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Lani · 12-09-2006, 11:37 AM

to affect the respiratory system--another of the bodies systems beside the breast glandular system which is lined in epithelial cells. In the paper I piosted (in one patient who was biopsied during her time on herceptin and again when her symptoms resolved after herceptin was stopped) it was shown that while on herceptin something like 50%-70% less ciliated cells are found in the upper respiratory tract and there is approx 50% less of certain specialized cells lining the upper respiratory tract. Another paper, proposed/implied that the same thing happens in other systems lined by epithelial cells, particularly the GI tract. That is why, when I started the roll call on herceptin side effect, real and/or perceived, I included GI symptoms.

As I recall some had upper abdominal pain but I recall either in that thread or another several people describing gall bladder like problems. Now, gall bladder problems tend to occur in 40+ year old women yesterday and who knows if being on antiestrogens or having been put into early menopause by chemo potentiates it, or if it is just a long term side effect of radiation (which side was your breast cancer on?) or chemo(which affects all the epithelial cells of the GI tract including those lining the gall bladder and its duct, as they are some of the cells in the body which are replaced most often and therefore more rapidly dividing.

I hope people resurrect the roll call re herceptin side-effects. If I do, it will automatically get put into the "articles" category..... Anyone?

Sorry about my lack of correct statistics---tired! Feel free to search for my original post!(PS ciilated are hair-bearing cells which help filter germs in your nose and upper respiratory system)

12-09-2006, 11:37 AM	#3
Lani Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 4,782	I have previously posted on how herceptin has been found to affect the respiratory system--another of the bodies systems beside the breast glandular system which is lined in epithelial cells. In the paper I piosted (in one patient who was biopsied during her time on herceptin and again when her symptoms resolved after herceptin was stopped) it was shown that while on herceptin something like 50%-70% less ciliated cells are found in the upper respiratory tract and there is approx 50% less of certain specialized cells lining the upper respiratory tract. Another paper, proposed/implied that the same thing happens in other systems lined by epithelial cells, particularly the GI tract. That is why, when I started the roll call on herceptin side effect, real and/or perceived, I included GI symptoms. As I recall some had upper abdominal pain but I recall either in that thread or another several people describing gall bladder like problems. Now, gall bladder problems tend to occur in 40+ year old women yesterday and who knows if being on antiestrogens or having been put into early menopause by chemo potentiates it, or if it is just a long term side effect of radiation (which side was your breast cancer on?) or chemo(which affects all the epithelial cells of the GI tract including those lining the gall bladder and its duct, as they are some of the cells in the body which are replaced most often and therefore more rapidly dividing. I hope people resurrect the roll call re herceptin side-effects. If I do, it will automatically get put into the "articles" category..... Anyone? Sorry about my lack of correct statistics---tired! Feel free to search for my original post!(PS ciilated are hair-bearing cells which help filter germs in your nose and upper respiratory system)