HER2/neu role in breast cancer: from a prognostic foe to a predictive friend.

[RhondaH]

On the EVE of my becoming a 2 year survivor, I found this QUITE fitting as when FIRST dx, my onc said I would NOT get Herceptin unless I recurred and LITERALLY 2 days after my last chemo the news of ASCO broke and on my first follow up in Aug, my onc said...lets do it. Interesting how much difference a day makes. This is the PERFECT example of why it is hard for us to "compare" dx and prognosis as what one dx WAS, the treatments have changed so. I had the pleasure of speaking to Christine the other day and incidentally, she sounded WONDERFUL. Take care and God bless.

Rhonda

I know this should have been placed under articles, but I just thought it was a very UPLIFTING.

PS...if you like reading scientific journals, the one I attached is an AWESOME one and was referred to me from the source of a trial I am waiting for. I merely type in HER2 and click on the publication date and get articles that won't even be published for months down the road.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=17218853&query_hl=1&itool=pubmed_DocSum

[Mary Jo]

Hi Rhonda,

It is amazing isn't it. The difference in 1 day. I, like you was diagnosed at the "perfect" time (is there is a perfect time - haha) I was diagnosed in June of 2005 and in May of 2005 was when herceptin in the adjuvent setting was determined to be a GOOD thing. (for lack of a better way of describing it).

Congrats on your 2 year anniversay. Pray that all continues to go well for you. You too are an inspiration on this board.

God's continued blessings in your life.

Mary Jo

[lexigirl]

Thanks for posting this Rhonda! Like MareJo said, if we were to have her2+ bc, now's the time to have it. Definitely buying time for a CURE!

Hugs and Prayers,
Lexi

[Karen Weixel]

Wow! What great news.

Karen

[Lani]

while reviewing the full article I found the following which might be helpful to Stephanie, Christine and others:

It referred to an article by Kirsch et al.which analyzed retrospectively 91 patients with brain metastases from breast cancer; 45 patients had tumors that did overexpress HER2; 35 of these women received trastuzumab and found that patients with HER2-overexpressing breast cancer had a significantly longer OS (median 23 compared with 10 months, P = 0.0016) after the development of brain metastases than patients who were HER2 negative.

And the pioneering women of this board are pushing the envelope farther and farther along! Wait 'til their stats make it into the literature

[rinaina]

Keep the good news coming is all I have to say. I thank G-d everyday that if I had to get this her2+breast cancer, at least I was lucky enough to get it now. Only you on this forum would understand this concept fully.

[Hopeful]

Rhonda,

Thanks for the article, and congratulations on reaching the two year mark!

Hopeful

[Ceesun]

Very encouraging article, thanks for sharing Ceesun