HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Stage 1B, ER+,PR+,HER2+++,Mastec Prognosis

10-27-2005, 04:35 PM

Dear CLTann,

Thank you for your post. There are a few things you mentioned that you should possibly reconsider, or at least talk to your onc. or another one about.
First, if you are postmenopausal, you really should be an an aromatase inhibitor rather than Tamoxifen. Arimidex was strongly proven to be about 20% more effective than Tamoxifen in postmenopausal women. Somewhere on this site you should be able to find those studies. There is also some concern that Tamoxifen and Herceptin do not compliment eachother well, also studies on this site. Chemo is a tougher decision to make than Herceptin due to the side effects, but apparently your cancer was HER2/neu+ if Herceptin has been brought up at all. This causes your cancer to be considered more aggressive or as some say, more "tricky".
The 52% reduction in recurrence benefit from Herceptin comes when it is used first in combination with a taxane chemo, and then continued for one year. When used alone, there is still benefit, but it is significantly less. HER2/neu always makes us need to look at things a little differently, and possibly more aggressively. I also was Stage 1, no nodes, ER+, 1.7 cm, grade 3. You didn't mention some of these other prognostic factors in your post such as grade. I had bilateral masectomy, AC x 4, Taxol weekly with Herceptin x 12 and now Herceptin every three weeks for one year, longer if they will let me by then. I had my ovaries removed so that I could be postmenopausal and take Arimidex. As you may see, I'm not interested in doing this again if I can possibly avoid it.

Best of luck to you in your decision. Hope I didn't seem frightening to you.
Just want to make sure we all consider everything completely and then make the decision we are at peace with.

10-27-2005, 04:35 PM	#2
Cheryl Guest Posts: n/a	some concerns Dear CLTann, Thank you for your post. There are a few things you mentioned that you should possibly reconsider, or at least talk to your onc. or another one about. First, if you are postmenopausal, you really should be an an aromatase inhibitor rather than Tamoxifen. Arimidex was strongly proven to be about 20% more effective than Tamoxifen in postmenopausal women. Somewhere on this site you should be able to find those studies. There is also some concern that Tamoxifen and Herceptin do not compliment eachother well, also studies on this site. Chemo is a tougher decision to make than Herceptin due to the side effects, but apparently your cancer was HER2/neu+ if Herceptin has been brought up at all. This causes your cancer to be considered more aggressive or as some say, more "tricky". The 52% reduction in recurrence benefit from Herceptin comes when it is used first in combination with a taxane chemo, and then continued for one year. When used alone, there is still benefit, but it is significantly less. HER2/neu always makes us need to look at things a little differently, and possibly more aggressively. I also was Stage 1, no nodes, ER+, 1.7 cm, grade 3. You didn't mention some of these other prognostic factors in your post such as grade. I had bilateral masectomy, AC x 4, Taxol weekly with Herceptin x 12 and now Herceptin every three weeks for one year, longer if they will let me by then. I had my ovaries removed so that I could be postmenopausal and take Arimidex. As you may see, I'm not interested in doing this again if I can possibly avoid it. Best of luck to you in your decision. Hope I didn't seem frightening to you. Just want to make sure we all consider everything completely and then make the decision we are at peace with.