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Old 04-08-2011, 11:51 AM   #1
Adriana Mangus
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Anyone with liver cancer, please reply

Hi, this is Adriana.

My liver enzyme ALK number continues to get elevated.

Since am on the TDM1 clinical trial, I'm not sure if the meds are the culprit. I was told by the nurse in charge of this trial that the reading tends to go up a bit. Anyone else on the TDM1? Or with liver cancer?.

I just would like to know what to expect, just in case the cancer has now spread to the liver. I've read in the past posts by some of our sistes who have been battling liver cancer for a number of years. I'm calling to anyone
who has the time to answer. Thanks a lot!!!

Much Love to you all,

Adriana
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1994 - rt brst, .lump, underarm node dissection,chemo+rad 1.2 cms, Grade 3.
28 nodes neg
Er,Pr, Positive HER2 status unknown
2003- Recur to rt lung.July 16 ( B-Day!)
Her2+++ Er,Pr, Negative
2003 - Aug04--Navelbine + Herceptin
2004- 2007--
NED - Herceptin, only
2007 Feb-April Xeloda added to hereceptin
2007-May Back on Navelbine+Herceptin
2008-Feb-Mar 15 Ses Rad to Rt. Lung
2008- Oc 17 Add Tykerb to Herceptin
2009- June-- Discont Tykerb
2009 July 7--Current Taxol + Herceptin
2009 Dec--Discontinued treatment due to progression. Looking into cyberknife.
2010-Aug Accepted to TDM1, no SE, except liver count went up.
2010-2011 September got kicked out of the trial, due to a small spot found on lung.
2011- 2012 September thru early 2013 on Herceptin
2013- March Bone density shows small spot on 5th rib.
2013 - April 4th appt with onc. will post after discussing course of treatment.
2013-March-April Cyber knife to brain and radiation to rib. Chest --base line before chemo-CT-Scan stable for lung issue. CA2729 Normal.
2013 April Herceptin- TDMI
2013 Sept Herceptin + Perjeta . CA2729 within normal range. Brain and Pet scans October 31st. will post results.
2013 October Brain MRI- mixed response. Will see Onc/rad on Halloween.
2013 October/November Brain-MRI nothing new. Repeat MRI next year in May.

2013 December Continue Herceptin and Perjeta. Stable at the moment.
2014 February Brain MRI -clear!
2014 January Added Taxotere to Perjeta+Herceptin.
2014 March Stopped chemo-chest ct-scan next.

2014- March Scans shows tumor's larger, CA2729 higher. Discontinue Herceptin.
2014 April Perjeta+ Halaven
2014 April CA2729 went down 60 points after one cycle. Cough does not want to go away.
2014 June Continue on Perjeta + Halaven-- no more cough. Stable
2014 June Back on Herceptin + abraxane
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Old 04-08-2011, 12:49 PM   #2
Jackie07
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Re: Anyone with liver cancer, please reply

Adriana,

Are you taking any supplements? Gelina posted this last October about her elevated ALK:

Hi all
Just let you know, the cause of elevated LFT had apparently not much to do with ca. I've been experimenting with some supplements while waiting for treatment. One of them I suspected could affect those figures and when I stoped taking it four days ago they just dropped.
Don't know what CT will show it's still sort of relief for now, thank God.
With love
Galina
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Old 04-08-2011, 05:09 PM   #3
KDR
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Re: Anyone with liver cancer, please reply

Hi, Adriana
I have mets to the liver, but this is not "liver cancer," it is breast cancer to the liver. Two very different presentations indeed.
Your liver function tests will definitely be influenced by treatment. Mine fluctuate. My liver mets disappeared completely on Taxol. And it is good to know that the liver is an organ that regenerates itself.
Hope this helps,
Karen
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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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Old 04-08-2011, 05:16 PM   #4
Barbara H.
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Re: Anyone with liver cancer, please reply

Hi Adriana,
It is normal for your liver enzymes to be elevated on TDM-1. They were elevated when I was on it. When they would get too high I would have to skip treatment. I was receiving weekly treatments and was also receiving a higher dose than the current treatments. I eventually had to withdraw from the trial due to lung inflammation. Once it is approved, I could consider going on it again. However, after what just recently happened to Sheila, I would be more concerned. I am currently on Tykerb/Herceptin and still NED.

You should not worry. What you are experiencing is a normal side effect of the drug. They will monitor you very carefully.

Best regards,
Barbara H.
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Old 04-08-2011, 05:57 PM   #5
chrisy
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Re: Anyone with liver cancer, please reply

Adriana my LFT's were off the chart after going on tdm1. It is a known side effect of tdm1. Try not to worry, it is very likely to be the meds
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June 2002 extensive hi grade DCIS (pre-cancer-stage 0, clean sentinal node) Mastectomy/implant - no chemo, rads. "cured?"
9/2004 Diag: Stage IV extensive liver mets (!) ER/PR- Her2+++
10/04-3/05 Weekly Taxol/Carboplatin/Herceptin , complete response!
04/05 - 4/07 Herception every 3 wks, Continue NED
04/07 - recurrence to liver - 2 spots, starting tykerb/avastin trial
06/07 8/07 10/07 Scans show stable, continue on Tykerb/Avastin
01/08 Progression in liver
02/08 Begin (TDM1) trial
08/08 NED! It's Working! Continue on TDM1
02/09 Continue NED
02/10 Continue NED. 5/10 9/10 Scans NED 10/10 Scans NED
12/10 Scans not clear....4/11 Scans suggest progression 6/11 progression confirmed in liver
07/11 - 11/11 Herceptin/Xeloda -not working:(
12/11 Begin MM302 Phase I trial - bust:(
03/12 3rd times the charm? AKT trial

5/12 Scan shows reduction! 7/12 More reduction!!!!
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9/12 Start Perjeta/Herceptin, chemo on hold due to infection/wound in leg, added on cycle 2 &3
11/12 Poops! progression in liver, Stop Perjeta/Taxo/Herc
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Old 04-08-2011, 07:02 PM   #6
Del
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Re: Anyone with liver cancer, please reply

Hi Adriana,
I am also on T-DM1, and my liver enzymes both rose like crazy (both AST and ALT). They were so high that I had to be reduced to a lower dose after my first treatment, and they were scared they would have to reduce the dosage again. Thankfully they have come down finally to just above normal, although I do have to stay on the initially reduced dose. And I have not had liver mets during treatment (they have not come back after my initial treatment in 2007, they are in my armpit lymph nodes now). My doctor had me stop all vitamins/supplements to try to reduce the enzyme levels, and I even had a liver biopsy, although that didn't show anything. I'm not sure why the numbers finally came down, it did take several months. At my last visit the nurse said it could have been that I had a virus.
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diagnosed April, 2007, age 36 - stage IV, mets to liver; ER+ (slightly), PR-, HER2+
MRM April 26, 2007
started chemo May 25, 2007 - Taxotere and Herceptin
finished chemo Oct 2007, continue on Herceptin for life, also on Tamoxifen
MRI in Jan 2008 shows no evidence of cancer in liver - NED!!
recurrence in left axilla nodes April 2010
now highly ER+, still HER2+
oophorectomy July 2010
start TDM1 (Emilia) trial Sept 2010
it's working!! can still palpate small node in axilla, but remain NED everywhere else
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