Talked to onc today re: Herceptin

[janet/FL]

Sheryl, I waited eight months to start chemo and Herceptin as I could not get Herceptin before that. It was not approved for cancer, stage one, like yours and mine is. It is now. I had Herceptin combined with Taxotere (similar to Taxol).

I would also ask your doctor if you could receive TCH chemo. Excuse the spelling, but that would be taxol, carplatin, and Herceptin together. I believe that is the combo many doctors are giving to patients with your type of diagnosis, assuming you are Stage One. They skip the Andriamycin due to the possible heart damage when used with Herceptin. Perhaps someone can steer you to some information you can give your doctor.
Congratuations on being an activist for your treatment. I know it isn't easy and very worrisome.
Hugs

[kk1]

Sheryl;

I agree with Janet that you should really question your Onc about using adrimyacin when Herceptin is to follow. The incidence of heart problems due to herceptin is much higher in women who had adrimycin. I would also question the herceptin and tamoxifen combo, please asking him to show you or cite scientific papers that show that this combo has a potential to work. From my literature searches they are few and far between and the current literature has much stronger evidence for herceptin and an AI (arimidex), if your premenopausal you can use lupron or zoladex to turn off the ovaries.


kk1

[Barbara2]

You asked,"Has anyone else waited this long to start Herceptin?" I started herceptin 26 months after chemo.