HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - another set of safety questions regarding avastin

StephN · 03-03-2006, 08:26 PM

The fact that the BBB can be made more permeable by certain other treatments which would then allow some so-called seepage of Herceptin, Taxol or other drug into the brain is only applicable to a few of us who DO have those other treatments (such as radiation).
(I did have this conversation with my rad onc brain specialist last month and he feels that my Gamma Knife procedure has allowed some Herceptin to get past my BBB.)
The group of women as a whole who are on ADJUVENT Herceptin would not get that benefit. Therefore their brains remain unprotected.
What can be done about this problem??
The occasional brain MRI is not a very good method of dealing with the threat of possible brain mets.
And I would LOVE to see the cost of some drugs go down!

03-03-2006, 08:26 PM	#7
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	More specific The fact that the BBB can be made more permeable by certain other treatments which would then allow some so-called seepage of Herceptin, Taxol or other drug into the brain is only applicable to a few of us who DO have those other treatments (such as radiation). (I did have this conversation with my rad onc brain specialist last month and he feels that my Gamma Knife procedure has allowed some Herceptin to get past my BBB.) The group of women as a whole who are on ADJUVENT Herceptin would not get that benefit. Therefore their brains remain unprotected. What can be done about this problem?? The occasional brain MRI is not a very good method of dealing with the threat of possible brain mets. And I would LOVE to see the cost of some drugs go down!