Nice positive news on cardiac effects....associated wtih herceptin.

[Jean]

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/99959.php

Hugs,
Jean

[TSund]

Hi Jean!

Does this study do a comparison between the dose dense and the TCH protocol? Assuming TCH still easier on the heart and if the data holds up it is just as effective?

Nice to see you, my friend! :)

TRS

[Mary Jo]

Hi Jean,

Thanks for the positive information.

It's nice to have you and your information back with us.

Hugs to you sweetie........

Mary Jo

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

Hey there Jean! It is pure joy to see you on the board. As full of positivity and support as always. Sending you the biggest hug ever... AND Love...
Andi

[sassy]

Thanks for the post Jean---good news for me.

Good to "see" you back.

[Bill]

Hi Jean, thanks for the post. I've been thinking about you alot and hope you're doing well. Love, Bill

[Jean]

Hi TRS,
No, this study did not compare the TCH...but if it helps at all, Dr. Slamon
was confident in the TCH trials when they went head to head with A/C.
very small margin of difference.

Thank you, it is great to be back among my friends...missed all of you!

Warmly,
jean

[Paris]

Thank you, Jean for posting the article. However, as one who is dealing with chemo/herceptin cardiotoxicity I am not ready to jump up and down cheering over this. If any of you subscribe to HEAL magazine, the latest issue has a very good article regarding chemo toxicity and basically ALL chemo has the potential to have a negative effect on our heart. Granted it is uncommon but the chance is still there. In addition, my cardiologist gave me over 30 pages of studies that have been done on the cardiotoxic effects of the various chemo drugs and not just the anthra-cyclines.

Right now I'm not trusting any studies backed by Genentech (herceptin) and Amgen (aranesp).

Please note, I seem to be the one person that seems to get the side effects that only 1% of people experience!

Jamie

[Jackie07]

I, too, had to stop Herceptin because of the side effect of the heart. I am having another MUGA scan Monday and I doubt if the number will climb back. But newer study also says that Herceptin does not necessarily need to be administered more than 9-12 rounds. I don't know, perhaps I am just trying to comfort myself. But we just have to face it and hope for another miracle options.

Woke up with a terrible feeling (pretty much did not sleep, I guess), so I called in sick for the morning.

Still, cheers to the good news!

[Jean]

I am sorry that you have fit into the 1% group. As with any medication there are always side affects to consider and some are very serious. Chemo does /and/could have serious side affects.

I remember back in 2005 when I was dx. I read many articles that stated herceptin increased the risk of heart disease and it was very discouraging when considering treatment. It did not state that heart disease associated with treatment is relatively rare and typically occurs only with certain types of chemotherarpy and never mentioned the toll also of radiation therapy. It was rather a dooms day report.
So much so, that friends and family were upset that I was considering herceptin treatment, thinking (based on what they read) that I would have a heart attack soon after treatment.

If the area of your body receiving radiation includes your heart, you have an increased risk of cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease and heart attack. The combinaton of radiation and chemotherapy can further increase your risk of heart damage.

I believe this report is showing it is not as severe as first reported.
But - we should also keep in mind that chemo/and/herceptin is only one culprit. Other factors play a role, too, chest radiation, weight gain (ugh) that plagues many of us survivors, physical inactivity during
during treatment, stress (we all know stress is another killer).

My grandmother used to say "The mind will heal the body" and as a young child I did not fully understand what this meant.

Therefore, it is a combination of events that can create another health issue. Of course the future will tell us more as we age along with our treatments. I for one, will be happy to deal with my heart 20 or 30 yrs. from now....I pray to the good Lord that should be my issue.

Remember we didn't EARN the label survivor easily!

Kind Regards,
Jean

[TSund]

Paris and Jackie,

Just curious; have you tried the CoQ10 supplement or the L-Carnitine that has been recommended by some on the board here?

TRS

[Paris]

Hi TRS, Yes I take 200mg of CoQ10 thanks to advice given by some of our wonderful ladies! I also take Fish Oil and Multivitamin. I thought of stopping after the heart issues thinking it didn't do anything. But a friend said imagine what it might have been likeif I hadn't taken anything.

Yes, Jean you are right. The mind heals the body. I think being positive has helped me get through everything. And you know what? Despite all the "issues" I've had with side effects I would not change anything and at the end of the day I thank God I was diagnosed early and for herceptin. I am also thankful I pressed the doctors to find out what was wrong with me which enabled them to find the heart damage early when it is considered mild as opposed to not finding out until the damage was permanent.

Unfortunately we never really know how things are going to turn out. That's true for life in general. Cancer has taught me to be okay with living a life of uncertainty. But I certainly have more fun now than I did pre-cancer!

Hugs to you all-

Jamie

[Jean]

True True Paris,
Cancer certainly teaches us much and opens new doors. Who would have thunk it?
It was so wise of you to take the COQ 10.

Sending you healing wishes,
Jean