HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post

Joan M · 08-21-2010, 03:31 PM

Laurie,

I think once a year would be good for a brain MRI.

After I advanced to stage 4 with a lung met, my onc agreed to a brain MRI, which turned out okay. We agreed to repeat it a year later.

I repeated the brain MRI 16 months later, and as it turned out it showed a 2.6 cm metastatic brain tumor. The neurosurgeon was joking with me saying that she heard I found my own brain tumor. That was because I had not yet developed any symptoms. After the surgery, I had stereotactic radiotherapy. This was in October 2008, and so far my brain has been good.

Sorry to hear your cancer advanced. Also, if you have only one or a small number of liver mets you might be able to use a local treatment like ablation to try to eradicate them (see the recent excellent posts by Rich and on cryoablation). Then you might be able to take only Herceptin. That's what I've been doing, and so far it seems to be working.

Joan

08-21-2010, 03:31 PM	#4
Joan M Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,851	Re: brain mri Laurie, I think once a year would be good for a brain MRI. After I advanced to stage 4 with a lung met, my onc agreed to a brain MRI, which turned out okay. We agreed to repeat it a year later. I repeated the brain MRI 16 months later, and as it turned out it showed a 2.6 cm metastatic brain tumor. The neurosurgeon was joking with me saying that she heard I found my own brain tumor. That was because I had not yet developed any symptoms. After the surgery, I had stereotactic radiotherapy. This was in October 2008, and so far my brain has been good. Sorry to hear your cancer advanced. Also, if you have only one or a small number of liver mets you might be able to use a local treatment like ablation to try to eradicate them (see the recent excellent posts by Rich and on cryoablation). Then you might be able to take only Herceptin. That's what I've been doing, and so far it seems to be working. 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!!