Thoughts with you and your family
 

Hi Eric,
You have fought so hard for Caryn and I have been so impressed with your posts and how they reflected your loving care for her and your children. My heart goes out to you and your family. Please know that all of you are continually in my thoughts.
Barbara H.

Dear Eric ~

Your battle certainly has not been lost. You and Caryn have fought with the dignity and grace of legends past. Cancer didn't win, the battle isn't lost -- but perhaps it is time for Caryn to move on to her life of peace and wait for you.

Her pain ends but her peace begins. Your pain becomes deeper but your life has been richer for the loving and the fighting together.

Eric, I echo the words of Abbydawg. I have no miracle cure or great words of wisdom. I just offer my prayers to you and your family and Caryn. You are truly a blessing to her.

Please add my prayers to the list.. Please , also take care of yourself..Charlotte

Eric,

I am holding Caryn, you and your family in my heart and prayers. May God give you comfort, strength, peace and understanding.

Dear Eric -

I know how hard you have fought to hold Caryn up and help her keep going. She has done so much already, but the cancer inches forward anyway.

If it were my case, I would leave it up to Caryn whether there is anything more she wants to try. If she is in the hospital, it seems that no study drug could be adminstered there, unless it is actually a cancer center.

My prayers are fervent that she is comfortable and comforted. That goes for you and the children. Words just can't describe the heartache you all have, and the sorrow we feel is only a penny's worth.

I am thinking of you and yours. Ceesun

Public Wyeth Drug Announcement This Month
 

Eric,

I saw Joe's mention of a new drug called neratinib on this thread, and I found an article about it online. Wyeth is a drug company here in PA. It looked promising in it's trials so far. It seems that it acts on intracellular end of the receptors of the HER2 cell, whereas Herceptin acts on the extracellular end. I don't know if Caryn would qualify for their upcoming Phase III trial. Here's the link:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/152211.php

Tom

Eric...
 

no medical advise, but LOTS of prayers:( Take care and God bless.

Eric,

Your love for Caryn is an incredible gift. We all share your pain in this terribly difficult time. I will add my prayers to the rest for a miracle for your family. That God will send the right person with the expertise to give your Caryn another chance.

'lizbeth

I AM SO SORRY TO HEAR OF THIS. I pray that Caryn is at peace and comfortable., You are all im my prayers.

Eric,

A love like the two of you share, transcends all time and space.

I will pray for a miracle for Caryn.

Eric,

I am praying for you both. Hang in there and do not let God´s hand go.

Paty

Praying for you both, Eric

Wyeth Phase III Clinical Trial for Neratinib
 

Eric,

Here is the link and full text of Wyeth's Phase III study that is now enrolling patients all over the country. Make sure to click on the link further down the webpage that says "Show 111 Study Locations", to find the site nearest to you.

http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00777101


http://her2support.org/ct2/html/imag...e/triangle.gif Purpose This is a study of an experimental drug (neratinib) versus a combination of drugs (lapatinib and capecitabine) in women who have erbB-2 (HER-2) positive metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer. The goal of this study is to compare the two regimens in shrinking tumors and extending the lives of women with erbB2 (HER2) positive breast cancer. The study will also compare the safety of the two regimens and to compare quality of life of patients taking the two regimens.




Study Type:InterventionalStudy Design:Treatment, Randomized, Open Label, Parallel Assignment, Safety/Efficacy StudyOfficial Title:A Phase 3 Randomized Open-Label Study of Neratinib Versus Lapatinib Plus Capecitabine for the Treatment of ErbB-2 Positive Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer
Resource links provided by NLM:

Genetics Home Reference related topics: breast cancer
MedlinePlus related topics: Breast Cancer Cancer
Drug Information available for: Capecitabine Lapatinib Lapatinib Ditosylate HKI-272
U.S. FDA Resources


Further study details as provided by Wyeth:


Primary Outcome Measures:

• Progression Free Survival [ Time Frame: 16 Week ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Secondary Outcome Measures:

• Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events [CTCAE] V3 [ Time Frame: Subject's duration on active portion of the study. ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]

Estimated Enrollment:1000Study Start Date:November 2008Estimated Study Completion Date:November 2013Estimated Primary Completion Date:November 2013 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)



http://her2support.org/ct2/html/imag...e/triangle.gif Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study: 18 Years and olderGenders Eligible for Study: FemaleAccepts Healthy Volunteers: NoCriteria

Potential subjects should have/be:

• Stage IIIB, IIIC, or IV erbB2 (HER2) positive breast cancer
• Prior use of Herceptin (trastuzumab), an anthracycline, and a taxane
• Adequate cardiac and renal function

Potential subjects should not have:

• More than 2 prior Herceptin (trastuzumab) regimens or prior use of Xeloda (capecitabine) and / or Tykerb (lapatinib) [Tyverb]
• Bone or skin as the only site of disease
• Active central nervous system metastases (subjects should be stable and off anticonvulsants and steroids)
• Sigificant gastrointestinal disorder with diarrhea as major symptom

Eric,

I am so sorry to hear about Karen. I will be praying for her, you, and your children.

Amelia

Praying for you both...
Marcia

Eric, I cry as I write to you tonight and I feel no words I say could bring you comfort. We too have searched for options as our circumstances greatly resemble the place you are at. We too are in a race against time and all I can say is I feel so deeply for Caryn and your family. I do have recent research but Caryn has been too sick to continue with what treatment she was on.

As a spouse of a breast cancer Warrior myself I can only say this. I will never accept that the battle is over; but I must accept the fact that he is slowly slipping away and when his body cannot withstand treatment anymore....when his quality of life becomes more hindered, painful or unsatisfying.....he has one more time to ask himself if he can continue. Even if he can continue, is there something that can help? It is the sadest and toughest things I have ever had to live through. I have been told by Warriors whom I have since lost, that you know when your body is telling you those things. Even when we know, sometimes we chose not to listen. I have promised I would listen to what he needs and what his body is telling him. How can I not, he knows best what his body is saying and how far he can push it.

In my eyes Eric, Caryn will have never lost her battle. The cancer just became bigger than her! She has been so courageous and fought with grace and dignity. Caryn has taught me so much about living and fighting. Her journey has been that of a true Warrior, a battle that has been difficult, but a battle I will never say she lost.

I pray for a miracle for her, I pray for her comfort. I am speechless as the emotions you are feeling are the same I try to make sense out of myself. From where I sit, I am not so sure there are any right answers. I do know that I trust my heart and when my mind cannot answer these questions, I will look deep into my heart for the answers.

I am thinking about your entire family as I still cry and hurt along with you....as I still know none of my words can express how I feel. I hold your hand Eric for it is all I can do. Lots of love.>>Believe51