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01-19-2008, 04:44 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Northern California
Posts: 764
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How to determine if chemo is working?
I'm hoping to get some insight on taxotere. I had my first infusion on Wednesday and my doctor wants to check my breast in two weeks to see if the rash has gone down. Is that enough time to determine if a treatment is working or not? If it has gotten worse, He wants to change treatment.
I actually have a hard time telling if it is getting better (but it's only been two days). I wonder if I should take pictures?
Thanks,
Tonya
__________________
DX 02/01/07
2.5 cm, Er/Pr-, Her2+++
18/20 Nodes
03/07 CT & Bone scan - Clear
AC x 4, Taxol x 4, Added Herceptin
Radiation until 09/07
Herceptin every 3 weeks until 06/08
01/10/08 local recurrence -IBC
01/28/08 CT & Brain MRI - clear
02/08 - Navelbine & Herceptin
05/08 -MRM
05/08 - Gemzar & Herceptin - didn't work
09/08 - Hyperthermia rads
03/09 - Tykerb/Xeloda
05/10 - Tram flap to fix wound
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01-19-2008, 05:16 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,357
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Yes, take pictures! For your peace of mind and for a "real" record! Brilliant idea from a super great warrior. God bless, ma
__________________
MA in TX.
Grateful for each and every day....
Diag. 12/05 at age 60
Stage II, Grade 3, 4.5 cm primary tumor
ER/PR- Her2 +3 strongly positive
Her2 by FISH 7.7 amplified
vascular invasion
Ki67 20% borderline
Jan - March '06 Taxotere/Adriamycin X 3 to try to shrink tumor - it grew
April '06 Rt Modified Radical Mas, 7 of 9 nodes positive
April - Aug. '06 Herceptin/Taxol/Carboplatin X 8 (dose dense)
Sept - Dec. '06 Navelbine/Herceptin x 8 (dose dense)
Radiation & Herceptin Jan. 22 - March 1, 2007
Finished Herceptin Dec. 10 '08! One extra year.
Port removed August, 2012.
8 1/2 years since diagnosis! 5 1/2 Years NED!
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01-19-2008, 05:42 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Acworth, GA
Posts: 2,104
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I would think that two weeks is a very short time to tell if there is improvement. But with you having skin mets maybe that's all the time tht is needed. I had taxatore neoadjunctly and after my second treatment (every 3 weeks) there was a noticeable decrese in the size of my tumor.
__________________
Kate
Stage IIIC Diagnosed Oct 25, 2005 (age 58)
ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3, Ploidy/DNA index: Aneuploid/1.61, S-phase: 24.2%
Neoadjunct chemo: 4 A/C; 4 Taxatore
Bilateral mastectomy June 8, 2006
14 of 26 nodes positive
Herceptin June 22, 2006 - April 20, 2007
Radiation (X35) July 24-September 11, 2006
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
Stage IV lung mets July 13, 2007 - TCH
Single brain met - August 6, 2007 -CyberKnife
Oct 2007 - clear brain MRI and lung mets shrinking.
March 2008 lung met progression, brain still clear - begin Tykerb/Xeloda/Ixempra
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01-19-2008, 05:46 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Northern Calif.
Posts: 981
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Dear Tonya,
I could actually see my nasty little rash disappear as the txs went on. As awful as it is to have the skin mets, it is kind of exciting to see that the tx is actually working. You may notice a difference in the pigment after the next tx. Hang in there, those nasty mets are soon going to be lonng gone!
Hugs,
Lexi
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01-19-2008, 07:00 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,756
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Yes, do take pictures; my onc has been really appreciative of the pics my husband brings for his file, and made a good suggestion: make sure the camera is the same distance from your body each time, for continuity. I think he's being proactive in wanting to move on if things get worse; on the other hand, if things are the same or slightly better that would be cause to stay the course for awhile.
<3 Lolly
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Sept.'99 - Dx.Stage IIIB, IDC ER/PR-, HER2+++ by IHC, confirmed '04 by FISH. Left MRM, AC x's 4, Taxol x's 4, 33 Rads, finishing Tx May 2000. Jan.'01 - local/regional recurrence, Stage IV. Herceptin/Navelbine weekly till NED August 2001, then maintenance Herceptin. Right Mast. April 2002. Local/Regional recurrence April '04, Herceptin plus/minus chemo until May '07. Gemzar added from Feb.'07-April '07; Tykerb/Abraxane until August '07, back on Herceptin plus Taxotere and Xeloda Sept. '07. Stopped T/X Nov. '07, stopped Herceptin Dec. '07, started Avastin/Taxol/Carboplatin Dec. '07. Progression in chest skin, stopped TAC March '03, started radiation.
Herceptin has served as the "Backbone" of my treatment strategy for over 6 years, giving me great quality of life. In 2005, I was privileged to participate in the University of Washington/Seattle HER2 Vaccine Trial.
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01-20-2008, 07:40 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: southern california
Posts: 287
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Yes take pictures,
I do not have skin mets but when I had hand and foot reactions. unexpectedly, my onc had the nurses come and take pictures to put in my file to document the progression. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Great idea.
Alice
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01-20-2008, 08:43 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 492
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Maybe take the pictures (such an easy and valuable tool I would think) with a ruler with millimeters next to the rash.
Here is to hoping you don't have anything to measure soon!
__________________
Are we there yet?
Dx 10/05 IDC, multi-focal, triple +, 5 nodes+
MRM, 4 DD A/C, 12 weekly taxol + herceptin
rads concurrent with taxol/herceptin
finished herceptin 01/08
ooph, Arimidex, bilateral DIEP reconstruction
NED
Univ. of WA, Seattle vaccine trial '07
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