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06-09-2009, 04:09 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 260
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Hooray for Gamma Knife!
Ladies and Gentleman of the HER2 Support Group,
It is with great pleasure that I share with you the results of my latest Brain MRI. I had Gamma Knife to 10, count em, 10 lesions. Yesterday's Brain MRI showed no new spots and the existing spots were nearly all gone. My onc is positive that what the scan is showing is necrotic (dead) tissue. As the results of Gamma take several months to fully be realized, we weren't expect to have the spots completely disappear at this point. But I'll take nearly gone and I'll take no new mets!
Hooray Gamma Knife! And Hooray to all of you who encouraged me to get Gamma instead of WBR. And Hooray to all of you who told me I could do this and to never give up. And Hooray to God! He has answered my prayers.
Love and hugs to you all!
__________________
4/17/08: Dx Stage IV at age 30 - extensive mets to liver, lungs, and bones. Er/Pr-, Her2+++
April 08-Aug 08:Taxotere, Cytoxan, Herceptin, Zometa - complete response!
Sept 08-Dec 08: Herceptin +Zometa for maintenance.
Jan 09-April 09: Brain mets. Add Tykerb. Watch and wait.
April 09: Gamma Knife 10 brain mets, add Xeloda.
Sept 09: Gamma Knife to 1 brain met.
Nov 09- April 10: Lung progression, add Gemzar to Herceptin, Zometa.
May 10- Sept 10: HER2 Vaccine Trial
Sept 10: Add Tykerb for more brain mets.
Oct 10: Gamma Knife to 7 brain mets.
Dec 10: Switch from Zometa to Denosumab.
Jan 11: Gamma Knife to 3 brain mets.
March 11: Gemzar/Herceptin for lung/bone progression.
April 11: More brain mets - Intrathecal Herceptin
June 11: Ixempra/Herceptin for lung, soft tissue progression.
Aug 11: Gamma Knife
Sep 11: Abraxane/Herceptin
Future: NED
Send me a PM if you'd like to follow my journey on Caringbridge.
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06-09-2009, 04:51 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Detroit, MI
Posts: 205
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yeah!!!
HOORAH to brave, strong Courtney!!! You get the biggest hooray, girl! So happy to hear your good news!!!
Maureen
__________________
Maureen
My loves
IDC & DCIS, HER2+++ Diagnosis: October 1, 2008 - Tumor: 6.8 centimeters, never showed on mammograms
- ER-/PR-
- November 2008: Sentinal Lymph node surgery. 6 out of 9 lymph nodes with cancer
- Stage IIIc
- Lapatinib Clinical Trial start: November, 2008
- Surgery: May 5, 2009
- Started Herceptin: May 19, 2009
- Started Radiation (33 rounds): June 10, 2009
- September 2009: Moved to Michigan to be closer to family
- 12/09 - still on Herceptin until May 2010
- August 2010: Port out, port out, port out port out port port port out port ooooout...da da da dant! (to the music of the Pink Panther)
Blog: http://moonsfamily.blogspot.com
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06-09-2009, 04:56 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: LAND OF YES!
w/home in Boca Raton, Florida
Orig from L.I., N.Y.
Ever hovering IN THE NOW...
Posts: 1,904
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Hey there you survivor you...
Hooray Courtney too don't forgot. High fives! Well done.
BTW, my too many to count multiple lesions in my liver (in '98) decreased in size and then were determined by 2 out of 3 radiologists to be necrotic tissue. I still have them!
But I took my *in cautious remission* and ran! You do the same! Enjoy! You rock.
Andi
__________________
Andi BB
'95 post-meno dx Invasive LOBULAR w/9cm tumor! YIKES + 2/21 nodes. Clear mammo 10 mnths earlier. Mastec/tram flap reconst/PORT/8 mnths chemo (4Adria/8CMF). Borderline ER/PR. Tamoxifen 2 yrs. Felt BLESSED. I could walk and talk, feed and bathe myself! I KNEW I would survive...
'98 -- multiple mets to liver. HER2+ 80%. ER/PR- Raging, highly aggressive tumors spreading fast. New PORT. 9 mnths Taxotere Fought fire w/fire! Pronounced in cautious remission 5/99. Taxotere weekly for 6 wks, 2 wks off -- for 9 mnths. TALK ABOUT GRUELING! (I believe they've altered that protocol since those days -- sure hope so!!)
+ good old Vit H wkly for 1st 3 yrs, then triple dosage ev 3 wks for 7 yrs more... The "easy" chemo, right?! Not a walk in the park, but not a freight train coming at 'ya either...
Added Herceptin Nov '98 (6 wks after FDA fast-tracked it for met bc). Stayed w/Vit H till July '08! Now I AM FREE! Humbly and eternally grateful for this life-saving drug! NED since '99 and planning on keeping it that way. To hell w/poor prognosis and nasty stats! STOPPED VIT H JULY '08...! REMAIN STABLE... Eternally grateful...Yes is a world & in this world of yes live (skillfully curled) all worlds ... (e e cummings) EVERY DAY I BEAT MY PREVIOUS RECORD FOR # OF CONSECUTIVE DAYS I'VE STAYED ALIVE. Smile KNOWING you too can be a miracle. Up to me and God now...
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06-09-2009, 05:06 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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You worked hard, had faith and now you can fly!!
Hooray for you and God bless.
__________________
Kind regards
Becky
Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia
NED 18 years!
Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
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06-09-2009, 05:13 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Southern California
Posts: 900
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YAHOO Courtney!!! I can feel the joy through your post! This is such great, great news. Thanks for sharing your results with all of us here.
__________________
Gerri
Dx: 11/23/05, Lumpectomy 12/12/05
Tumor 2.2 cm, Stage II, Grade 3, Sentinel Node biopsy negative
ER+ (30%) /PR+ (50%), HER2+++
AC X 4 dose dense, Taxol X 4 dose dense
Herceptin started with 2nd Taxol, given weekly until chemo done
then given every 3 weeks for one year ending on March 16, 2007
Radiation 30 treatments
Tamoxifen - 2 yrs (pre-menopausal)
May 2008 - Feb 2012 Femara
Aug 2008 - Feb 2012 Zometa every 6 months
March 2012 - Stop Femara, now Evista for bone strengthening
********** Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. - Robert Brault
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06-09-2009, 05:24 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 2,077
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Way to go, Courtney! You should go out tonight and act up in celebration. Thanks for sharing the great news!
__________________
For Nicola
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06-09-2009, 05:40 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Bayarea,CA
Posts: 679
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Congratulations Courtney! This is such an uplifting news! May god bless you with continued NED status for the brain.
love,
shobha
__________________
DX: 06-30-2007 - left breast -stage IIIB, Her2/Neu 3+++, ER weakly positive, PR-
Taxol+herceptin weekly for 3 months
FEC+herceptin every 3 weeks for 3 months
BRCA 1 and 2 - Negative
Jan 2008 - Bilateral mastectomy, prophylactic Rt. side.
Radiation for 5 weeks
Completed my yr of herceptin on 07-14-2008
Brain MRI - 3/2/09 Clean
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06-09-2009, 05:56 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Southern, CA
Posts: 2,511
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Hi Courtney, Oh how we LOVE good news! Gamma Knife does it again...hooray is RIGHT. I'm just thrilled for you...I'm jumping up and down in case you feel the ground moving. lol
You did all your home work & research which paid off big time. I seriously am so happy for you...may this be just the start of nothing but good things to come your way girl.
Enjoy!
Chelee
__________________
DX: 12-20-05 - Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu, 3+++,Er & Pr weakly positive, 5 of 16 pos nodes.
Rt. MRM on 1-3-06 -- No Rads due to compromised lungs.
Chemo started 2-7-06 -- TCH - - Finished 6-12-06
Finished yr of wkly herceptin 3-19-07
3-15-07 Lt side prophylactic simple mastectomy. -- Ooph 4-05-07
9-21-09 PET/CT "Recurrence" to Rt. axllia, Rt. femur, ilium. Possible Sacrum & liver? Now stage IV.
9-28-09 Loading dose of Herceptin & started Zometa
9-29-09 Power Port Placement
10-24-09 Mass 6.4 x 4.7 cm on Rt. femur head.
11-19-09 RT. Femur surgery - Rod placed
12-7-09 Navelbine added to Herceptin/Zometa.
3-23-10 Ten days of rads to RT femur. Completed.
4-05-10 Quit Navelbine--Herceptin/Zometa alone.
5-4-10 Appt. with Dr. Slamon to see what is next? Waiting on FISH results from femur biopsy.
Results to FISH was unsuccessful--this happens less then 2% of the time.
7-7-10 Recurrence to RT axilla again. Back to UCLA for options.
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06-09-2009, 06:14 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 437
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wonderful wonderful news!
I am so happy for you.
__________________
Linda
Dxed Stage IIIC May 05, 12 pos nodes
er/pr -neg,Her -pos
LVI
Right partial mast & partial axillary dissection-June14,2005
Right modified mast-no clear margins- June 30, 2005
DD AC x4
Taxotere X4 with Herceptin
Rads x 35( 5 fields )
Left prophylactive mast( atypia & hyperplasia found ),
put on Tamoxifen x 1 yr; D/ced due to endometrial thickening
bilateral recon (saline implants)May 06
Nipple recon July 06
metformin 2010
removal of implants due to severe encapsulation, insertion of gummies 2013
Reclast Q yr
NED!!!
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06-09-2009, 06:17 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Louisville KY
Naples FL
Posts: 665
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Congratulations. What wonderful news. Take care
and celebrate.
patb
__________________
patb
Diagnosed June, 06, Stage I, Grade3, ER+PR- Her2positive, No Nodes. A/C X 4. Radiation 33 with boost, Herceptin every two weeks until Nov.
07, Arimedex for 5 years. Mugas and Echo and chest xRay. Bone scan of whole Body, and Back of Brain and spine MRI.
CT scan of Lungs every six months
due to two small places. December
2009, bone scan due to bone pain.
Follow up test in 2010.
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06-09-2009, 06:37 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Thornhill, Ontario
Canada
Posts: 2,320
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Thanks for sharing your wonderful news Courtney!
all the best
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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06-09-2009, 06:38 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Hershey, PA. Live The Sweet Life!
Posts: 2,005
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Boy, gotta love that gamma knife stuff! Wonderful news. I am so happy for you, Courtney. You are inspiring!
__________________
Smile On!
Laurel
Dx'd w/multifocal DCIS/IDS 3/08
7mm invasive component
Partial mast. 5/08
Stage 1b, ER 80%, PR 90%, HER-2 6.9 on FISH
0/5 nodes
4 AC, 4 TH finished 9/08
Herceptin every 3 weeks. Finished 7/09
Tamoxifen 10/08. Switched to Femara 8/09
Bilat SPM w/reconstruction 10/08
Clinical Trial w/Clondronate 12/08
Stopped Clondronate--too hard on my gizzard!
Switched back to Tamoxifen due to tendon pain from Femara
15 Years NED
I think I just might hang around awhile....
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06-10-2009, 06:39 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,486
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Courtney,
I am glad to hear your good news. You are a very strong woman.
Amelia
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06-10-2009, 07:11 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,526
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Wonderful uplifting news. I am sooo happy for you.
Ellie
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06-10-2009, 08:58 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 126
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Whooo!!! I hope your next scan is even better  I am thrilled for you.
__________________
Diag. 12/24/08-
IDC 1.3 er-/pr- HER2+
Grade 3 0/2 lymph nodes
no angiolympathic invasion
Bi-Lat. Mast. 1/8/09
Exchange scheduled for 6/17/09
Lost implants due to unknown reason :(
Hip Flap 1/26/2010 in NOLA :) LOVE EM'
TCH x6 (6 done and I am hoping to never do it again )
Well so much for never...
Local recurrence May 25,2014 is left over breast tissue.
April 2 , 2014 lumpectomy
April 28, 2014- June 9, 2014 start AC x 4
Taxol x12
Perjeta x 6
Herceptin x 18
And 33 rads just for fun. NOT!!!
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06-10-2009, 09:02 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 3,154
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:)
Oh Courtney,
You have made my day to read your FANTASTIC WONDERFUL news.....
How thrilling...
Wishing you continued blessings.
Jean
__________________
Stage 1, Grade 1, 3/30/05
Lumpectomy 4/15/05 - 6MM IDC
Node Neg. (Sentinel node)
ER+ 90% / PR-, Her2+++ by FISH
Ki-67 40%
Arimidex 5/05
Radiation 32 trt, 5/30/05
Oncotype DX test 4/17/06, 31% high risk
TOPO 11 neg. 4/06
Stopped Arimidex 5/06
TCH 5/06, 6 treatments
Herceptin 5/06 - for 1 yr.
9/06 Completed chemo
Started Femara Sept. 2006
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06-10-2009, 10:22 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Wilmington, Del.
Posts: 1,126
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__________________
MJO
IDC, Stage I, Grade 2
Oncotype DX Score 32
Her2++ E+P+, Node Neg.
Lumpectomy 11/04/05 Clear Margins
3 Dose dense AC (Couldn't tolerate 4)
4 Dose dense Taxol & Herc. (Tolerated well)
36 weeks Herceptin (Could not complete one year due to decrease in MUGA score)
2 years of Arimidex, then three years of Femara
Finished Femara May 2011
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06-10-2009, 11:54 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: I live in Christmas, MI - located on the shores of Lake Superior.
Posts: 606
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Wonderful news! So glad to hear of your positive results!
__________________
Barb
10/03 Radical Mastectomy 3 cm tumor - 1/17 Nodes Stage II B, Her 2 +++ ER-/PR- 11/03 4 AC 4 Taxol 12/05 Stage IV - Lung met , Bone mets - Carbo, Taxotere, Herceptin 9/06 - 2 cm brain tumor 10/06 - Tumor removal surgery - Herceptin Halted 12/06 gamma knife tumor base.1/07 Navelbine/Herceptin 4/07 Rads to R femur 5/07 Stereotactic - new 2 cm brain tumor 4/07 Start Xeloda 5/07 Tykerb added 7/07 Brain MRI clean 10/07 .055 cm brain met found. 12/07 Stereotactic -1 cm brain tumor Start Tykerb 11/07 Abraxane/Herceptin 5/08 Cisplatin, Gemcitabine/Herceptin 6/08 Stereotactic to 1cm 9/08 Stereotactic repeat (growth). 11/08 Pet Scan Good but new tiny met on L lung/dead Brain surgery (no cancer cells found/scar tissue) 1/09 Chemo restarted 2/09 Pet Scan Bad - R larger very active/active L active lymph nodes both sides of chest MRI- mets slight increase 2/09 Start Doxil/Tykerb Treatment
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06-10-2009, 01:00 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Central Coast, CA
Posts: 3,207
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Hooray is right!!!!! Good for you, Courtney
Just curious, where did you have this procedure done?
__________________
Chris in Scotts Valley
June 2002 extensive hi grade DCIS (pre-cancer-stage 0, clean sentinal node) Mastectomy/implant - no chemo, rads. "cured?"
9/2004 Diag: Stage IV extensive liver mets (!) ER/PR- Her2+++
10/04-3/05 Weekly Taxol/Carboplatin/Herceptin , complete response!
04/05 - 4/07 Herception every 3 wks, Continue NED
04/07 - recurrence to liver - 2 spots, starting tykerb/avastin trial
06/07 8/07 10/07 Scans show stable, continue on Tykerb/Avastin
01/08 Progression in liver
02/08 Begin (TDM1) trial
08/08 NED! It's Working! Continue on TDM1
02/09 Continue NED
02/10 Continue NED. 5/10 9/10 Scans NED 10/10 Scans NED
12/10 Scans not clear....4/11 Scans suggest progression 6/11 progression confirmed in liver
07/11 - 11/11 Herceptin/Xeloda -not working:(
12/11 Begin MM302 Phase I trial - bust:(
03/12 3rd times the charm? AKT trial
5/12 Scan shows reduction! 7/12 More reduction!!!!
8/12 Whoops...progression...trying for Perjeta/Herceptin (plus some more nasty chemo!)
9/12 Start Perjeta/Herceptin, chemo on hold due to infection/wound in leg, added on cycle 2 &3
11/12 Poops! progression in liver, Stop Perjeta/Taxo/Herc
11/12 Navelbine/Herce[ptin - try for a 3 cycles, no go.
2/13 Gemzar/Carbo/Herceptin - no go.
3/13 TACE procedure
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06-10-2009, 02:01 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,357
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Cheers, Courtney! what wonderful news! You did it!!
__________________
MA in TX.
Grateful for each and every day....
Diag. 12/05 at age 60
Stage II, Grade 3, 4.5 cm primary tumor
ER/PR- Her2 +3 strongly positive
Her2 by FISH 7.7 amplified
vascular invasion
Ki67 20% borderline
Jan - March '06 Taxotere/Adriamycin X 3 to try to shrink tumor - it grew
April '06 Rt Modified Radical Mas, 7 of 9 nodes positive
April - Aug. '06 Herceptin/Taxol/Carboplatin X 8 (dose dense)
Sept - Dec. '06 Navelbine/Herceptin x 8 (dose dense)
Radiation & Herceptin Jan. 22 - March 1, 2007
Finished Herceptin Dec. 10 '08! One extra year.
Port removed August, 2012.
8 1/2 years since diagnosis! 5 1/2 Years NED!
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