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Old 09-21-2010, 12:56 PM   #1
ginnyg898
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Question Herceptin to shrink tumor
Hi All:

I had my first dose of Herceptin last week. My Oncologist is trying to shrink the tumor prior to surgery. My tumor is only 2.2cm and has never been painful. However, since my first dose I have noticed some slight 'pulling' and just some general feeling in the area of the my tumor. Has anyone had any experience with this? Could it actually be the Herceptin acting on the tumor this quickly? I plan to ask my Oncologist when I see him again, but I thought I would put it out there.

Many thanks...
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Old 09-22-2010, 12:40 PM   #2
Jackie07
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Re: Herceptin to shrink tumor
No, I didn't experience that when I had my Herceptin/chemo. However, the 'visulization' guru will tell you that it is helpful to 'visulize' Herceptin battling the cancer cells. There's an illustration at the home page on how Herceptin 'turn off' the Her2 signals...

http://www.herceptin.com/metastatic/...es-it-work.jsp

(Also, click on the 'How Herceptin Work' video)
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Last edited by Jackie07; 09-22-2010 at 12:51 PM..
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Old 09-23-2010, 12:42 PM   #3
schoolteacher
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Re: Herceptin to shrink tumor
Ginny,

I did experience this. It was a wonderful feeling. I knew the Herceptin was working.

Amelia
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Old 09-23-2010, 07:56 PM   #4
Jeanette
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Re: Herceptin to shrink tumor
I felt it too. My surgeon didn't want to do my surgery until my tumor had shrunk. It was a funny sensation, not painful, but i swear i could tell the tumor was shrinking.
Jeanette
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Old 09-24-2010, 03:21 PM   #5
ginnyg898
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Re: Herceptin to shrink tumor
Thank you all for the great feedback!!!
__________________
41 Years Old
Dx w/IDC in August '10
No family history
ER+/PR-/HER2+
2.2cm tumor/Stage 2A
No node involvement
Tested negative for BRCA 1/2
Participated in a UCLA clinical trial testing TCH and/or Lapatinib in stage 1/2/3 bc patients that can be removed by surgery.
Underwent neo-adjuvant therapy to shrink tumor prior to surgery.
1st Surgery date: 2/16/11
Pathology report indicated ADH/DCIS in margin.
2nd Surgery: 3/21/11
Clean margins!
Started radiation: 4/11/11
Completed radiation: 7/8/11
1st post-surgical mammogram: 8/16/11 - CLEAR!
6 Weeks of Tamoxifen - Failure to Respond
Started Lupron/Arimidex: 8/29/11
Herceptin until September '11

Recurrence - August 2018
Same profile - ER+/PR-/HER2+
Undergoing neo-adjuvant therapy prior to surgery;
Gemzar, Carboplatin, Herceptin & Perjeta
Chemo through the end of 2018...
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Old 10-06-2010, 11:16 AM   #6
ginnyg898
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Re: Herceptin to shrink tumor
Just thought I would share with everyone that just 3 weeks after my first Herceptin dose my Oncologist says that my tumor has already started to shrink! Thank goodness for this amazing drug...
__________________
41 Years Old
Dx w/IDC in August '10
No family history
ER+/PR-/HER2+
2.2cm tumor/Stage 2A
No node involvement
Tested negative for BRCA 1/2
Participated in a UCLA clinical trial testing TCH and/or Lapatinib in stage 1/2/3 bc patients that can be removed by surgery.
Underwent neo-adjuvant therapy to shrink tumor prior to surgery.
1st Surgery date: 2/16/11
Pathology report indicated ADH/DCIS in margin.
2nd Surgery: 3/21/11
Clean margins!
Started radiation: 4/11/11
Completed radiation: 7/8/11
1st post-surgical mammogram: 8/16/11 - CLEAR!
6 Weeks of Tamoxifen - Failure to Respond
Started Lupron/Arimidex: 8/29/11
Herceptin until September '11

Recurrence - August 2018
Same profile - ER+/PR-/HER2+
Undergoing neo-adjuvant therapy prior to surgery;
Gemzar, Carboplatin, Herceptin & Perjeta
Chemo through the end of 2018...
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Old 10-07-2010, 12:25 PM   #7
schoolteacher
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Re: Herceptin to shrink tumor
Ginny,

Glad to hear your good news.

Amelia
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Old 10-12-2010, 08:49 AM   #8
vlcarr
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Re: Herceptin to shrink tumor
Ginny,

I did herceptin/tykerb trial for newly diagnosed. As you can see from my signature, they could not even find the tumor when they did my surgery. I'll never know if it was the combo that did so well or if I would have gotten the results from just herceptin. I don't recall have any sensation at all while the tumor was shrinking. They could not even find the tumor at the time of my mastectomy.

Glad to hear your tumor is melting away. That's what my onc would tell when I would go every 2 weeks--it's just melting away!!!
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Age 47, TN, Diagnosed 05/09
Her2+, ER/PR-, Stage III, 2 tumors = 1 8cm tumor
Grade 3
Sentinel Node Biopsy-speck present in 1 node
Completed 3 month clinical trial of weekly Herceptin and 1000mg Tykerb daily
Tumor no longer present
Right mastectomy and lymph node removal 09/25/09
No cancer present at time of surgery, none in lymph nodes
Start TCH 10/15, every 3 weeks for 4 months followed by radiation
Finished chemo 01/28/10-YEAH!
Herceptin every 3 wks until end of June
Radiation begins 03/01, 6 1/2 weeks
Radiation complete--Yeah!!
Developed lymphedema after radiation
In hospital for 4 days with pneumonia:(
Herceptin done! 06/24/10
Port Removed 07/08/10
Still in PT for lymphedema and mobility issues
DIEP Reconstruction 05/11
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Old 10-12-2010, 10:11 AM   #9
ginnyg898
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Northern California
Posts: 64
Re: Herceptin to shrink tumor
@vlcarr: Thank you so much for sharing! Thats exactly what my Oncologist said!
__________________
41 Years Old
Dx w/IDC in August '10
No family history
ER+/PR-/HER2+
2.2cm tumor/Stage 2A
No node involvement
Tested negative for BRCA 1/2
Participated in a UCLA clinical trial testing TCH and/or Lapatinib in stage 1/2/3 bc patients that can be removed by surgery.
Underwent neo-adjuvant therapy to shrink tumor prior to surgery.
1st Surgery date: 2/16/11
Pathology report indicated ADH/DCIS in margin.
2nd Surgery: 3/21/11
Clean margins!
Started radiation: 4/11/11
Completed radiation: 7/8/11
1st post-surgical mammogram: 8/16/11 - CLEAR!
6 Weeks of Tamoxifen - Failure to Respond
Started Lupron/Arimidex: 8/29/11
Herceptin until September '11

Recurrence - August 2018
Same profile - ER+/PR-/HER2+
Undergoing neo-adjuvant therapy prior to surgery;
Gemzar, Carboplatin, Herceptin & Perjeta
Chemo through the end of 2018...
ginnyg898 is offline   Reply With Quote
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