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Becky · 03-30-2007, 06:17 AM

Anna

Since your recurrence was near the scar - a place where it is very difficult for chemo or Herceptin to penetrate, why give up on Herceptin. It works EXTREMELY well with taxanes. Also, Tykerb could be difficult to obtain and get paid for because a local recurrence does NOT upgrade you to stage 4 disease (that is reserved for distant mets only) so you are still considered whatever your original stage was but can obtain additional treatment for the local recurrence.

Just my thoughts here. Also, my girlfriend who had a local recurrence (triple negative pathology), had rads with concurrent Xeloda (as chemo (and Herceptin) enhance the effects of radiation).

Hope this helps

03-30-2007, 06:17 AM	#23
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	Anna Since your recurrence was near the scar - a place where it is very difficult for chemo or Herceptin to penetrate, why give up on Herceptin. It works EXTREMELY well with taxanes. Also, Tykerb could be difficult to obtain and get paid for because a local recurrence does NOT upgrade you to stage 4 disease (that is reserved for distant mets only) so you are still considered whatever your original stage was but can obtain additional treatment for the local recurrence. Just my thoughts here. Also, my girlfriend who had a local recurrence (triple negative pathology), had rads with concurrent Xeloda (as chemo (and Herceptin) enhance the effects of radiation). Hope this helps __________________ Kind regards Becky Found lump via BSE Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45 1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side) 2 micromets to sentinel node Stage 2A left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg lumpectomies 9/7/04 4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol Used Leukine instead of Neulasta 35 rads on right side only 4/05 started Tamoxifen Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations Oophorectomy 8/05 Started Arimidex 9/05 Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06 Arimidex Only Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia NED 18 years! Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"