Simultaneous radiation + Herceptin?
 

Have any of you had radiation therapy given simultaneously with Herceptin? How did it go?

Thanks for any input

Nedra-

I had radiation, along with Herceptin/Navelbine. It wasn't bad at all (perhaps some fatigue), and I continued to work throughout the treatment.

Good luck with things,
Shell

I had radiation 5 days a week for 5 weeks and Hercepting every 3 weeks. No problems.

My regimine was the same as sarahdalton's. No problems, I worked my regular schedule.

Hopeful

good idea
 

Dear Nedra,

Sorry you're facing all this! But it sounds liek you are getting good care, and there is starting to be some evidence that getting radiation and herceptin at the same time is a particularly good idea. There is an idea developing that herceptin is a "radiosensitizer"--that is, that it makes the radiation work better...

Good luck,
Jeff

I too, had radiation and herceptain at the same time - in fact my oncologists took it a step further and insisted that it be weekly herceptain during the rads and three weeks after. After that I went to the the triple dose.

Susanne

I too am going through radiation and herceptin at the same time. About to finish my 7th and final week of radiation and herceptin is every 3 weeks. To date no problems other tha=en some fatigue and redness and a rash.

Nedra,
I started Herceptin July 19 of last year and radiation 1 month later. It went fine. I experienced very little fatigue and probably would have even without the Herceptin.
Hugs & prayers,
Marlys

Thanks to all of you. I had read in a couple of signatures at this site, that it was done simultaneously, but my oncologist has planned it after radiation, so now I know enough to ask if I too can have it simultaneously. I want the protection as quickly as I can get it!

Thanks again to everyone! I really appreciate the quick support!

Warm regards to all

I had a triple whammy- weekly herceptin + taxol + 28 rads and 5 boosts. Fried the crap outta me, and out of any cancer I assume. Healed up fine- just had reconstruction (5.5 months out of rads) and everything looks great!

Herceptin + Radiation
 

Nedra, you might find this study interesting; it was published in 2003 before Herceptin was being used as adjuvant therapy. I'm curently finsihing radiation for recurrent bc, and have been on Herceptin 2 weekly plus Xeloda daily throughout, with no problems.


Sensitization of breast cancer cells to radiation by trastuzumab

http://mct.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/full/2/11/1113?ck=nck

Mol Cancer Ther. 2003;2:1113-1120© 2003 American Association for Cancer Research
Ke Liang1, Yang Lu1, Weidong Jin1, K. Kian Ang2, Luka Milas3 and Zhen Fan1



"...there are only limited studies exploring whether inhibition of HER2 could similarly sensitize HER2-overexpressing cancer cells to radiation therapy. Because breast cancer is one of the major types of human cancer overexpressing HER2, and because trastuzumab is already approved by FDA in a regimen of combination treatment with chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer, in the current study, we investigated whether trastuzumab could sensitize human breast cancer to the apoptosis induced by ionizing radiation and the major downstream signal pathway(s) involved in this process.

We found a HER2 level-dependent sensitization to radiation-induced apoptosis by trastuzumab in a panel of breast cancer cell lines. This radiosensitization by trastuzumab was further demonstrated by reduced clonogenic survival of the breast cancer cells after radiation..."

Hello,

I had radiation for 28 days straight and herceptin every 3 weeks as well. No problems to report. I was told by my radiation oncologist the radiation along with herceptin is more "sensitive." Not quite sure what that meant - works better? - but that is what he said.

Mary Jo