Paul
04-23-2004, 12:27 AM
Hi Chandi,
I think it is important to place your comment in the proper context. For example, it is true that a well-known side-effect of tamoxifen is an increased risk of uterine cancer. However, it is also true that tamoxifen has saved countless lives over the last 20 years. PET scans utilize a radioactive form of glucose. It is my understanding that the amount of radioactivity is negligible. In fact, one research team believes that PET scans may be a way to deliver a slight amount of radiation directly into cancer cells because the cancer cells ingest the radioactive glucose. So, I suppose anything is possible but I wouldn't stay up at night worrying about it. Overall, there is probably more risk with respect to the air we breathe and the food we eat(i.e., mercury in fish, pesticides, etc) than there is in your overarching cancer treatment.
I have found a single case study (involving one patient) which demonstrates that it is possible to have HER-2 negative cells remain after eradication of all HER-2 positive cells with taxotere and herceptin. In this case, the HER-2 negative cells remained in the lung after all HER-2 positive cells were destroyed in the liver and lung. The cross-link to the abstract is provided below. I have not read or heard of any other instances where this has happened. It is generally true that a primary HER-2 positive breast cancer tumor does not change status when it later takes the form of a secondary metastasis. But it also seems possible that HER-2 positive and HER-2 negative cells could co-exist. A potential "take away" from that case is that any stubborn secondary tumors (i.e., it remains after several chemo regimes are tried) should be biopsied and retested if possible. In addition, this may be one reason that herceptin is especially effective when combined with select chemo regimes.
I hope this information helps.
I think it is important to place your comment in the proper context. For example, it is true that a well-known side-effect of tamoxifen is an increased risk of uterine cancer. However, it is also true that tamoxifen has saved countless lives over the last 20 years. PET scans utilize a radioactive form of glucose. It is my understanding that the amount of radioactivity is negligible. In fact, one research team believes that PET scans may be a way to deliver a slight amount of radiation directly into cancer cells because the cancer cells ingest the radioactive glucose. So, I suppose anything is possible but I wouldn't stay up at night worrying about it. Overall, there is probably more risk with respect to the air we breathe and the food we eat(i.e., mercury in fish, pesticides, etc) than there is in your overarching cancer treatment.
I have found a single case study (involving one patient) which demonstrates that it is possible to have HER-2 negative cells remain after eradication of all HER-2 positive cells with taxotere and herceptin. In this case, the HER-2 negative cells remained in the lung after all HER-2 positive cells were destroyed in the liver and lung. The cross-link to the abstract is provided below. I have not read or heard of any other instances where this has happened. It is generally true that a primary HER-2 positive breast cancer tumor does not change status when it later takes the form of a secondary metastasis. But it also seems possible that HER-2 positive and HER-2 negative cells could co-exist. A potential "take away" from that case is that any stubborn secondary tumors (i.e., it remains after several chemo regimes are tried) should be biopsied and retested if possible. In addition, this may be one reason that herceptin is especially effective when combined with select chemo regimes.
I hope this information helps.