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Joan M · 08-01-2008, 05:51 PM

Duga,

The normal range is between 50% and 70%.

I had a baseline Muga scan just before starting Herceptin. Now I do echocardiograms.

Herceptin affects the left ventrical ejection fraction and can cause congestive heart failure. A symptom of that would be breathlessness. But it's not like a heart attack.

Another reason to take a patient off of Herceptin is if their LVEF score drops more than 10%. For example, last year my Muga score went from 70% to 57%, and even though the score was above 50%, the drop was more than 10% so my onc took me off Herceptin for three months. My score bounced back to the low-to-mid 60s, and my last echocardiogram a month ago is holding there.

Are you getting Herceptin once a week? If so, the infusion should be 30 minutes. If it's once every three weeks, the infustion should be 1 1/2 hours.

I go every three weeks, and the nurses were initially giving me a one-hour infusion because I had taken Herceptin before and never had any problems. But I had them change it to 1 1/2 hours and so far it's been okay for the last few months.

I would also agree with Goops that exercise, within reason, helps to keep up the heart rate.

Besides that, it's a good idea to have your muga test or echo not around the same time as you had your last Herceptin treatment. That's possible if you have a treatment every three weeks.

Joan

08-01-2008, 05:51 PM	#5
Joan M Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,851	Duga, The normal range is between 50% and 70%. I had a baseline Muga scan just before starting Herceptin. Now I do echocardiograms. Herceptin affects the left ventrical ejection fraction and can cause congestive heart failure. A symptom of that would be breathlessness. But it's not like a heart attack. Another reason to take a patient off of Herceptin is if their LVEF score drops more than 10%. For example, last year my Muga score went from 70% to 57%, and even though the score was above 50%, the drop was more than 10% so my onc took me off Herceptin for three months. My score bounced back to the low-to-mid 60s, and my last echocardiogram a month ago is holding there. Are you getting Herceptin once a week? If so, the infusion should be 30 minutes. If it's once every three weeks, the infustion should be 1 1/2 hours. I go every three weeks, and the nurses were initially giving me a one-hour infusion because I had taken Herceptin before and never had any problems. But I had them change it to 1 1/2 hours and so far it's been okay for the last few months. I would also agree with Goops that exercise, within reason, helps to keep up the heart rate. Besides that, it's a good idea to have your muga test or echo not around the same time as you had your last Herceptin treatment. That's possible if you have a treatment every three weeks. Joan __________________ Diagnosed stage 2b in July 2003 (2.3 cm, HER2+, ER-/PR-, 7+ nodes). Treated with mastectomy (with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction), AC + T/Herceptin (off label). Cancer advanced to lung in Jan. 2007 (1 cm nodule). Started Herceptin every 3 weeks. Lung wedge resection April 2007. Cancer recurred in lung April 2008. RFA of lung in August 2008. 2nd annual brain MRI in Oct. 2008 discovered 2.6 cm cystic tumor in left frontal lobe. Craniotomy Oct. 2008 (ER-/PR-/HER2-) followed by targeted radiation (IMRT). Coughing up blood Feb. 2009. Thoractomy July 2009 to cut out fungal ball of common soil fungus (aspergillus) that grew in the RFA cavity (most likely inhaled while gardening). No cancer, only fungus. Removal of tiny melanoma from upper left arm, plus sentinel lymph node biopsy in Feb. 2016. Guardant Health liquid biopsy in Feb. 2016 showed mutations in 4 subtypes of TP53. Repeat of Guardant Health biopsy in Jana. 2021 showed 3 TP53 mutations, BRCA1 mutation and CHEK2 mutation. Invitae genetic testing showed negative for all of these. Living with MBC since 2007. Stopped Herceptin Hylecta (injection) treatment in March 2020. Recent 2023 annual CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis and annual brain MRI showed NED. Praying for NED forever!!