Mtngrl
01-29-2013, 12:23 PM
I am getting Herceptin (Trastuzumab) and Tykerb (Lapatanib) to treat my metastatic HER-2 positive breast cancer. It is controlling the cancer very well so far, but I happened to notice something else. I used to get eczema on the palms of my hands, especially in the winter. It would start with little blister-like bumps that would crack open and flake off, leaving sore, raw skin underneath that would sometimes bleed. A month or two ago I realized I haven't had eczema since I began cancer treatment.
There's more, though. The first symptom that caused me to seek a diagnostic mammogram was that exact same thing happening to my left nipple. It was, in fact, diagnosed by a dermatologist as eczema, and it responded brilliantly to the tiny tube of prescription ointment that he gave me.
HER-2 is a skin protein. Our type of breast cancer causes overexpression of this protein.
One of my daughters has a masters degree in biomedical science policy and advocacy. When I told her I seem to have stumbled upon an expensive cure for eczema she told me there's an eczema drug in development with either a "mab" or "nib" suffix. (She told me which one, I just can't remember what she said.)
There's more, though. The first symptom that caused me to seek a diagnostic mammogram was that exact same thing happening to my left nipple. It was, in fact, diagnosed by a dermatologist as eczema, and it responded brilliantly to the tiny tube of prescription ointment that he gave me.
HER-2 is a skin protein. Our type of breast cancer causes overexpression of this protein.
One of my daughters has a masters degree in biomedical science policy and advocacy. When I told her I seem to have stumbled upon an expensive cure for eczema she told me there's an eczema drug in development with either a "mab" or "nib" suffix. (She told me which one, I just can't remember what she said.)