HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post

CoolBreeze · 04-04-2013, 03:03 PM

So my update is good news: My cancer is half the size. It was 4.5 x 4.1 and shrunk to 2.5 x 1.7 - Doctor said it lost 60% of the volume. Also, I didn't know these two things: That it was abutting the portal vein, and that I had enlarged lymph nodes near by. It's still near the vein but is not encroaching on it and the lymph nodes have shrunk.

The leads to the bad news: Gemzar is working, and so I am going back on it. It was my decision, the doctor would have let me go on TDM1. But, TDM1 is not going away and we can keep that for next time when the gemzar stops working. He is going to cut my dose down to 600 l instead of 1000 and see if I can tolerate it better, and then we'll check back in a month.

He said this always seems to happen: when a chemo works for a patient, they can't seem to tolerate it! Well, I'll manage. I need to get that thing shrunk far away from the portal vein and maybe ablated again.

So next week I'll start my Gemzar, perjeta, herceptin regimen again.

I am very happy that I got regression for the first time but not crazy that it was gemzar that did it. But if it'll get me a step closer to my sons graduation - so be it.

I was really shocked at the news: my pain is way up, I am having all sorts of GI problems - ever one you can have. I can't eat, no appetite and sleep 14-15 hours a day. I thought for sure he was going to tell me it's grown. Somebody else told me their doctor said the liver is the one organ that "complains" when cancer is dying so I am going to assume that's what's going on.

So anyway, it was good news for me. I hope all get the same good news I got or better - NED!

04-04-2013, 03:03 PM	#22
CoolBreeze Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 562	Re: Question for liver metsters So my update is good news: My cancer is half the size. It was 4.5 x 4.1 and shrunk to 2.5 x 1.7 - Doctor said it lost 60% of the volume. Also, I didn't know these two things: That it was abutting the portal vein, and that I had enlarged lymph nodes near by. It's still near the vein but is not encroaching on it and the lymph nodes have shrunk. The leads to the bad news: Gemzar is working, and so I am going back on it. It was my decision, the doctor would have let me go on TDM1. But, TDM1 is not going away and we can keep that for next time when the gemzar stops working. He is going to cut my dose down to 600 l instead of 1000 and see if I can tolerate it better, and then we'll check back in a month. He said this always seems to happen: when a chemo works for a patient, they can't seem to tolerate it! Well, I'll manage. I need to get that thing shrunk far away from the portal vein and maybe ablated again. So next week I'll start my Gemzar, perjeta, herceptin regimen again. I am very happy that I got regression for the first time but not crazy that it was gemzar that did it. But if it'll get me a step closer to my sons graduation - so be it. I was really shocked at the news: my pain is way up, I am having all sorts of GI problems - ever one you can have. I can't eat, no appetite and sleep 14-15 hours a day. I thought for sure he was going to tell me it's grown. Somebody else told me their doctor said the liver is the one organ that "complains" when cancer is dying so I am going to assume that's what's going on. So anyway, it was good news for me. I hope all get the same good news I got or better - NED! __________________ http://butdoctorihatepink.com 08/17/09 Dx'd. Multifocal/multicentric IDC, largest 3.4 cm, associated ADH, LCIS, DCIS HER2+ ER+/PR- Grade 3, Node Negative 10/20/2009: Right mastectomy, reconstruction with TE 12/02/2009: Six rounds TCH, switched to Taxol halfway through due to neuropathy 03/31/2010: Finished chemo 05/01/2010: Began tamoxifen, the worst drug ever 11/18/2010: Reconstruction completed 12/02/2010: Finished herceptin 05/21/2011: Liver Mets. Quit Tamoxifen 06/22/2011: Navelbine/Zometa/Herceptin 10/03/2011: Liver Resection, left lobe. Microwave ablation, right lobe - going for cure! 11/26/2011: C-Diff Superbug Infection, "worst case doctor had seen in 20 years" 03/28/2012: Progression in ablated section of the liver - no more cure. Started Abraxane, continue herceptin/zometa 10/10/2012: Progression continues, started Halaven, along with herceptin and zometa. 01/15/2013: Progression continues, started Gemzar and Perjeta, an unusual combo, continuing with herceptin and zometa 03/13/2013: Quit Gemzar, body just won't handle it. Staying on herceptin, zometa and perjeta. 04/03/2013: CT shows 50% regression in tumor, so am starting back on Gemzar with dose reduction, staying with perjeta/herceptin/zometa. Can't argue with success! 05/09/2013: Discussing SBRT with Radiology due to inability of bone marrow to recover from chemo. 06/07/2013: Fiducial placement for SBRT 07/03/2013: Chemo discontinued, on Perjeta, Herceptin and Zometa alone 07/25/2013: SBRT (gamma knife) begins 08/01/2013: SBRT completed 08/15/2013: STABLE! continuing with Perjeta, Herceptin, Zometa 06/18/2014: *** NED!!!!*** continuing with Perjeta, Herceptin, Zometa 01/29/2014: Still NED. continuing with Perjeta, Herceptin. Zometa lowered to every 3 months instead of monthly. 11/08/2015: Progression throughout abdomen and lungs. Started TDM-1, aka Kadcyla. Other meds discontinued. Remission was nice while it lasted. 5/27/18: Stable. Kadcyla put me right back in the barn. I have two teeny spots on my lungs that are metabolically inactive, and liver is clean. I’m beating this MFer. I was 51 when this started and had two kids, 22 and 12. Now I’m 60. My oldest got married and trying to start s family. My youngesg graduates from Caltech this June. My stepdaughter gave me grandkids. Life is fantastic.