HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Side Affects of 12 weekly Herceptin & Taxol

05-30-2005, 08:26 AM

Ruth:

Thank you very much for responding. I am Stage IIB, 3.5 cm tumor with one node positve with a high mitotic rate, etc. I did have dose dense A/C with Taxol and then Herceptin. I am still on Herceptin and with the results of the different trials I am debating asking my oncologist if I should go back on Taxol while on Herceptin. I am 16 months out from diagnosis so I am really wrestling with this. I really want the advantages of taxol concurrently with Herceptin as it looks so much more effective then sequential Herceptin; apparently 90% and 90% survival at 3 and 5 years versus 84% and 78%. Yet I worry about exposing my body to a poison again. I was hoping the once weekly would be less toxic to my body than an every three week course. I currently get Herceptin every three weeks and have done well with it at 6mg/kg. I have two weddings and a cruise planned this summer and I expect either course will disrupt my plans. Yet I am afraid to wait until mid August to add the Taxol. I see my oncologist on June 6 and hope to have some idea what I would like to pursue by then.

Thanks for listening to me whine. Barbara

05-30-2005, 08:26 AM	#3
Barbara Guest Posts: n/a	Ruth: Thank you very much for responding. I am Stage IIB, 3.5 cm tumor with one node positve with a high mitotic rate, etc. I did have dose dense A/C with Taxol and then Herceptin. I am still on Herceptin and with the results of the different trials I am debating asking my oncologist if I should go back on Taxol while on Herceptin. I am 16 months out from diagnosis so I am really wrestling with this. I really want the advantages of taxol concurrently with Herceptin as it looks so much more effective then sequential Herceptin; apparently 90% and 90% survival at 3 and 5 years versus 84% and 78%. Yet I worry about exposing my body to a poison again. I was hoping the once weekly would be less toxic to my body than an every three week course. I currently get Herceptin every three weeks and have done well with it at 6mg/kg. I have two weddings and a cruise planned this summer and I expect either course will disrupt my plans. Yet I am afraid to wait until mid August to add the Taxol. I see my oncologist on June 6 and hope to have some idea what I would like to pursue by then. Thanks for listening to me whine. Barbara