Herceptin For Less Than One Year
 

I finished 4 cycles of A/C and was to start taxol/herceptin. My muga scan went from 58% to 46% and I could not start the herceptin, only had taxol. Muga will be redone in 5 weeks but onc believes that due to low baseline muga of 58% I will not be able to get the full year of herceptin. I was actually hoping to get 2 years of herceptin as the European study will have been completed by the time I was to finish with the one year.
I'm really scared as there appears to be no other options for me, I'm er-pr- her2+++. Right now I'm stage 1 with no nodes but my mother started out this way and had extensive mets to bones. She didn't have the chemo after diagnosis though and her 1st diagnosis was 15years ago, she died 3years after discovery of mets.
Anyone know what my next step should be, I want the herceptin but don't want to die of heart disease either. Wondering if the A/C did permant heart damage or will the heart recover enough. Major concern that onc doesn't think I'll make the 1 year of herceptin.'
Thanks for your info.

First of all, a baseline of 58% is respectable. Not high, but normal none the less. Many women have experienced NO loss of LVEF when on Herceptin, and even if you loose a bit of ground over the course of the treatment, that's no reason to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Your somewhat low score this time could be from the AC, and if it doesn't improve by your next MUGA, some with low ejection fraction have worked with a cardiologist and been prescribed appropriate drug therapy which has allowed them to continue on Herceptin. So, you have options. You may want to get a second opinion if this onc seems to be closing the door in your face, as it were. Good luck, and keep us posted.
<3 Lolly