***What was your date of dx, stage, treatment and current status...???***

[Becky]

08/04 - found lump during monthly breast exam at age 45.

9/04 - lumpectomy 1.9 cm tumor 1/10 nodes positive. Her2 (3+) ER (50%) PR neg.
10/04 - joined this website at the start of chemo
4AC + 4 Taxol dense dose. Finished chemo 1/31/05. 34 rads (28 + 6 boosts) finished 4/05. ASCO meeting in May, 2005 presented Hera trial and NAmerican trial. They recommended Herceptin for any Her2+ woman who was 6 months or less out of chemo (they later modified this to 12 months) so I started Herceptin in mid June 2005 at about 4 months post last chemo session.

I should be done this June but my onco is recommending going to at least the end of September to cover my first 2 yrs beyond diagnosis. He may end up going for the second yr but I doubt it if there isn't any 2nd yr trial results. So, I will get at least 15+ months of Herceptin therapy.

Got ovaries removed 8/05 so I could also take Arimidex vs Tamoxifen as I am estrogen positive as well.

So far so good.

Becky

[tricia keegan]

DX 07/04/05
Lumpectomy 07/24/05
3/9 nodes
A/c x4
Taxol/herceptin x12 weekly
35 rads completed 04/26/06
Herceptin 3 wkly for a yr
Idc Highly triple positive

[Susan Rankin]

DX 7-04 IDC
Partial Mastectomy 8-04
1 positive node sentinel
ERPR + Her2pos+++
4 Adriamycin every two weeks
4 Taxol every two weeks
4 Cytoxan every two weeks
33 rads
Arimidex
6-05 Herceptin x one year
NED

[Sheila]

Diagnosed in Feb. 2002 at age 49 (50th birthday gift!)
Found on routine mammo via calcifications, had been getting mammos every 6 mos due to family history of BC.
STAGE 1
Left mastectomy 2/2002, 0.7cm IDC, Her2 +++ by IHC, ER-, PR-, 18 nodes neg.
No chemo recommended due to neg nodes and small tumor size.
Reconstruction with tissue expander / silicone implant 9/2003
Enlarged lymph nodes in collarbone area found during reconstruction, biopsied & found to be Her2+++ Breast Cancer. Graduated to.................
STAGE IV, 9/2003 with mets to lymph nodes.
Herceptin started every 3 weeks. Stable until 3/2006 when lymph nodes in collarbone reappeared (gift for my 54th birthday)
Began Xeloda 4/2006 with Herceptin, lymph nodes shrank by 75% after 1 cycle.
Continue on Herceptin and Xeloda.
Just passed my 4 year mark...looking to the big 5 year one!!!!!

[Sue2001]

Excellent idea!

I found a lump while in the shower. Ultrasound showed 3 tumors.
Dx 1-11-01 at age 40.
Stage 3
ER-, PR-
Her2+++
4/13+ lymph nodes
Mastectomy on one side 2-6-01, had to take the muscle to get clear margins

Took part in phase 3 clinical trial for Herceptin:
Dose dense AC x4
Taxol weekly x12
Herceptin weekly for1 year
34 rounds of radiation

Still have troubles with Lymphedema, Neuropathy and Muscle Spasms.

NED for 5 years now, Sue

[Maggie]

DX 7/04
Lumpectomy 7/9/04
1.2 cn
Stage 1
Infiltrating Medullary Carsinoma
8 nodes negative
ER/PR neg HER/2 3+ (strong positive)
A/C X 4
33 rads ending 12/23/04
Herceptin approved for early stage in November, started 11/05 every 3 weeks for a year.

Maggie

[madubois63]

Stage IV IBC 1/12/2000 - age 36
Modified Radical Mastecotomy - 24nod/5+
immediate tram flap reconstuction (herniated 2x)
Adriomycin Cytoxin Taxol
4 1/2 years Tamoxifen
Radiation - 32 x
plural effusion 8/2004
thorocentesis - pleurodesis - video assited biopsy
Metastasized IBC to lung/liver/nodes 10/04
Herceptin Taxotiere Carboplaten
Femera/Lupron
Stable since April 2005
platelet/blood transfusions
-Maryann age 42 and counting-

[Olivia]

Found lump as a fluke - just adjusting bra.
Age 34 - Dx 12/12/04
1/12/05 Bilateral mastectomy with latisimus dorsi reconstruction and sentinel node biopsy
Stage 1 (2 lesions right breast .9 cm and .6 cm)
Grade III
Node negative
ER/PR-
HER2+
4 rounds of dose dense Adriamycin and cytoxin
4 rounds taxol
No rads
Started 1 year of Herceptin on 5/05(will be done 5/06) yikes!

Olivia

[panicked911]

semi regular mamos since age 35. I was diagsied at age 43.
7/22/05 - mamo tech.thought something wrong with left breast then said Ok. I insisted to Ob/GYN wanted sonogram
9/2/ 05 ( my deceased mother's birthday) had sonogram which showed small regular shaped tumor on right side. All docs said nothing to worry about the edges are smooth. Went to see surgeon anyway -she also not alarmed did sono in her office.
9/13/05 - biopsy at major medical center
9/14/05 (daughter's 10th birthday) diagnoised with er+ tumor right side.
9/18/05 see surgeon memorial Sloan kettering in NYC - not one small tumor but 3 ( two peas and a pencil point ) first surgeon biopsied "wrong" tumor.
10/5/05 - partial lumpectomy - three nodes removed.
three tumors in total 1.2, 1.2 .01 - one ever showed up on mamograms - her2+, er ( 80%) pr (70%)
started on tamoxifen 10/19/05
Nov. started weekly herceptain
December started monthly Lupron shots and switched to arimidex
1/15/06 - reexcission- radiooncologist did not like the pathology report - margin increased all around from .2mm to .1 cm. patholgy report on reecision came up completely negative.
2/12 started rads.
3/27 completed rads
april 18, last weekly herceptain - now going one every three weeks.
six month MRI scheduled for May 21. Keeping my fingers crossed.

[mekasan]

Dx: at 29 y.o. on 8/4/05
Stage 1 IDC, two tumors (.7 cm and .5 cm) and DCIS spanning 4 cm
(pT1b pN0 pMx)
Tumor grade 2 (Nottingham)
High grade
ER- / PR-
Her2: 5.33
0 node involvment

Tx: (Surgery) total L Breast mastectomy with immediate lat flap recon and cohesive silicone ("gummy bear") implant, (chemo) followed by 4 rounds AC, followed by Herceptin for 1 year (3 wks apart, beginning 12/21/05).

Used Lupron to voluntarily and temporarily shut down ovaries to protect them durng chemo. Effexor for hotflashes, Ativan for insomnia.

3/22/05 Preventive R Breast mastectomy with immediate lat flap recon with "gummy bear" implant.

[Jackie]

Stage II, DX 4-05
EP +, HER2 +++,
1 node, 1.6mm
Simple Mast/Reconstruction Left breast 6/05
4x AC/4xTaxotere/Herceptin--finished chemo 11/05
Herceptin to cont. for yr.--stopped due to drop in Muga--hopefully to restart soon
47yrs. old

[margaret]

Dx 11/01 at age 38
Lefts side Mastectomy
Stage 3b (9cm by 6cm by 4cm)
16 nodes involved (16 nodes removed)
ER/PR-
HER2+++
Treatment - AC chemo and Taxol and herceptin and continued weekly treatments of herceptin for 1 year.
Radiation 35 rounds

Thankfully I've been NED since end of treatment. Changed my lifestyle significantly - ended a destructive marriage, became single mom, eat mostly organic and vegetarian, do lots of yoga, teach yoga, created supportive, loving relationships, vowed to live each day to the fullest with less stress, enjoy flowers and birds, relax more......
Margaret

[karenann]

Mammo since age 32, had first lump removed while pregnant with my daughter at 36. The lump was benign
This lump did not show up on mammo but was a solid mass on us. The DCIS was not picked up on mamo or us.
DX: Jan '05 at age 49
Lumpectomy
1.3cm IDC w/ High grade DCIS 1mm from chest wall
5 nodes removed all negative
ER+ 95% PR+ 10%
Her2+++
Grade 3
I did dose dense ACx4 and Tx4 and 34 rads. Two weeks after last Taxol, I started a year of Herceptin and I will complete Herceptin in July. Currently on five years of Aromasin.

[jhandley]

Hi
dx April 2001; 2 cm, 1/13 node +; Segmental mast; rads; chemo=taxotere trial (3 A, 3T, 3 CMF);

Reoccurence in same breast in Sep 2005; 4 x 2 cm tumour not picked up by ultrasound/mammo.(extensive fibrocystic disease in breast); Scans showed 1 x 15 mm spot on liver. Tx=taxol/hercetpin x 6 then maintenance herceptin. NED after 3 cycles.

(Note: I think 2nd tumour was there all along but because it wasnt large/didnt show on mammo.possibly it was supppressed by chemo. then eventually started growing again. In hindsight I should have insisted on full masectomy).

Jackie

[julie a]

Diagnosed June 2004
2.7cm lump er/pr - HER2 +++ grade 3 no lymph node involvement
lumpectomy,6 months chemo and 3 months radiation
Rediagnosed January 2006
2 cm lump with mastectomy and tissue expander HER2 FISH ++?
March ct scan shows lung lesions - largest 8 mm
Will have last chemo of Adriamycin this week and start HERCEPTIN shortly

Good luck and best wishes to all!!
Love the site
Julie

[PatS]

My info. -

- Diag. 07/31/02, age 40, Stage III
- Neoadjuvant Chemo, 4 A/C followed by 4 Taxotere (ea. 3 weeks apart)
- Mastectomy with expander/implant reconstruction. Tumor had shrunk to 1cm and all
7 nodes taken were negative (status of nodes prior to chemo is unknown)
- 28 rads
- Currently taking Arimidex
- Contemplating late Herceptin, waiting to get response from insurance co.


Pat

[Mgarr]

Found lump in the shower Thanksgiving weekend 11/04 at 39 yrs. young. Long & sorted between then & surgery. 1st surgery Jan 05 lumpectomy & Sentinel node removal turned into partial mast. as my lump was no longer 2cm but 3.5cm. Told the nodes were clear when I followed up a week later w/ onc. I was told there was a 4mm spot in 1 node I would have to go back to surgery for the rest to be removed. The other 11 were clear.

Stage IIB Grade 3, Her+++ , ER/PR-
Dose Dense A/C & T 4X, 30 rads.
Thanks to all the "trailblazers" Herceptin was approved 1/2 thru my Taxol added and I will continue (every 3 weeks) on that til July 5th

Currently considering removal of ovaries.

[MJo]

Dx 10/28/05 Lumpendectomy 11/04/05
Stage 1 (.55 cm)
Node negative (Sentinel node)
ER+/PR+
HER2++
Onctoype score of 31 (21% chance of recurrence in 10 years)

Started chemo week before Christmas. Finished three dose dense A/Cs. Skipped 4th due to illness (anemia, respiratory infection and asthma). Started dose dense Taxol and Herceptin in March. Have finished three Taxols and five Herceptins. Having an easier tiime with Taxol, although I had to wait three weeks for my third due to low blood count.
Will have six weeks of Rads, and one year of Herceptin. Doctor advises five years of Arimidex

All the very best....MJo

[MJo]

Dx 10/28/05 Lumpendectomy 11/04/05
Stage 1 (.55 cm)
Node negative (Sentinel node)
ER+/PR+
HER2++
Onctoype score of 31 (21% chance of recurrence in 10 years)

Started chemo week before Christmas. Finished three dose dense A/Cs. Skipped 4th due to illness (anemia, respiratory infection and asthma). Started dose dense Taxol and Herceptin in March. Have finished three Taxols and five Herceptins. Having an easier tiime with Taxol, although I had to wait three weeks for my third due to low blood count.
Will have six weeks of Rads, and one year of Herceptin. Doctor advises five years of Arimidex

All the very best....MJo

[Christine MH-UK]

Diagnosis 10/2003, age 38. ER-/PR-, very aggressive and pregnancy-affected breast cancer, which worsens matters.
Chemo (6*FEC75) before surgery, so no accurate staging. Oncologist's guess was 2B. Mastectomy. At surgery, 8/19 nodes positive, so 4 rounds of taxotere given after surgery. 15 rads (including area around the collar bone).
One year herceptin started late (10/2005).
Currently NED.