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09-01-2006, 04:30 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Posts: 65
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Anyone Else Forced to Stop Herceptin?
My mom started Herceptin seven weeks ago. She is taking it weekly along with Taxol for the first twelve weeks and every three weeks thereafter. Her heart scan came back at 55%, down from about 65%. The doctor said that the heart scan might not be accurate, as it is most accurate 2 1/2 weeks after treatment. Because she's on weekly herceptin, she had her heart scan only five days after treatment.
The doctor wants to take her off temporarily, do another scan in about two weeks, and then reassess.
Please let me know if you have had a similar problem. If you stopped Herceptin, did you start it back up again? Should I be concerned?
Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Last edited by LovingDaughter; 09-03-2006 at 07:19 PM..
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09-01-2006, 05:14 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Acworth, GA
Posts: 2,104
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Diane,
I have not had to stop Herceptin because of my MUGA/electrocardiogram LVEF score dropping. I do know that there are women on this board who have had to stop due to their LVEF dropping. Once they had been off the Herceptin for a while the LVEF went back up and they were able to continue on the Herceptin. Your mother is very lucky to have such a wonderful, caring daughter.
__________________
Kate
Stage IIIC Diagnosed Oct 25, 2005 (age 58)
ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3, Ploidy/DNA index: Aneuploid/1.61, S-phase: 24.2%
Neoadjunct chemo: 4 A/C; 4 Taxatore
Bilateral mastectomy June 8, 2006
14 of 26 nodes positive
Herceptin June 22, 2006 - April 20, 2007
Radiation (X35) July 24-September 11, 2006
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
Stage IV lung mets July 13, 2007 - TCH
Single brain met - August 6, 2007 -CyberKnife
Oct 2007 - clear brain MRI and lung mets shrinking.
March 2008 lung met progression, brain still clear - begin Tykerb/Xeloda/Ixempra
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09-01-2006, 09:50 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 752
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Diane;
I was taken off herceptin 4 months ago and just yesterday went back on....yahoo!! I had a gated heart scan every two months and for 2 sessions was 48, but when I dropped to 42 I was taken off herceptin. My last scan indicated that I was in the normal range and my heart was no longer enlarged. I'm touch and go I think but my onc put me back on herceptin and I go for another gated heart scan September 15th. I am stage 3c and very happy to be back on herceptin. My onc is watching carefully but obviously getting me back on as soon as possible.
Cathy
__________________
Cathy
Diagnosed Oct. 2004 3 cm ductal, lumpectomy Nov. 2004
Diagnosed Jan. 2005 tumor in supraclavicular node
Stage 3c, Grade 3, ER/PR+, Her2++
4 AC, 4 Taxol, Radiation, Arimidex, Actonel
Herceptin for 9 months until Muga dropped and heart enlarged
Restarting herceptin weekly after 4 months off
Stopped herceptin after four weekly treatments....score dropped to 41
Finished 6 years Arimidex
May 2015 diagnosed with ovarian cancer
Stage 1C
started 6 treatments of carboplatin/taxol
Genetic testing show BRCA1 VUS
Nice! My hair came back really curly. Hope it lasts lol. Well it didn't but I liked it so I'm now a perm lady
29 March 2018 Lung biopsy following chest CT showing tumours in pleura of left lung, waiting for results to the question bc or ovarian
April 20, 2018 BC mets confirmed, ER/PR+ now Her2-
Questions about the possibility of ovarian spread and mets to bones so will be tested and monitored for these.
To begin new drug Palbociclib (Ibrance) along with Letrozole May, 2018.
Genetic testing of ovarian tumour and this new lung met will take months.
To see geneticist to be retested for BRCA this week....still BRCA VUS
CA125 has declined from 359 to 12 as of Aug.23/18
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09-02-2006, 12:23 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 98
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Herceptin
Hi! I had the same problem, but after I was off for a couple of months, my scores bounced back. I went to a heart doctor though. He said unless you're in the low forties after being on for months, don't worry. Also, there is a pill you can get from a heart doctor that keeps the muscle strong. Also, the new pill like herceptin that they are coming out with (tykerb?) is less hard on your heart. I am going to get compassionate use of it in a couple of months. Hope this helps. HavahJ (Jan Solomon)
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09-02-2006, 01:14 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Michigan
Posts: 230
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I too was taken off for approx. 6 weeks. The MUGA had dropped I received a treatment then onc. asked me to not have next treatment wait 4 weeks and have the MUGA again. All was fine & I resumed w/ no other problems.
Mary
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09-02-2006, 08:45 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: New York
Posts: 90
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Muga
Hi,
I have been off of Herceptin for 2 months because my Muga went from 62% to 48% and the 2nd Muga one month later 51%. I am told 50% is the threshold so I will be starting up Herceptin again this week.
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09-03-2006, 07:19 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Posts: 65
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Thank you all for your answers and support. I will pass all of this information along to my mother.
It's so wonderful to know that all of you have been able to start herceptin again. I wish all of you the best as you continue on your journeys.
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