.

That being said a patient should opt for chemo unless the risk of dying from chemo is greater than from not doing chemo.

But there must be a balance. What good is it to win a battle - if it costs you the war? Just talk over your current symptoms with you oncologists before the final treatment.

Shin splints or peripheral neuropathy? Hmmmm . . .

You got me on semantics, fresh veggies are okay. It is the raw veggies that are a no no for you right now. Cooked veggies are okay.

I was slow healer too, with frequent infections.

Whatever you nut, do the chemo - but talk to your oncologist first! It will be great when you are only doing Herceptin. You will be doing soooo much better.

Lock & Load!