Geraldine,
I know what you mean about "too many oncs"! I have my local onc, and my 2nd opinion "guru" onc. When my local onc, whom I dearly loved, died suddenly from a heart attack a year ago (at 42!) I went through a period where I was shuffled among the other oncs in his practice and various "fill in" docs for several months. I felt like a foster child - lots of smart doctors caring for me but I didn't really belong to any of them!
It is disconcerting to have differing opinions - my doctors joke about how if you ask 2 doctors, you'll get at least 3 answers! The important thing is to find one (or more!) whom you trust and who is in the fight with you!
I don't have "the answer" as to whether you should continue on Herceptin or not - with chest wall involvement but no "distant" metastasis you could probably go either way. There are certainly no guarantees but it sounds like you have done well so far with Herceptin...maybe your doctor wants to keep you on that winning horse!
Good luck
__________________
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
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