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Tom · 04-10-2006, 10:44 PM

Thanks Lolly and Lani, for the input. I guess the reason I am so sensitive to Mom's dosing, is that as many of you might remember, Mom is 82, and has received NO other form of the more standard chemotherapeutic agents from the time of her diagnosis. As her oncologist reminded me, and I have always been aware, we are on the very edge of what would be considered a therapeutic level of treatment. There are as far as I know, very few people who have received Herceptin as a first line, single-agent therapy for HER2+ B/C. We have left open the possibility of adding a more conventional chemotherapy agent if we get into trouble, but I have avoided the temptation to have her receive it before such time.

I have tried to give Mom all of the vitamins and supplements, not to mention foods, that will act in unison with the Herceptin, particularly as relates to the promotion of apoptosis, and also to delay the usual reduction in efficacy that it seems to develop over time, i.e. flaxseed, flax oil, GLA, CLA, Omega-3, and Omega-9 EFA's. The complete list of supplements would fill several pages, but include curcumin extract, green tea extract, resveratrol, pure pomegranate juice, and grapeseed extracts.

This is why I am always trying to insure that Mom receives exactly the right dose of Herceptin (weighing her often) at exactly the right time. It seems likely that those small details could mean the difference between it holding the B/C at bay or not. Mom has experienced some ominous symptoms as of late, including night sweats and a chronic low-grade fever. Her blood work looks OK, except for low lymphocyte counts. She just underwent a brain MRI and a PET in the last few days, and we are awaiting the results. Her HER2 serum assay numbers continue to be very low, as does her CA-27,29 (8). I pray daily that we will not find ourselves in the position of needing to move to a more malicious chemotherapy agent, as she has tolerated the Herceptin well over these many months, and continues to have an LV ejection fraction via MUGA of 70 %. I would hate to see her have to deal with the many additional side effects of some of the nasty stuff in order to stay ahead of the Beast, but I am beginning the process of determining which other agent I might request for her should it become necessary.

Thanks again,
Tom

04-10-2006, 10:44 PM	#4
Tom Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 290	Thanks guys Thanks Lolly and Lani, for the input. I guess the reason I am so sensitive to Mom's dosing, is that as many of you might remember, Mom is 82, and has received NO other form of the more standard chemotherapeutic agents from the time of her diagnosis. As her oncologist reminded me, and I have always been aware, we are on the very edge of what would be considered a therapeutic level of treatment. There are as far as I know, very few people who have received Herceptin as a first line, single-agent therapy for HER2+ B/C. We have left open the possibility of adding a more conventional chemotherapy agent if we get into trouble, but I have avoided the temptation to have her receive it before such time. I have tried to give Mom all of the vitamins and supplements, not to mention foods, that will act in unison with the Herceptin, particularly as relates to the promotion of apoptosis, and also to delay the usual reduction in efficacy that it seems to develop over time, i.e. flaxseed, flax oil, GLA, CLA, Omega-3, and Omega-9 EFA's. The complete list of supplements would fill several pages, but include curcumin extract, green tea extract, resveratrol, pure pomegranate juice, and grapeseed extracts. This is why I am always trying to insure that Mom receives exactly the right dose of Herceptin (weighing her often) at exactly the right time. It seems likely that those small details could mean the difference between it holding the B/C at bay or not. Mom has experienced some ominous symptoms as of late, including night sweats and a chronic low-grade fever. Her blood work looks OK, except for low lymphocyte counts. She just underwent a brain MRI and a PET in the last few days, and we are awaiting the results. Her HER2 serum assay numbers continue to be very low, as does her CA-27,29 (8). I pray daily that we will not find ourselves in the position of needing to move to a more malicious chemotherapy agent, as she has tolerated the Herceptin well over these many months, and continues to have an LV ejection fraction via MUGA of 70 %. I would hate to see her have to deal with the many additional side effects of some of the nasty stuff in order to stay ahead of the Beast, but I am beginning the process of determining which other agent I might request for her should it become necessary. Thanks again, Tom