Have you taken a combo of chemo & hormonals?

[jojo]

Hello Ladies,

I would like to know how many of you are/were on chemos with hormonals at the same time, or just chemos alone. (In this case, Herceptin is not a chemo.) So, when you poll your answer, please kindly list the meds that you are/were taking.

I was told that there was bad synergy of chemos & hormonals, per research studies (mentioned by my onc & onc nurse practitioner). Say, if I were to begin on Xeloda, I would have to stop my hormonal therapy, due to the poor synergy. However, I would be able to continue on Herceptin, since this is not actually a chemo, anyway; it is simply immunotherapy. So, I am just confused about the combo of chemos & hormonal therapies, as I recall hearing about many ladies taking on a combo of chemo(s) & hormonals.

I would appreciate what your onc's say about this. Please let us know, if you do come across any sources on this topic. I would be interested in reading them. Thanks! :-)

Blessings ~ JO.

[Jan Solomon]

I started femara a few weeks after stopping chemo but while taking herceptin. Noone ever discussed taking it earlier - would have been too hard to see side effects taking so much new stuff.

[Becky]

I was told that combining chemo (or radiation) with hormonals was not good as the hormonal sllowed or stopped cell growth and chemo and/or radiation killed growing cells. Therefore, hormonals were started after chemo and radiation.

Currently, I am on Arimidex and Herceptin (as an adjuvant via the trial) and this is supposed to be a good combination.

Best regards,

Becky

[SusanAnne]

Hi Jo,

I began Tamoxifen the day I started radiation as per my Herceptin clinical trial. I'm on Arimidex now after having my ovaries out but you bring up a very interesting point. Not being stage 4, I hadn't thought of having to stop the hormonal if chemo was ever needed again but I guess you'd have to do it. Another bit of new information to file away. Thanks.

Susan

[triciak]

I haven't heard about this! My oncologist put me on a combination of femara, navelbine and herceptin from the very first, when I was diagnosed a year ago. I was taken off the navelbine after the first 6 months, but have remained on the femara and herceptin. I will ask my onc about this. So far I seem to be doing okay, even though this is my third round with BC, and second stage IV, in 20 years. I'll let you know what the onc says when I see him next month. In the meantime I will be watching this thread. Thank you! Tricia

[madubois63]

The first bout with BC, I started hormonal (Tamoxifen) after chemo and continued during radiation right until my relapse 4 1/2 years later.

My onc put me on hormonal (Femara), Herceptin (immunotherapy) and chemo (Carboplaten and Taxotere).

As I an now NED (No evidence of Disease), it worked for me. I have stage IV Inflammatory BC that metastasized to my lungs, liver and far right lymph nodes. I am being treated aggressively because of the Inflammatory BC. This is a hard treatment and may not be the right thing for everyone. It was one year ago this month I was being treated for "pneumonia" which was actually the mets to the lungs. I almost didn't make it so the rough treatments are well worth it for me.


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