Tykerb-Only Treatment

[daughter_1]

Hi Lovey,

Thanks for the response! That is encouraging to know and this is the first other case I've heard of other than my mother. I spoke to the clinical research team at Roche today and they said that the company advises the physician to discontinue Herceptin in case of any confirmation of interstitial pneumonitis. Would you be able to post some more details of the pulmonary toxicity that you experienced? What were your signs and symptoms like? Any information would help. Also, would you be able to throw some light on why your onco preferred 4 cycles of Tykerb+Xeloda over a Tykerb monotherapy?

Here are details from my mother's recent hospitalization:

Jan 2013: 12 Taxol+Herceptin cycles started
Feb 6th: Tachychardia with minor pericardial effusion noted
Mar 20th: Low grade fever 99F (Last dose of Taxol+Herceptin completed)
Mar 28th: Hospitalized for increased fever
Mar 30th: Lung CT shows ground glass appearance and Onco suspects drug induced Pulmonary toxicity. ABG PaO2 56, Saturation at 94% with 4liter oxygen, temperature of 103F. Onco starts her on treatment for pneumonitis (Septran DS), Flucanozole and Steroids (Prednisolone 40mg)
Apr 1st: BAL performed and all cultures negative. Onco increases steroids (Prednisolone 60mg)
Apr 3rd: CT lungs show reduction of ground glass appearance, minor bilateral pleural effusions noted
Apr 4th: Apr 12th she recovers, is off oxygen and discharged
Apr 15th: Scans, Xrays show clear lungs, no effusions.
Apr 25th: Radiation to begin


Dx:
Lump detected in early September 2012
Modified radical mastectomy with axilliary node removal - performed on 21st September 2012
T2N2, Grade 3, HER-2 +++
4AC Cycles started Oct 10th 2012
12 Taxol+Herceptin cycles completed Mar 20th