I'm living proof that it works. I had intractable liver mets: 7 different chemos, half my liver removed, liver ablation, finally chemo starting to destroy my bone marrow, SBRT and then Perjeta and Herceptin combo made me NED in one year.
I got it two months after the FDA approved it for metsters and have been on it ever since. And, I was pronounced NED this summer.
We don't know how long it will work, how long I should be on it, nothing. But I am very very happy with my success and I wish everybody has the same results I have had. And I'm pleased the early stage women get it now too - it might prevent all the suffering I have been through. I would urge all HER2+ women to look into getting it, and don't let the FDA prescribing recommendations stop you. It can be prescribed off-label as mine is - I get Perjeta and Herceptin alone. Doctors have the ability to do that, it does not *have* to be prescribed with a chemo.
Here is a picture of me right before I started Perjeta - I was either on my 6th or 7th chemo and had not started Perjeta yet. And right next to it is one of me today.
I think you can see how much healthier I am, especially if you look at my eyes. They were taken in the same location, by the same person, the same month. (Sorry they are kind of large, I wish I could make them smaller.)
Perjeta is truly a miracle for those whom it works for. I hope it lasts and I'm cured, but if not, I have had a wonderful year I didn't expect, in which I saw my son graduate high school and go to college, and my stepdaughter had my first grandchild. I want that for all women with cancer.
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http://butdoctorihatepink.com
08/17/09 Dx'd.
Multifocal/multicentric IDC, largest 3.4 cm, associated ADH, LCIS, DCIS
HER2+ ER+/PR- Grade 3, Node Negative
10/20/2009: Right mastectomy, reconstruction with TE
12/02/2009: Six rounds TCH, switched to Taxol halfway through due to neuropathy
03/31/2010: Finished chemo
05/01/2010: Began tamoxifen, the worst drug ever
11/18/2010: Reconstruction completed
12/02/2010: Finished herceptin
05/21/2011: Liver Mets. Quit Tamoxifen
06/22/2011: Navelbine/Zometa/Herceptin
10/03/2011: Liver Resection, left lobe. Microwave ablation, right lobe - going for cure!
11/26/2011: C-Diff Superbug Infection, "worst case doctor had seen in 20 years"
03/28/2012: Progression in ablated section of the liver - no more cure. Started Abraxane, continue herceptin/zometa
10/10/2012: Progression continues, started Halaven, along with herceptin and zometa.
01/15/2013: Progression continues, started Gemzar and Perjeta, an unusual combo, continuing with herceptin and zometa
03/13/2013: Quit Gemzar, body just won't handle it. Staying on herceptin, zometa and perjeta.
04/03/2013: CT shows 50% regression in tumor, so am starting back on Gemzar with dose reduction, staying with perjeta/herceptin/zometa. Can't argue with success!
05/09/2013: Discussing SBRT with Radiology due to inability of bone marrow to recover from chemo.
06/07/2013: Fiducial placement for SBRT
07/03/2013: Chemo discontinued, on Perjeta, Herceptin and Zometa alone
07/25/2013: SBRT (gamma knife) begins
08/01/2013: SBRT completed
08/15/2013: STABLE! continuing with Perjeta, Herceptin, Zometa
06/18/2014: ***** NED!!!!***** continuing with Perjeta, Herceptin, Zometa
01/29/2014: Still NED. continuing with Perjeta, Herceptin. Zometa lowered to every 3 months instead of monthly.
11/08/2015: Progression throughout abdomen and lungs. Started TDM-1, aka Kadcyla. Other meds discontinued. Remission was nice while it lasted.
5/27/18: Stable. Kadcyla put me right back in the barn. I have two teeny spots on my lungs that are metabolically inactive, and liver is clean.
I’m beating this MFer. I was 51 when this started and had two kids, 22 and 12. Now I’m 60. My oldest got married and trying to start s family. My youngesg graduates from Caltech this June. My stepdaughter gave me grandkids. Life is fantastic.
Hybrid Mode
