Working thread - what do you think the HER2+ standard of care should be really?

[agness]

For any HER2 patient with brain mets caught early enough to treat with rads, the standard should extend up to 30 lesions to treat with SRS, especially since it isn't the technology that is making the limitation -- they can do them all.

Any HER2 brain met patient should be given detailed instructions about concurrent metabolic practices that the patient can add to the treatment regime to both boost efficacy and also to help protect the patient. This also should include post-care instructions for restoration after brain rads.

Any brain lesions requiring a craniotomy should be irradiated beforehand to lessen the risk of disease spread during the surgery.

Brain mets patients should be offered adjuvant treatment to try to control disease progression as soon as they are discovered in a HER2 patient. (we need more drug trial results damnit!)

[thinkpositive]

Agness,

I agree with your recommendation regarding surveillance for brain mets. It seems that with HER2 disease (with nodal involvement) the risk of brain mets in the first two years from initial diagnosis is high enough to warrant screening. I also agree that those who do have brain mets should be well informed on options for treatment, side effects, how best to minimize these side effects, and what to do to get your body and brain back to optimal health.

Take Care,
Brenda