Wanted to share my miracle Herceptin Story..

[Gina]

Natalie,

I was greatly touched by your case study. So many times, I think we need to re-evaluate all our cancer models and realize that the tumors are merely the symptoms, or artifacts, if you will-- of a much more systemic all-encompassing underlying illness. Many studies have correlated elevated CA 15 and CA 27/29 levels with high blood circulating levels of serum her-2 --from your story, it sounds like your doctors were probably following the CA 27/29 markers and I agree that it was such a pity that no one even thought to run a quick serum her-2 blood sample on you.

Be that as it may, I would highly encourage you to share your whole story with Elizabeth Edwards who has a case similar to yours...at first thought to be triple negative...now, perhaps, slightly estrogen positive...the bone involvement also strikes a familiar chord.

Some of you will recall that there is data that shows even when a tumor appears to be her-2 negative, the serum her-2 marker will still be found to be elevated in the blood--this is rare, but it does happen and has been documented.

Would love to know what Natalie's serum her-2 number is even now. Any way you could find out??? Even if it were just slightly elevated, it would give you another clue.

Best of luck,
Gina