Muga Results

Here's hoping someone can help with my question. I was scheduled to start taxol/herceptin this week. I finished 4 cycles of A/C and had MUGA which shows my rate go from 58% to 46%. I will not be starting herceptin, but will start the taxol. My onc wants to recheck MUGA in 4 weeks and told me not to be worried. Ha ha ha. Did the A/C do permant heart damage? My major concern with being er-pr- and Her2+++ is that I may not get the herceptin and have a recurrance and die from this nasty disease.
Anyone have any thoughts about this and is the original 58% show a healthy or possible weak heart?
Thanks so much.
Rocky

[Becky]

The normal range for a MUGA is 50% - 65%. The oncos do like the ejection factor (EF) to be 50% or better. Your 4 week wait is not a serious concern. The drop in your EF from the Adriamycin happens. Can you take walks? No big workouts but walks can help. Unfortunately, because of taxol, you cannot take large doses of Coenzyme Q10.


Ask your onco if you can take 100mg to 150 mg of Co Q 10? It can help heart function but is also an antioxidant (so too much can interfer with the chemo). Since Herceptin is an antibody, many of us that are only on Herceptin take it to help our heart function. Many that have chemo with Herceptin take it too but take less (usually the amt above).

Your MUGA will improve and if not as quickly as you might like, you can go to a cardiologist would will be able to help. You are not that far off to not be able to take Herceptin. Others on this board will be able to give you more guidance since there are women who have been in your shoes.

Becky

[janet/FL]

Just the question as to why Taxol and not Taxotere. I woudl ask your onc for his reasoning.
Janet

what is the difference between taxol and taxonene? is one a generic version?

[margaret]

Hi,
I justed wanted to share my experience with muga scans. I had my first muga scan at diagnosis and it came out to be 49. They weren't sure if they would give me herceptin. I did 4 rounds of A/C and then had another muga. It then read a 58. So according to these readings, the 3 months of harsh A/C actually improved my heart significantly. My oncologist laughed at the results. Obviously there is a large margin of error in these muga scans. I would hope that no one is ever prevented from getting herceptin just because of 1 low muga scan reading. I for one do not put any credit in one low muga scan reading. I had a very healthy heart the whole time and had no trouble with the herceptin. Thank god, my oncologist didn't just react to the first low reading.

Margaret

[BonnieT]

HI
I have had a low MUGA, from just hercpetin, it went from 53 to 35, so I stopped herceptin and saw a Cardiologist ( I would definitely do this , it is their specialty) He did an ECHO and I have no heart damage also put me on meds coreg. and lisinopril , there are some of us taking heart meds while we are on herceptin. My MUGA is back up to 53. My cardiologist said if my MUGA drops again he would want another ECHO because the MUGA's can vary !!!
God Bless and keep us posted
Bonnie T

[Karen t]

You mentioned the possible problem of taking antioxidents while undergoing chemo. My onc never asks me what I'm taking.... When I did the month of radiation in July, the radiation onc never asked me what I was taking but he did mention it to another patient undergoing what appeared to be the same treatment/conditions as mine. Also at that time, my primary care physician phoned me and urged me to take extra vitamins E and C to keep my immune system healthy. Water under the bridge perhaps.

Now, however, I have recently added weekly Navelbine to my week Herceptin and am wondering about the supplements I take: extra E and C and reishi mushroom capsules plus pomegranate juice.

Advice, please - and thanks as always. Hope this will also help others who may not even be thinking about these things (if there is reason to be concerned).