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StephN · 02-28-2009, 12:57 PM

Hey Beans!

Way to go and to stay in the NED column. Glad you keep needling them to continue getting the scans.

Yes, the article you posted has a lot of scary info for us HER2 +++ types. However, most of the data comes from the pre-Herceptin era and they admit that new studies are needed to reassess after the new treatments and surveillance schedules.

I particularly liked this:

Prognosis
Historically, the median survival of patients with breast cancer metastatic to brain has been poor, ranging from 3 to 6 months (51). Less than 20% of patients survived >1 year. Several groups have published retrospective studies describing improved survival from time of diagnosis of brain metastases diagnoses in patients with HER2-positive, compared with HER2-negative breast cancers, although the data are not entirely consistent (52–54). For example, O'Meara et al. describe a significantly improved likelihood of 1-year survival in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated with stereotactic radiosurgery

Guess I gambled with the Gamma Knife and won the lottery so far - surpassing that one-year number quoted above by a factor of 4 to date.

02-28-2009, 12:57 PM	#14
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Hey Beans! Way to go and to stay in the NED column. Glad you keep needling them to continue getting the scans. Yes, the article you posted has a lot of scary info for us HER2 +++ types. However, most of the data comes from the pre-Herceptin era and they admit that new studies are needed to reassess after the new treatments and surveillance schedules. I particularly liked this: Prognosis Historically, the median survival of patients with breast cancer metastatic to brain has been poor, ranging from 3 to 6 months (51). Less than 20% of patients survived >1 year. Several groups have published retrospective studies describing improved survival from time of diagnosis of brain metastases diagnoses in patients with HER2-positive, compared with HER2-negative breast cancers, although the data are not entirely consistent (52–54). For example, O'Meara et al. describe a significantly improved likelihood of 1-year survival in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated with stereotactic radiosurgery Guess I gambled with the Gamma Knife and won the lottery so far - surpassing that one-year number quoted above by a factor of 4 to date. __________________ "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.