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StephN · 06-13-2007, 11:14 AM

Hi everyone -
Thanks Aquinis.
Here is a link from ASCO Dec of 2005:
http://her2support.org/vbulletin/sho...ghlight=TopoII

This was the first I had heard of the importance of TOPOII and anthracycline efficacy.

I was fortunate to be present and helping represent this web site at that time. Christine and Joe wanted to go hear Dr. Slamon as he was first on the schedule the opening morning. So, I and a couple others manned our booth on the exhibition floor. I could see some of that presentation as a huge screen was positioned at one end of the large room for overflow from the main hall.

What still stands out in my mind is Christine (this site's founder) coming back to the booth and telling me that she finally realized why Adriamycin had not worked for her OR me! What a knockout punch that was! Since I had aggressive disease and bad nodes I had taken one of the new dose dense trials of Adria, getting 12 weekly doses.

You bet your bottom dollar I have wondered if cytoxin, cisplatin or 5FU would have stopped my cancer. I also had Taxotere after the Adria, but it seems my markers were up then to almost 100 and only came down after the Taxotere. But my cancer was already on the march so with the Adria not working it may not have much mattered what I took afterwards.
Since that time, the other drugs I have taken for mets worked. I am NED still.

06-13-2007, 11:14 AM	#8
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Back to the future ... Hi everyone - Thanks Aquinis. Here is a link from ASCO Dec of 2005: http://her2support.org/vbulletin/sho...ghlight=TopoII This was the first I had heard of the importance of TOPOII and anthracycline efficacy. I was fortunate to be present and helping represent this web site at that time. Christine and Joe wanted to go hear Dr. Slamon as he was first on the schedule the opening morning. So, I and a couple others manned our booth on the exhibition floor. I could see some of that presentation as a huge screen was positioned at one end of the large room for overflow from the main hall. What still stands out in my mind is Christine (this site's founder) coming back to the booth and telling me that she finally realized why Adriamycin had not worked for her OR me! What a knockout punch that was! Since I had aggressive disease and bad nodes I had taken one of the new dose dense trials of Adria, getting 12 weekly doses. You bet your bottom dollar I have wondered if cytoxin, cisplatin or 5FU would have stopped my cancer. I also had Taxotere after the Adria, but it seems my markers were up then to almost 100 and only came down after the Taxotere. But my cancer was already on the march so with the Adria not working it may not have much mattered what I took afterwards. Since that time, the other drugs I have taken for mets worked. I am NED still. __________________ "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.