Intrathecal (IT) Herceptin (Trastuzumab) for brain mets (Leptomeningeal Metastases)

[marvass]

Hi Kaiulani and Paul,

Carol is still doing great, now she can talk very well and she is standing at last, even though she had 3 strokes this summer.
From the experience with the mistakes we did with my wife, I would irradiate the tumors and start IT herceptin as fast as possible, the more you delay the bigger are the chances of complications like my wife had. She has not done any intrathecal for the past 6 months and still all MRIs she did lately showed no signs of any tumors at all. Wish you luck. 1.5mg per kilo of IT Herceptin once weekly together with 50mg hydrocortisone seem to work on patients that Herceptin worked everywhere else except their brain.

Paul I am so glad Nina is still doing fine, good luck.
Mario

[dchips1]

Hi to all off my IT friends, have been doing IT herceptin at 100mg weekly for almost 6 weeks. Still on Tykerb 750 daily as tolerated. IV 105mg Herceptin weekly. Tried a short run of Navelbine, with a negative bone marrow I still have a left shift, (some type of funky immature cells) in the cbc every week. Changes in CBC started with navelbine so that was a short run of that for me. Will redo scans here the next few weeks looking to go to every two weeks by summer if all scans are good. I am able to obtain my Herceptin thru the the mail in pharmacy thru my husbands insurance plan.
Peace and prayers and healing to all

Darita

[evlin75]

Paul,

Best wishes to you and Nina. Susan is still doing the ommaya Herceptin every week. Just finished cyber knife to an enlarged subclavicle lymph node.

Her genome results indicate afatinib or neratinb is appropriate for her because of the mutations found. They are trying for the afatinib first but on first try the insurance has refused approval.

The chemotherapy is getting tough for her - low blood counts and unsteadiness. She has taken herself off of them - hoping for the more targeted approach.

Ev