Am I receiving the right tx?

[lexigirl]

Hi To All,
I feel like I need to bring this question up to you all as you are so informed about the latest txs. My onc. had me take 4 txs of A/C and now has me taking 4 txs of taxol. I had my first herceptin w/ my second taxol and will receive herceptin weekly for the rest of the year. I have read in several places that women have been receiving weekly taxol. I have also read that they are treating them w/ carboplatin as well. I asked my onc. about the carboplatin and she said that is used for mets. pts. only. Sometimes I get a little nervous because my onc. doesn't specialize in b/c only. She treats all cancers as far as I know. I feel so ignorant w/ much of the information I try to absorb. I am sooo grateful for all of you who are able to translate the information into words that help me understand.
Thanks for your help,
Lexi

[Maryanne]

Hi Lexi,

You didnt mention what stage you were and if you were er/pr neg or positive.
It makes a big difference in treatments. I am stage 1 , er/pr neg and have received the same treatment plus radiation.

Maryanne

[janet/FL]

Lexi
It seems like a good treatment to me. Standard at the time you had it. But I would ask your doctor why Taxol and not Taxotere as that seems to be the combo of choice with Herceptin, though a lot do use Taxol.
I had weekly Taxotere and Herceptin. I think the weekly schedule made the Taxotere easier on the body. I did not have many side effects with this schedule.

Hugs,
Janet

[lexigirl]

Hi MayAnne,
I am a stage 3B and er/pr- her2+++.
Thanks,
Lexi

[Becky]

I am stage 2 and received that treatment except I got Herceptin later as it wasn't available yet when I was on the taxol so I started about 4 months after taxol and about 2 months after rads.


Best regards

Becky

PS I am also on Arimidex as I am ER+ but PR-

[Mgarr]

Stage 2b, one 4mm spot in sentinel node ER-, Her+++ Received 2nd opinion both treated w/ 4 A/C 4 Taxol (dose dense) At the 6th treatment Herceptin was approved and I began that two.

[margaret]

Hi Lexi,

I had the same diagnosis as you 4 yrs ago and had the exact same treatment as you are being given now. I believe my treatment cured me. I am completely NED (no evidence of disease) and I don't take any medications now (hardly ever even an aspirin) I feel healthier and younger than I did before my treatment. Hang in there. Good luck with your treatment. Just wanted to let you know, it did the job for me.
Margaret

[athena453]

I was dx 5/05 at age 27. Stage IIIC, her2 5.16 FISH, ER/PR-, 30/34 nodes. I had dose dense AC followed by taxotere, carboplatin and herceptin. To my knowledge, carboplatin is not yet approved for early stage treatment. My onc was willing to give it to me "off-label" as it has been safely used in many of the herceptin trials with positive results.