HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post

chrisy · 08-11-2006, 11:09 AM

Laura,
I'm glad to hear your sister is doing so well and hope she continues to do great! You didn't say, but I assume that your sister is getting the chemo Taxol/Herceptin? This is a really powerful combo and, for me, delivered great results. So that was a good start in itself - my oncologist was certainly delighted, but not "astounded" when I had similar results.
It's tough for doctors to communicate a serious prognosis without sucking all the hope out of the patient. In your sister's case, how could the doctor put a time limit on it before she even began treatment??? In fact, women are living longer with such diagnoses and if things go well and you respond to treatment, you can increase survival by "a lot" over the statistics. Most stats do not even reflect the effect of newer, target treatments such as Herceptin.
That said, I also believe that the HEAVY dose of prayers has a lot to do with my response. Also, there is a lot of strong data on curcumin and Omega-3 fats, flaxseed, and other natural compounds, showing strong anticancer properties, so I do use these supplements and include such foods in my diet, hoping that these, along with Herceptin, will keep the beast at bay!
Thanks for your post, and I hope your sister continues to "astound" her doctor!

08-11-2006, 11:09 AM	#13
chrisy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Central Coast, CA Posts: 3,207	Laura, I'm glad to hear your sister is doing so well and hope she continues to do great! You didn't say, but I assume that your sister is getting the chemo Taxol/Herceptin? This is a really powerful combo and, for me, delivered great results. So that was a good start in itself - my oncologist was certainly delighted, but not "astounded" when I had similar results. It's tough for doctors to communicate a serious prognosis without sucking all the hope out of the patient. In your sister's case, how could the doctor put a time limit on it before she even began treatment??? In fact, women are living longer with such diagnoses and if things go well and you respond to treatment, you can increase survival by "a lot" over the statistics. Most stats do not even reflect the effect of newer, target treatments such as Herceptin. That said, I also believe that the HEAVY dose of prayers has a lot to do with my response. Also, there is a lot of strong data on curcumin and Omega-3 fats, flaxseed, and other natural compounds, showing strong anticancer properties, so I do use these supplements and include such foods in my diet, hoping that these, along with Herceptin, will keep the beast at bay! Thanks for your post, and I hope your sister continues to "astound" her doctor! __________________ Chris in Scotts Valley June 2002 extensive hi grade DCIS (pre-cancer-stage 0, clean sentinal node) Mastectomy/implant - no chemo, rads. "cured?" 9/2004 Diag: Stage IV extensive liver mets (!) ER/PR- Her2+++ 10/04-3/05 Weekly Taxol/Carboplatin/Herceptin , complete response! 04/05 - 4/07 Herception every 3 wks, Continue NED 04/07 - recurrence to liver - 2 spots, starting tykerb/avastin trial 06/07 8/07 10/07 Scans show stable, continue on Tykerb/Avastin 01/08 Progression in liver 02/08 Begin (TDM1) trial 08/08 NED! It's Working! Continue on TDM1 02/09 Continue NED 02/10 Continue NED. 5/10 9/10 Scans NED 10/10 Scans NED 12/10 Scans not clear....4/11 Scans suggest progression 6/11 progression confirmed in liver 07/11 - 11/11 Herceptin/Xeloda -not working:( 12/11 Begin MM302 Phase I trial - bust:( 03/12 3rd times the charm? AKT trial 5/12 Scan shows reduction! 7/12 More reduction!!!! 8/12 Whoops...progression...trying for Perjeta/Herceptin (plus some more nasty chemo!) 9/12 Start Perjeta/Herceptin, chemo on hold due to infection/wound in leg, added on cycle 2 &3 11/12 Poops! progression in liver, Stop Perjeta/Taxo/Herc 11/12 Navelbine/Herce[ptin - try for a 3 cycles, no go. 2/13 Gemzar/Carbo/Herceptin - no go. 3/13 TACE procedure