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chrisy · 06-18-2012, 12:13 PM

Hi,
My oncologists both had a plan to limit the length of chemo - either 6cycles or after "best response+1", then continue on herceptin alone. Remember, at stage IV this is a marathon, not a sprint... So yes, maintaining on herceptin alone if there is stability is not out of bounds as a treatment protocol.

I'm not clear - your last scan was in march, right? Ws it a PET or a CT? are there plans to do another scan after the chemo is completed? You want your baseline for"watching" to reflect pst chemo.

I think that there was residual tumor at the end of my 6 chemo cycles, but they thought it was dead tumor that had not been resolved yet - and that turned out to be true in my case. Which is why the question if it was a PET or CT; a PET would better id if you are dealing with a live met or necrosis.

I'm a big proponent of second opinions, and in your case I'd ask the RFA question again. They think there were micromets seems a weak argument, what is the basis for this- if there hasn't ever been evidence of disease? I mean, sure it got to your liver somehow but if that's the reason they suspect micromets then nobody ever would be a candidate for RFA to the liver. Maybe I dont have enough info and of course I'm not a doctor, but I'd get more clarification on this issue.

06-18-2012, 12:13 PM	#2
chrisy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Central Coast, CA Posts: 3,207	Re: Scan results and further treatment Hi, My oncologists both had a plan to limit the length of chemo - either 6cycles or after "best response+1", then continue on herceptin alone. Remember, at stage IV this is a marathon, not a sprint... So yes, maintaining on herceptin alone if there is stability is not out of bounds as a treatment protocol. I'm not clear - your last scan was in march, right? Ws it a PET or a CT? are there plans to do another scan after the chemo is completed? You want your baseline for"watching" to reflect pst chemo. I think that there was residual tumor at the end of my 6 chemo cycles, but they thought it was dead tumor that had not been resolved yet - and that turned out to be true in my case. Which is why the question if it was a PET or CT; a PET would better id if you are dealing with a live met or necrosis. I'm a big proponent of second opinions, and in your case I'd ask the RFA question again. They think there were micromets seems a weak argument, what is the basis for this- if there hasn't ever been evidence of disease? I mean, sure it got to your liver somehow but if that's the reason they suspect micromets then nobody ever would be a candidate for RFA to the liver. Maybe I dont have enough info and of course I'm not a doctor, but I'd get more clarification on this issue. __________________ 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