HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Help for my mother-long-sorry

chrisy · 07-16-2009, 04:51 PM

Jo,

Just wanted to add another comment, sometimes I just can't shut up...

Your mom does have a ton of options that can slap this down, possibly avoiding chemo for a long time.

Her cancer presents a "target rich environment" which in this sense means that there are several factors fueling the cancer - but there are specific therapies that can shut them down.

Targeted therapies are much more easily tolerated than traditional chemos which work by blasting, well, everything that is growing rapidly. That's really important because it will enable your mom to regain full strength.

There is also some evidence that attacking the hormone receptors (ER/PR) can activate Her2 and vice versa - so the fact that they will be shutting down all of these pathways is very good. The research leading to the "cure" comment I referred to in my other post was based on this approach of blocking ALL the growth pathways at the same time, thus giving the cancer no alternatives except to die.

Hang in there, ask a lot of questions, check out the research yourself. There's a lot going on out there, lots of people working hard on this stuff.

Chris

07-16-2009, 04:51 PM	#7
chrisy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Central Coast, CA Posts: 3,207	Jo, Just wanted to add another comment, sometimes I just can't shut up... Your mom does have a ton of options that can slap this down, possibly avoiding chemo for a long time. Her cancer presents a "target rich environment" which in this sense means that there are several factors fueling the cancer - but there are specific therapies that can shut them down. Targeted therapies are much more easily tolerated than traditional chemos which work by blasting, well, everything that is growing rapidly. That's really important because it will enable your mom to regain full strength. There is also some evidence that attacking the hormone receptors (ER/PR) can activate Her2 and vice versa - so the fact that they will be shutting down all of these pathways is very good. The research leading to the "cure" comment I referred to in my other post was based on this approach of blocking ALL the growth pathways at the same time, thus giving the cancer no alternatives except to die. Hang in there, ask a lot of questions, check out the research yourself. There's a lot going on out there, lots of people working hard on this stuff. Chris __________________ Chris in Scotts Valley June 2002 extensive hi grade DCIS (pre-cancer-stage 0, clean sentinal node) Mastectomy/implant - no chemo, rads. "cured?" 9/2004 Diag: Stage IV extensive liver mets (!) ER/PR- Her2+++ 10/04-3/05 Weekly Taxol/Carboplatin/Herceptin , complete response! 04/05 - 4/07 Herception every 3 wks, Continue NED 04/07 - recurrence to liver - 2 spots, starting tykerb/avastin trial 06/07 8/07 10/07 Scans show stable, continue on Tykerb/Avastin 01/08 Progression in liver 02/08 Begin (TDM1) trial 08/08 NED! It's Working! Continue on TDM1 02/09 Continue NED 02/10 Continue NED. 5/10 9/10 Scans NED 10/10 Scans NED 12/10 Scans not clear....4/11 Scans suggest progression 6/11 progression confirmed in liver 07/11 - 11/11 Herceptin/Xeloda -not working:( 12/11 Begin MM302 Phase I trial - bust:( 03/12 3rd times the charm? AKT trial 5/12 Scan shows reduction! 7/12 More reduction!!!! 8/12 Whoops...progression...trying for Perjeta/Herceptin (plus some more nasty chemo!) 9/12 Start Perjeta/Herceptin, chemo on hold due to infection/wound in leg, added on cycle 2 &3 11/12 Poops! progression in liver, Stop Perjeta/Taxo/Herc 11/12 Navelbine/Herce[ptin - try for a 3 cycles, no go. 2/13 Gemzar/Carbo/Herceptin - no go. 3/13 TACE procedure