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AlaskaAngel · 09-30-2005, 08:41 AM

Thankfully I am currently having a discussion with my onc about the possibility of Herceptin for me. I am NED, 3 years out from tx, HER2+++, strongly ER+/PR+.

I know what Adjuvant! says about me. I also know that it doesn't claim to be accurate for those who are HER2+++, and that it doesn't predict beyond 10 years.

I know that as a HER2+++ who is strongly ER+ and PR+ the AI's are helpful to me. But I also know that resistance usually develops to the AI's one by one. So a "10-year" prediction is even less meaningful to me.

I have increasing lumpectomy breast pain and sternum pain that is clear by MRI and is probably due to poor "practice" by my original surgeon who only did the biopsy, leaving me with neuropathic pain. I have rib pain on the lumpectomy side that is probably due to rads. But I also have rib pain that starts where the liver is and wraps around the back and that puzzles me. Bony involvement there was not found by the same chest MRI.

But the main concern I have is the possibility of brain mets. As others here can discuss, those can be entirely symptomless. And from what I have read, they are better found early and treated early.

Herceptin doesn't work for everyone, and is very expensive. It is hard to know what to do. It is particularly significant to me that if someone newly diagnosed happens to have my cancer characteristics, they would be able to get Herceptin here in the U.S.

Best wishes with your choice,

AlaskaAngel

09-30-2005, 08:41 AM	#4
AlaskaAngel Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Alaska Posts: 2,018	Choice Thankfully I am currently having a discussion with my onc about the possibility of Herceptin for me. I am NED, 3 years out from tx, HER2+++, strongly ER+/PR+. I know what Adjuvant! says about me. I also know that it doesn't claim to be accurate for those who are HER2+++, and that it doesn't predict beyond 10 years. I know that as a HER2+++ who is strongly ER+ and PR+ the AI's are helpful to me. But I also know that resistance usually develops to the AI's one by one. So a "10-year" prediction is even less meaningful to me. I have increasing lumpectomy breast pain and sternum pain that is clear by MRI and is probably due to poor "practice" by my original surgeon who only did the biopsy, leaving me with neuropathic pain. I have rib pain on the lumpectomy side that is probably due to rads. But I also have rib pain that starts where the liver is and wraps around the back and that puzzles me. Bony involvement there was not found by the same chest MRI. But the main concern I have is the possibility of brain mets. As others here can discuss, those can be entirely symptomless. And from what I have read, they are better found early and treated early. Herceptin doesn't work for everyone, and is very expensive. It is hard to know what to do. It is particularly significant to me that if someone newly diagnosed happens to have my cancer characteristics, they would be able to get Herceptin here in the U.S. Best wishes with your choice, AlaskaAngel