Don\'t Stop!

I was on the same trial you describe. Stage 2A at Dx in April 2002 (1.8 cm tumor and 1 node pos, ER-) and had AC, followed by 12 weeks of Taxol and the 52 weeks of Herceptin. I finished the Herceptin in November of 2003.

In March I felt what I thought was scar tissue under my arm (left side, where the cancer was orginally). Thinking it was scar tissue and since it was only 4 months (March 2004)after discontinuing Herceptin, I wasn't alarmed. I felt no discomfort, no pain.

Had my 3 month exam in Mid May 2004 and after Oncologist was suspicious of this "scar tissue". The surgeon removed it and it was two malignant axilla lymph nodes. They had removed a total of 11 at original diagnosis, but of course had left some addl. under my arm. After pathology tests, it is the same cancer.

Miracles do happen though and after CT and Bone Scan came back negative. I had one area light up on the PET scan. It is another cancerous node (the doctors assume it to be cancerous). It is in the same lymph node chain as the other two, just further up and under the petoralis muschle.

We will be meeting with the surgeons this Monday to see if it can be removed. It is pretty small, but I have already been radiated to the chest wall (Jan 2003, I tried to be so aggressive!). I will go on Navelbine and Herceptin combo for 4 rounds (3 weeks on, 1 week off).

Whew, that was long. But that would be my reason for trying your hardest to stay on Herceptin.

Did Herceptin surpress my cancer while I was on it? I would like to believe so. Maybe it didn't work for me at all. We won't know until more clinical trials are done. I am happy to be combining Herceptin with a chemo now. But, I will be talking with my onc about staying on a 3 week regiment of Herceptin when the Navelbine is done, that is for sure. I am a very healthly (except for these stupid cancer cells) 43 year old with a wonderful husband and 3 young sons.

I have another chance to try and beat this thing before it travels elsewhere (that is the miracle), but I sure wish that maybe, just maybe if I had stayed on Herceptin as a maintenance...would I be any better off? I am here to fight again.