HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - ASCO abstract: most important to STAY on herceptin once have brain mets!!!

StephN · 06-01-2007, 02:26 PM

Good info, but I am not sure why. This abstract leaves open several questions in my mind.

1. I ASSUME all these patients had mets in other places. There is a reference to the number of extracranial sites as a factor. It does not say what drugs they were on before, during or after brain mets treatment. Some drugs are felt to make the blood/brain barrier a little flabby and allow some Herceptin penetration.

2. The other main question is whether the use of Herceptin was for keeping the other mets under control so that there are less cancer cells to get into the brain. This is only sensible and does not need a study.

The conclusion that a person with brain mets who has the benefit of Herceptin will live longer is obvious to us on this board. We who participate here are only a small number, but our survival rate seems much higher than the 13.4 months in the study.

06-01-2007, 02:26 PM	#2
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Some questions Good info, but I am not sure why. This abstract leaves open several questions in my mind. 1. I ASSUME all these patients had mets in other places. There is a reference to the number of extracranial sites as a factor. It does not say what drugs they were on before, during or after brain mets treatment. Some drugs are felt to make the blood/brain barrier a little flabby and allow some Herceptin penetration. 2. The other main question is whether the use of Herceptin was for keeping the other mets under control so that there are less cancer cells to get into the brain. This is only sensible and does not need a study. The conclusion that a person with brain mets who has the benefit of Herceptin will live longer is obvious to us on this board. We who participate here are only a small number, but our survival rate seems much higher than the 13.4 months in the study. __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.