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12-14-2014, 04:48 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 83
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MET devastation & desperate for advice
As the title indicates our recent status change has been devastating news. Our initial diagnosis of stage 3 breast cancer was in July 2013. The chemo regimen with Herceptin, Adriamycin, Cytoxin & Perjeta began subsequently to the diagnosis. Double mascectomy in December 2013. Last Herceptin in Sept 2014. First the ct scan. Negative. Relief. Then the brain scan was next. Four confirmed small lesions (under 13 mm) that loom very large in our life. A second scan 11 days later confirmed the original four lesions and suggested a possible fifth lesion (higher contrast used).
Two weeks later she had 2 consecutive days of LINIAC Rad surgery. Another brain scan will be done by mid January 2015. Fingers crossed.
So now we begin our desperate search for trial vaccines in the San Francisco area and throughout the western US.
Unfortunately too many of you have had the same or similar experience We are open to any and all suggestions the HER2 family may have for us.
Best wishes to all and thanks.
Forher (husband of )
__________________
June 2013 DX Stage 3 Idc, rt breast, er/pr-, her2+++
PET/CT/Brain MRI clear
ACTHP until Dec 2013
BMX Dec 2013
28 Rads Feb 2014
Exchange surgery June 2014
Herceptin end Sept 2014
Headaches start Oct 2014
CT body clear Nov 2014
Brain MRI 4 lesions Nov 2014
SRS via LINAC in Dec 2014
Rt side infection, hospitalized, lost right implant on Jan 1, 2015
Jan 14 2015 MRI brain lesions shrinking
Jan 27 2015 Re-start herceptin every 3 weeks
Feb 2015 CT/PET Body clear
Re-start Lymphedema treatment April 2015
Breast MRI clear April 2015
Brain MRI April 2015 - shows everything stable, nothing new (whew)
CT scan June 2015 - clear
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12-14-2014, 05:37 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Mountains of Virginia
Posts: 2,267
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Re: MET devastation & desperate for advice
For Her,
The time until your next scan will be an anxious one, I am sure. I will keep you both in my thoughts and prayers and am sending positive thoughts for a clear scan.
I do not have experience with brain mets, but there are many here who are knowledgable and have had good experiences who I am sure will share with you.
I might suggest that your add your hormone status to your signature as that too is a factor in treatment.
My best to you both.
__________________
Rhonda (Sassy)
dx age 45
DX 2/15/05 Stage IIb (at surgery)restaged IIIa
Left mast .9cm tumor 5 of 14 nodes
Triple Positive
4 DD A/C
12 Taxol/Herceptin
33Rads
Strange infect mast site one year aft surg, hosp 1 wk
Herceptin for total of 18 months
Lupron Monthly 4 yrs
Neurontin for aches, pains and hot flashes(It works!)
Ovaries removed 11/09 stop Lupron and Neurontin
Arimidex 6 yrs (tried Femara, no SE improvement)
Tried Exemestane-hips got so bad could hardly walk
Back to Arimidex for year seven
Zometa 2X Annual for 7years, Lasix
Stop Arimidex 5/13
Stop Zometa 7/13-Bi-lateral Stress Fractures in Femurs from Zometa
5/14 Start Tamoxifen
3/15 Stem cell transplant to stimulate femur bone growth/healing
5/15 Complete fracture of right femur/Titanium rods both femurs
9/16 Start Evista stopTamoxifen
3/17 Stop Evista--unwelcome side effects!
NED and no meds.......
14 YEARS NED!
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12-15-2014, 08:59 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Somerset, NJ
Posts: 487
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Re: MET devastation & desperate for advice
What resources are you using to find trials?
__________________
2/6/09 Core needle biopsy: negative; Mammos through 2010: no change
3/30/11 Pea-sized lump in left breast at site of prior biopsy; mammo negative, sonogram not so much
4/14/11 Core needle biopsy: negative for cancer
5/18/11 Excisional biopsy 1.2 cm tumor, LVI, positive margin; ER+60%,PR+20%,HER2/CEP17 5
6/15/11 BMX: Left DCIS & LH; Right ADH; SNB: 2/3 nodes: 1.4 cm and 1 mm; ALND L1&2: 0/10; Stage IIa, Grade 3
7/14/11 CT/Bone scans NED; MUGA 66%
7/19/11 Biweekly dd AC w/Neulasta; done 8/30/11
9/13/11 Transfusion (Hemoglobin 8.6); MUGA 64%
9/20/11 Start Taxol + Herceptin; Taxol done 12/6/2011; continue Herceptin until 9/4/2012
12/27/11 Radiation - 6 weeks; 2/27/2012 - DONE! Yayyyy!
2/29/12 Start Tamoxifen 20 mg/day; continue until 2/28/17
5/16/12 Start five-years Metformin trial
6/19/12 MUGA 61%
8/21/12 Brain MRI NED (head still hurts, brain still fogged)
9/4/12 Herceptin done!
9/6/12 Port out!
7/11/13 Aricept 5mg for cognitive impairment; increased to 10mg as of 8/23/13; back to 5mg 12/2013
5/2014 Add Namenda 7mg
9/2014 Stop Aricept and Namenda; Neuropsychological evaluation
10/24/14 Start cognitive rehabilitation therapy
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12-16-2014, 07:28 AM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 16
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Re: MET devastation & desperate for advice
We found two clinical trials for my wife:
1. http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01921335 - This is the ARRY 380 trial
2. http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01494662 - This trial involves Neratinib in combination with Xeloda.
Both trials are run by Dana Farber.
Out of our 2.5 year journey, the brain mets diagnosis was the most devastating to us.
Hang in there, you are not alone. If you need to talk let me know. |
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12-16-2014, 07:56 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Somerset, NJ
Posts: 487
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Re: MET devastation & desperate for advice
I found a single vaccine trial that a) is still recruiting and b) does not exclude brain mets:
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/...accine&rank=17
You might want to sign up at:
https://www.breastcancertrials.org/bct_nation/home.seam
After you complete a profile, they'll send you notifications. A cautionary note on that, though. I am early stage, but I wanted very much to contribute to research, so I nagged my oncologist about trials. She was useless, so I found one on my own. The trial I'm enrolled in is listed at Breast Cancer Trials, but it was never included in the trials they offered to me. I wrote to them about the omission, and they claim to have made some changes to their algorithm. I think it pays, however, to search the site anyway.
I also think it may be useful to pick some hospitals that interest you and look at their local trial site listings. My former cancer center had a number of trials that I did not find listed at clinicaltrials.gov. I'm a bit boggled by that, but if they're doing it, others may be doing it as well.
Another site that might be helpful is:
https://medivizor.com/
They send notifications of relevant studies and trials. It's another profile to complete, but after you've done a few, it doesn't take quite so long.
The Army of Women sends out notices of trials, but I've not seen any that would be relevant to your situation. Nonetheless, you might want to consider it one day when you feel like filling out yet another questionnaire.
__________________
2/6/09 Core needle biopsy: negative; Mammos through 2010: no change
3/30/11 Pea-sized lump in left breast at site of prior biopsy; mammo negative, sonogram not so much
4/14/11 Core needle biopsy: negative for cancer
5/18/11 Excisional biopsy 1.2 cm tumor, LVI, positive margin; ER+60%,PR+20%,HER2/CEP17 5
6/15/11 BMX: Left DCIS & LH; Right ADH; SNB: 2/3 nodes: 1.4 cm and 1 mm; ALND L1&2: 0/10; Stage IIa, Grade 3
7/14/11 CT/Bone scans NED; MUGA 66%
7/19/11 Biweekly dd AC w/Neulasta; done 8/30/11
9/13/11 Transfusion (Hemoglobin 8.6); MUGA 64%
9/20/11 Start Taxol + Herceptin; Taxol done 12/6/2011; continue Herceptin until 9/4/2012
12/27/11 Radiation - 6 weeks; 2/27/2012 - DONE! Yayyyy!
2/29/12 Start Tamoxifen 20 mg/day; continue until 2/28/17
5/16/12 Start five-years Metformin trial
6/19/12 MUGA 61%
8/21/12 Brain MRI NED (head still hurts, brain still fogged)
9/4/12 Herceptin done!
9/6/12 Port out!
7/11/13 Aricept 5mg for cognitive impairment; increased to 10mg as of 8/23/13; back to 5mg 12/2013
5/2014 Add Namenda 7mg
9/2014 Stop Aricept and Namenda; Neuropsychological evaluation
10/24/14 Start cognitive rehabilitation therapy
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12-16-2014, 08:05 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Somerset, NJ
Posts: 487
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Re: MET devastation & desperate for advice
One more link. Clinical trial listing at the National Cancer Institute:
http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/search
__________________
2/6/09 Core needle biopsy: negative; Mammos through 2010: no change
3/30/11 Pea-sized lump in left breast at site of prior biopsy; mammo negative, sonogram not so much
4/14/11 Core needle biopsy: negative for cancer
5/18/11 Excisional biopsy 1.2 cm tumor, LVI, positive margin; ER+60%,PR+20%,HER2/CEP17 5
6/15/11 BMX: Left DCIS & LH; Right ADH; SNB: 2/3 nodes: 1.4 cm and 1 mm; ALND L1&2: 0/10; Stage IIa, Grade 3
7/14/11 CT/Bone scans NED; MUGA 66%
7/19/11 Biweekly dd AC w/Neulasta; done 8/30/11
9/13/11 Transfusion (Hemoglobin 8.6); MUGA 64%
9/20/11 Start Taxol + Herceptin; Taxol done 12/6/2011; continue Herceptin until 9/4/2012
12/27/11 Radiation - 6 weeks; 2/27/2012 - DONE! Yayyyy!
2/29/12 Start Tamoxifen 20 mg/day; continue until 2/28/17
5/16/12 Start five-years Metformin trial
6/19/12 MUGA 61%
8/21/12 Brain MRI NED (head still hurts, brain still fogged)
9/4/12 Herceptin done!
9/6/12 Port out!
7/11/13 Aricept 5mg for cognitive impairment; increased to 10mg as of 8/23/13; back to 5mg 12/2013
5/2014 Add Namenda 7mg
9/2014 Stop Aricept and Namenda; Neuropsychological evaluation
10/24/14 Start cognitive rehabilitation therapy
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12-16-2014, 09:36 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 83
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Re: MET devastation & desperate for advice
So grateful for your posts. I'm new to this and don't know where to begin. I'll start on those suggestions. I will keep you posted on process and progress.
__________________
June 2013 DX Stage 3 Idc, rt breast, er/pr-, her2+++
PET/CT/Brain MRI clear
ACTHP until Dec 2013
BMX Dec 2013
28 Rads Feb 2014
Exchange surgery June 2014
Herceptin end Sept 2014
Headaches start Oct 2014
CT body clear Nov 2014
Brain MRI 4 lesions Nov 2014
SRS via LINAC in Dec 2014
Rt side infection, hospitalized, lost right implant on Jan 1, 2015
Jan 14 2015 MRI brain lesions shrinking
Jan 27 2015 Re-start herceptin every 3 weeks
Feb 2015 CT/PET Body clear
Re-start Lymphedema treatment April 2015
Breast MRI clear April 2015
Brain MRI April 2015 - shows everything stable, nothing new (whew)
CT scan June 2015 - clear
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12-17-2014, 05:53 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,173
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Re: MET devastation & desperate for advice
Forher, your amazing, God's blessings to your whole family. Your all in my prayers.
__________________
dx 11/12/09 IDCI
Stage 3a
ER 98% PR 80%
Her2 +3
4/12 nodes
6 rounds TCH
Herceptin 12 months 3weeks
Rad. 30 tx
Tamoxifin 6 months stopped
Arimedex stopped 9/12 (side effects)
Aromasin 10/12
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12-17-2014, 09:53 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,210
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Re: MET devastation & desperate for advice
Forher, I said before how I admire you, and all the partners, who have to step up and navigate a whole new world amid fear and uncertainty
It seems we do have to be our own advocates and do much research ourselves
Does your treatment facility have any really activist social workers or patient advocates who might do research for you and explore options? Sometimes you have to be the squeaky wheel
Have you called American Cancer Society? They might have suggestions
Just never give up hope. Always keep the faith
__________________
Bonnie
Post menopause
May 2007 Core biopsy, Rt breast
ER+, Pr-, HER2 +++, Grade 3
Ki-67: 90%
"suspicious area" left breast
Bilateral mastectomy, (NED on left) May 2007
Sentinel Node Neg
Stage 1, DCIS with microinvasion, 3 mm, mostly removed during the biopsy....
Femara (discontinued 7/07) Resumed 10/07
OncoType score 36 (July 07)
Began THC 7/26/07 (d/c taxol and carboplatin 10/07)
Began Herceptin alone 10/07
Finished Herceptin July /08
D/C Femara 4/10 (joint pain/trigger thumb!)
5/10 mistakenly dx with lung cancer. Middle rt lobe removed!
Aromasin started 5/10
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12-17-2014, 10:28 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Boulder Colorado as of January 2013
Posts: 389
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Re: MET devastation & desperate for advice
Been there. Done that. Look at Intrathecal Herceptin at MD Anderson. Nina was treated with 40 mg weekly with 0.4 gm topotecan twice weekly for four weeks, then 80 mgs per week IT Herceptin/0.4 gm Topotecan for 12 weeks. Depends upon meningeal to get approval, but they are not looking at deep brain as well. Let me know if I can get you to the right people by a private message.
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12-17-2014, 10:32 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Somerset, NJ
Posts: 487
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Re: MET devastation & desperate for advice
Yeah, I just realized I missed the most important resource for him. Glad you found this thread, Rolepaul.
__________________
2/6/09 Core needle biopsy: negative; Mammos through 2010: no change
3/30/11 Pea-sized lump in left breast at site of prior biopsy; mammo negative, sonogram not so much
4/14/11 Core needle biopsy: negative for cancer
5/18/11 Excisional biopsy 1.2 cm tumor, LVI, positive margin; ER+60%,PR+20%,HER2/CEP17 5
6/15/11 BMX: Left DCIS & LH; Right ADH; SNB: 2/3 nodes: 1.4 cm and 1 mm; ALND L1&2: 0/10; Stage IIa, Grade 3
7/14/11 CT/Bone scans NED; MUGA 66%
7/19/11 Biweekly dd AC w/Neulasta; done 8/30/11
9/13/11 Transfusion (Hemoglobin 8.6); MUGA 64%
9/20/11 Start Taxol + Herceptin; Taxol done 12/6/2011; continue Herceptin until 9/4/2012
12/27/11 Radiation - 6 weeks; 2/27/2012 - DONE! Yayyyy!
2/29/12 Start Tamoxifen 20 mg/day; continue until 2/28/17
5/16/12 Start five-years Metformin trial
6/19/12 MUGA 61%
8/21/12 Brain MRI NED (head still hurts, brain still fogged)
9/4/12 Herceptin done!
9/6/12 Port out!
7/11/13 Aricept 5mg for cognitive impairment; increased to 10mg as of 8/23/13; back to 5mg 12/2013
5/2014 Add Namenda 7mg
9/2014 Stop Aricept and Namenda; Neuropsychological evaluation
10/24/14 Start cognitive rehabilitation therapy
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12-18-2014, 12:33 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 1,580
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Re: MET devastation & desperate for advice
Go with Rolepaul. Not only does he live this nightmare, he's a chemical engineer.
All the best going forward,
Karen
__________________
World Trade Center Survivor (56th Floor/North Tower): 14 years and still just like yesterday.
Graves Disease, became Euthyroid via Radioactive Iodine, June 2001.
Thyroid Eye Disease. 2003. Decompression surgery in 2009; eyelid lowering surgery in 2010.
Diagnosed: June 2010, liver mets. ER-/PR+10%; HER2+++.
July 2010: Begin Taxol/Herceptin. Eliminate sugar from diet. No surgery or radiation.
January 2011: NED
April 2011: Progression in liver only. Other previous affected areas eradicated. Stop Taxol/Herceptin after 32 infusions.
May 2011: Brain MRI: clear.
May 2011: Begin Tykerb daily, Xeloda twice per day for one week on, one week off, and Herceptin.
November 2011: Progression in liver. All other tumors remain eradicated.
December 2011: BEGIN TRIAL #09-093 Taxol, MCC-DM1 (T-DM1), Perjeta.
Trial requires scans every six weeks, bloodwork and infusions weekly.
Brain MRI: clear.
January 2012: NED. Liver mets, good riddance!
March 2012: NED. Developed SMA (rare blood clot) in intestinal artery and loss of sight in right eye due to optical nerve neuropathy. Resolved when Taxol removed this month.
Continue Protocol of T-DM1 weekly and Perjeta every 3 weeks.
May 2012: NED.
June 2012: Brain MRI: clear.
June-December 2012: NED.
December 2012: TRIAL CONCLUDED; ENTER TRIAL EXTENSION #09-037. CT, Brain MRI, bone scan: clear. NED.
January-March 2013: NED.
June 2013: Brain MRI: clear. CEA upticking; CT shows new met on liver.
July 3, 2013: DISASTER STRIKES during liver ablation: sloppy surgeon cuts intercostal artery and I bleed out, lose 3.5 liters of blood, have major hemothorax, and collapsed lung requiring emergency resuscitative thoracotomy, lung surgery, rib rearrangement and cutting deep connective tissue, transfusion. Ablation incomplete. This life-saving procedure would end up causing me unforgiving pain with every movement I make, permanently, otherwise known as forever.
July 26, 2013: Try Navelbine/Herceptin. Body too weak after surgery and transfusion. Fever. CEA: Normal.
August 16, 2016: second dose Navelbine/Herceptin; CEA: Normal. Will skip doses. Watching and waiting.
September 2013: NED, Herceptin only. CEA: Normal. Started Arimidex.
October-November 2013: NED. Herceptin and Arimidex. CEA, CA125, 15-3: Normal.
December 2013: Something brewing. PET lights up on little spot on liver; CEA upward trend, just outside normal. PET and triphasic liver scan confirm Little Met. Restart Perjeta with Herceptin, stay on Arimidex. Genomic sequencing completed for future treatments, if necessary.
January 2014: Ablate Little Met on the 6th. Happy New Year.
March 2014: Brain MRI: clear. PET/CT reveal liver mets return; new lung mets. This is not funny.
March 2014: BEGIN TRIAL #10-005 A(11)-Temsirolimus plus Neratinib.
April 2014: Genomic testing indicated they could work, they did not. Very strange drug combo for me, felt weird.
April 2014: Started Navelbine and Herceptin. Needed something tried and true, but had significant progression.
June 2014: Doxil and Herceptin.
July 2014: Progression. Got nothing out of it. Brain: NED.
July 2014: Add integrative medical hematologist-oncologist to my team. Begin supplements. These are tumor-busting, immune system boosters. Add glutathione, lysine and taurine IV infusions every three weeks.
July 2014: Begin Gemzar, Herceptin & Perjeta. Happy.
August 2014: ECHO perfect.
January 2015: Begin weekly Vitamin D Analog infusions. 25 mcg. via port.
February 2015: CT: stable.
April 2015: Gem working, but not 100%. Looking into immunotherapy. Finally, treatments for the 21st century!
April 2015: Penn Medicine. Dendritic cell immunotherapy.
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