HONEST OPINION PLEASE!!: Are We Reaching For The Big Guns Too Soon??

[hutchibk]

I definitely have gone through all of the panic and thought processes that you have described! I think we tend to think of the newest "big guns", whatever they are, as the last ditch effort... like nothing else will come along, like we can't go back and try some of the earlier stuff that we haven't tried yet, or like after this regimine there are no other options. Boy do I know all about that! I asked all of those questions to my onc. He is wonderful and assured me that we can always revisit many other chemos and treatments and there is still a list of many that we haven't tried. He also believes that we are not necessarily done with Herceptin either, just because I am on Tykerb/Xeloda. Pure conjecture here, but what if using this protocol makes the cancer even more susceptible and sensitive to something else from the past or in the future? (I think they are learning that about past Tamioxifen use) I think we have to keep in mind that we are on a continuum here. There are always other things to try if this doesn't yield the best possible results, and there are always other trials in the pipeline and we just have to stay healthy and dig in until the next new "big guns" are available.

Best of luck with Ty/Xel - a few of us here are having great results on it! And I will find out in 2 weeks whether it is kicking my brain mets on it's own (remember that they both cross the blood brain barrier, which is what your hubby needs after WBR) or if I will get targeted rads down the road. I am greatful that it is working for me, because I was bummed that the Herceptin didn't have the impact for me that it has had for others here....