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11-15-2007, 11:36 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: We presently live 1 1/2 hrs fr a city. in manitoba canada
Posts: 148
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need your thoughts re; tx plan
hi everyone.
back from first meeting with onc. discussed my pathology and offered 2 possible plans. onc feels because no nodes involved, no vascular involvment seen with clr margins that i will mostly likely not need radiation(had bilateral mast)
two chemo plans for me to decided for myself. first one is Epirubicin and cyclophamide 4 cycles every 3 wks
second offer.more aggressive CEF..cyclophosphamide, Epirubicin and Fluorouracil 6 cycles.
with herceptin, tomoxifen(may change that drug with ooph).
He shared his thoughts but said it really is a personnel choice. If i take the aggressive route he believes its maybe 2-3% better at lowering recurrence then standard chemo(first plan)
with side effects and all not sure what to think.
anyone familiar with these combos..? Just looking for insight. I am from Canada, wondering if anyone else fr canada has some knowledge.
suzanne. thanks
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11-15-2007, 04:28 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Thornhill, Ontario
Canada
Posts: 2,320
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Hi Suzanne,
I am being treated at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. I told my onc. I wanted the strongest chemo combo there is for the beast, and I did FEC (3 rounds), then Taxotere (3 rounds). This FEC-T combo is very commonly used in Canada, Britain and other commonwealth countries. Ask your onc. about getting either Taxotere or Taxol, the taxanes are very important in treating Her2 +, even with clear nodes etc. (I also had clear nodes, no vascular invasion, did not need radiation etc.) I wanted the most aggressive treatment to know that I had done all I could to avoid recurrence. After a month's break I started Herceptin, going every 3 weeks until next May. I am also now on Tamoxifen.
Chemo is not fun, but very doable. I took all the anti nauseant pills regularly and I can say that although I was nauseous and weak, I never threw up. I used Biotene toothpaste and mouthwash religiously, so I did not get mouth sores. I did have those sores "down below" but my onc. prescribed a cream for these and they cleared up. I had a few bladder infections, but I have always been prone to these, again I got medication and everything was fine. I had some swelling from the steriods, but it all was manageable. All in all I think I did pretty well - extreme fatigue was my main side effect (apart from losing my hair of course).
Good luck.
all the best
caya
__________________
ER90%+/PR 50%+/HER 2+
1.7 cm and 1.0 cm.
Stage 1, grade 2, Node Negative (16 nodes tested)
MRM Dec.18/06
3 x FEC, 3 x Taxotere
Herceptin - every 3 weeks for a year, finished May 8/08
Tamoxifen - 2 1/2 years
Femara - Jan. 1, 2010 - July 18, 2012
BRCA1/BRCA2 Negative
Dignosed 10/16/06, age 48 , premenopausal
Mild lymphedema diagnosed June 2009 - breast surgeon and lymph. therapist think it's completely reversible - hope so.
Reclast infusion January 2012
Oopherectomy October 2013
15 Years NED!!
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11-15-2007, 07:28 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: We presently live 1 1/2 hrs fr a city. in manitoba canada
Posts: 148
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caya..thank you from the bottom of my heart! i feel so confused about it all.On one hand the onc was so optimistic yet i know now what her2 pos means. my ca was multi focal in rt br, extensive. then i wonder if he is just wants to give me hope or does he truly believe what he is saying, about how great herceptin is. thankyou for your words, i will move forward with these thoughts. let you know what happens. I've got a couple days to think about it.
suzanne(i wish yoou...well.let )
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11-15-2007, 07:37 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Stony Mountain, Manitoba, Canada
Posts: 47
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Be Strong Girl!!!!
I am thinking of you Mimiflower. Call me when you are ready to talk. I will be strong for you and I promise not to freak out. I am still in the ignorant stage as I still know nothing. Hang tough kiddo, we will get thru this.
Luv Ya!
__________________
Michelle Dick
" Adversity Reveals your strength"
Dx August 15th/07
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
ER/PR- negative, HER2- positive
Stage 11 with tumor size 3.5cm, .7cm satelite node
Sx Oct 2nd/07
Skin sparing mastectomy of left breast
immediate reconstruction DIEP flap
Nodes 0/3 Sentinal Node Biopsy
Chemo started Nov, 3 rounds FEC and 3 rounds Taxotere and Herceptin every three weeks
Radiation 28 Tx ended on June 13/08
Herceptin was stopped due to falling MUGA score (went from 62 down to 42)
Cardiologist Appt June 24th
Ramipril 2x/d to protect heart and hopefully increase LVEF
Officially NED
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11-15-2007, 08:49 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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TCH (Taxotere, carboplatin and Herceptin) 6 cycles every 3 weeks with Herceptin out to a year or
caya's suggestion or CET (taxol instead of fluro). Taxanes are a key ingredient in fighting Her2+ bc. Taxotere, Taxol and Abraxane are taxanes.
__________________
Kind regards
Becky
Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia
NED 18 years!
Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
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11-15-2007, 09:23 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Thornhill, Ontario
Canada
Posts: 2,320
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Suzanne,
You are more than welcome. I know how you feel, as I was in this stage of not knowing anything,being very afraid etc.,exactly one year ago. Your onc. has every reason to be optimistic - Herceptin is rewriting the stats on Her2, especially since we early stagers are getting it right from the get go.
My onc. has give me a 'well over 90% cure rate" - and believe me, he is one of the top breast oncs in Canada, and he would not use those words lightly.
Good luck, keep us posted.
all the best
caya
__________________
ER90%+/PR 50%+/HER 2+
1.7 cm and 1.0 cm.
Stage 1, grade 2, Node Negative (16 nodes tested)
MRM Dec.18/06
3 x FEC, 3 x Taxotere
Herceptin - every 3 weeks for a year, finished May 8/08
Tamoxifen - 2 1/2 years
Femara - Jan. 1, 2010 - July 18, 2012
BRCA1/BRCA2 Negative
Dignosed 10/16/06, age 48 , premenopausal
Mild lymphedema diagnosed June 2009 - breast surgeon and lymph. therapist think it's completely reversible - hope so.
Reclast infusion January 2012
Oopherectomy October 2013
15 Years NED!!
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