Race for the cure - and hand arthritis

[Attilash]

Dear you all, in these days I did not write, I did many things. One was to become a member of the KOMEN Foundation - Italy, so that I may help and give back a little of the so much that was given to me during these past months. Have any of you participated to the races in U.S.A.? What do you think about it?

Also, i would like to know if any of you has experienced hand arthritis after/during taxotere/herceptin treatment. My doc says I have developed rizoarthritis, which actually I would have had later in my life, the chemo just accelerated its appearance. I am 34 <sob>. Thanks in advance for any sound advice you might want to offer on the subject.
Lots of love to everybody, Atti

[Becky]

I participated in the Komen race in Oct 2005 in Dallas, TX. My sister lives in Dallas and I went down there and ran it with her. Luckily, we were in the front and we ran it so we were ahead of the crowd. Dallas is the first location that races were ever run so it was HUGE. Over 40,000 participants so it was crazy. If you were a walker in the front or the middle, you could get plowed over by runners coming up from behind - especially children. I think the smaller races would be alot better but the sponsers at Dallas were fabulous and it was a well run event.


Have a nice weekend

Becky

[Maryanne]

As to the hand arthritis Atti,
I too have gotton it , but only in one hand, ....seems alot of us suffer from arthritis now..... the pain is not so severe as to go on any meds, I'll save them for the future. LOL
I have found sleeping with a sort of magnetic hand wrap...for lack of a better word ...has helped a great deal, took about two weeks but they do feel alot better..... How and why I have no idea.......my father a physician and my mom a RN have used them for years, and swear by them.
I draw for a living and am always careful with what and how I use my hands....so this was alittle upsetting when it occured.....if any thing were to happen to them I would truly starve!!!!!.....

[juanita]

The Race for the Cure in Indiana is a very well run event. My daughter, her roommate grom college and I did it last year while I was still going through chemo. Seeing everybody in pink was inspiring and the comraderie (sp?) amongst them was great. I was glad I participated. This year I have a team and we are going to go down and do it on Aprill 22. Last year threr were over 36,000 particpants. This year I hope it's more. Oh yeah, I do have the arthritis too. I read in a book over a year ago that chemo brings on the arthritis.

[StephN]

We had a discussion about this very problem quite a while back and a number of us who were not too far out from chemos suffered this complaint.
Mine really started AFTER I got off the first round of chemos - Adriamycin and Taxotere. Got worse after the 27 rounds of Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin to kick out my mets. I did take neurontin for a short time and that helped.

About 6-7 months after getting off the last drugs, I had real problems with my hands and wrists. Swelling of joints, difficulty doing everything, dropping things. X-ray as well as blood work showed no sign of positivity for arthritic conditions (there are many). One blood value was up - the ANA was positive. Diagnosis - "unspecified connective tissue disorder." I took Plaquinel and that seemed to keep it under control.
After being on the Decadron (a strong steroid anti-inflammitory) last year for my brain mets, I had NO problems with my hands/wrists/elbows for several months. Then last Fall had some joint problems again in hands in wrists, but meds helped it.
Lately I do not seem to be bothered and I forget to take my pills. Not sure if it was a transient thing or what.
My rheumatologist is puzzled, but I have the meds on hand if I need them. When I am able to garden again, that acitivty may bring on the problem.

Here are some links from a search on ErbB2 and arthritis, the first of which I have posted before.

As seen on many other occasions inflamation responses of the body figure, and further not for the first time possbile links with reproduction.

Arthritis is reported to be an inflamatory condition.

The balancing of the omega threes and sixes, and the use of fish oil as a supplement is cited in several sorces as being of benifit for those suffering from arthritis, and suggested to moderate in BC. (see posts on this site on omega three six)

RB




http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum

1: Scand J Rheumatol. 2005 May-Jun;34(3):204-11. Related Articles, Links
Click here to read
TGF-alpha and ErbB2 production in synovial joint tissue: increased expression in arthritic joints.

Hallbeck AL, Walz TM, Briheim K, Wasteson A.

Department of Biomedicine and Surgery (IBK), Division of Cell Biology, University of Linkoping, Linkoping, Sweden. annha@ibk.liu.se

OBJECTIVE: Cell types present in synovial joint tissues and during synovitis are known to produce epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/ErbB-1/HER-1 and the potent EGFR-ligand transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) in vitro. Concomitant expression of TGF-alpha, EGFR, and ErbB2 gives a strong proliferative drive in vitro and in vivo. However, the presence of TGF-alpha and members of the EGFR/EGFR-ligand family has not been thoroughly investigated in joint tissue in vivo. We aimed to determine whether TGF-alpha, EGFR, and ErbB2 are present in human synovial joints, especially during rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: TGF-alpha protein was immunodetected in knee synovial fluid (SF) collected from 23 RA patients, eight patients with other arthritic conditions, two osteoarthritis (OA) patients, and six post-traumatic patients (control). TGF-alpha mRNA and TGF-alpha, ErbB2, EGFR, and CD68 immunoreactivity were detected in knee synovial biopsies (6 RA/2 OA/6 control) using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. TGF-alpha mRNA was determined in SF cells by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and/or the Northern blot technique. RESULTS: TGF-alpha protein was found in the synovial membrane (SM) and in the majority of SF samples. TGF-alpha levels were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in SF of RA patients than controls, TGF-alpha protein and mRNA were increased and more widespread in SM of RA patients. In addition, white blood cells collected from RA SF expressed TGF-alpha mRNA. Immunoreactivity for ErbB2 was found in SM and was more widespread in RA patients than in controls. CONCLUSION: The presence of TGF-alpha in normal SF and SM may indicate a physiological maintenance function. The increased expression of TGF-alpha and ErbB2 in RA SF and SM may give rise to an abnormal growth pattern, contributing to inflammatory synovial hyperplasia.

PMID: 16134726 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum


1: Arthritis Rheum. 2001 Feb;44(2):260-5. Related Articles, Links

Involvement of ErbB-2 in rheumatoid synovial cell growth.

Satoh K, Kikuchi S, Sekimata M, Kabuyama Y, Homma MK, Homma Y.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Japan.

OBJECTIVE: The synovial tissue affected by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by hyperproliferation of synovial cells. High amounts of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the synovial fluid of RA patients contribute to the growth of rheumatoid synovial cells. To characterize the receptor for EGF in rheumatoid synovial cells, the expression and function of ErbB family members were examined. METHODS: Synovial tissues were obtained from surgical excisions. The expression of ErbB products was examined by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting by using specific antibodies. Primary cultures were established from the surgical materials. Cell growth was measured using MTT. The levels and phosphorylation state of the ErbB-2 protein were analyzed by immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting. RESULTS: The expression of ErbB-2, but not other ErbB-related products, was detected in synovium with RA as compared with that with osteoarthritis (OA) and ligament injury. Growth of primary synovial cells with RA was inhibited by genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and herceptin, a specific monoclonal antibody against ErbB-2. Herceptin showed a small effect on growth of primary synovial cells with OA. EGF stimulated the phosphorylation of ErbB-2 in primary synovial cells with RA. This EGF-stimulated phosphorylation was completely abrogated by genistein and herceptin. CONCLUSION: ErbB-2 is expressed in rheumatoid synovial cells and may function as the receptor for EGF. Our data suggest that mitotic signals from EGF family members are transduced by ErbB-2 in these cells. Inhibition of ErbB-2 may provide a new approach to the effective treatment for RA.

PMID: 11229455 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum


1: Eur J Cell Biol. 2000 Mar;79(3):165-72. Related Articles, Links

Expression of NRL/NGAL (neu-related lipocalin/neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin) during mammalian embryonic development and in inflammation.

Zerega B, Cermelli S, Michelis B, Cancedda R, Cancedda FD.

Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Centro di Biotecnologie Avanzate, Genova/Italy.

The neu-related lipocalin (NRL) is a protein overexpressed in rat mammary cancer induced by activated neu (HER-2/c-erbB2). This protein belongs to the family of the lipocalins or low molecular weight proteins able to bind and transport small hydrophobic molecules. The NRL homologue in mouse is SIP24, an acute phase protein induced in the animal by turpentine injection; the human homologous protein is NGAL expressed in granulocytes and epithelial cells in pathological conditions, such as inflammation and malignancy. We have investigated NRL expression in developing rat embryos. By immunolocalization we have shown localization of the protein in the hypertrophic region of growth plate cartilage. NRL was particularly enriched in prehypertrophic chondrocytes. In addition, we observed localization of the protein in forming skeletal muscle fibres and in the myocardium of developing heart. In agreement with the immunolocalization data, by in situ hybridization we have demonstrated the presence of the specific mRNA in the same tissues. At an early stage of differentiation, cultured rat embryo-derived chondrocytes did not express NRL; nevertheless expression of the protein was induced in these cells by treatment with an inflammatory agent, such as LPS. By Western blot analysis with specific antibodies we showed protein synthesis by cultured myoblasts also in the absence of LPS treatment, but only when forming myotubes were observed in culture. Stimulation of myoblast cultures with LPS resulted in an enhancement of the NRL expression in well formed myotubes. Our data suggest a role of NRL in cartilage and muscle differentiation. NRL expression was induced by inflammatory agents. We wish to propose that the expression of NRL in hypertrophic chondrocytes and forming myotubes is part of a "physiological" acute phase response occurring during cartilage and muscle development. In this manuscript we also report that NRL is not detectable by immunolocalization in adult cartilage (both articular and tracheal) from normal subjects. On the contrary articular cartilage from osteoarthritic patients was highly positive for the presence of NRL/NGAL. Interestingly the expression of this protein is also activated during neoplastic transformation of chondrogenic lineage cells.

PMID: 10777108 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Since starting arimidex, I have stiffness in hands. This was intensified 10 fold while taking fosomax. Could not move my hands or fingers when I first woke in the morning. Have stopped fosomax and looking into other options. Tomoxifen or AI's could be adding to problem.

Sassy

[suzan w]

I, too, noticed severe joint pain when I started on Herceptin and Arimidex. (Also taking fosomax) Mostly in my hips, but also my thumbs!!! I have doubled up on glucosamine/chondroitin...and work out at the gym. After 5 months, the pain seems to be subsiding-either that or I am just getting used to it!

[Tessa]

I had taxotere and Herceptin sequentially and during much of that time had problems with my hands, especialy my thumbs which the doctor categorically declared to be arthritis. A few months after I stopped treatment it all went away, so who knows. i am fine now and I hope you have the same experience.