Doctors Urge Brain MRI's

Joe · 02-21-2006, 08:11 AM

Interesting Article

http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=106&sid=704560

Sandy H · 02-21-2006, 08:39 AM

Thanks Joe for this article. Yours covers more then what we had in our paper. As you know this has been a big concern of mine-brain mets. I was happy to see this in print and it made me feel good that this was our mission in San Antonio last December. It shows that you and Chris are on top of things. I will be showing this to my oncologist and I am sure I will be getting an MRI without having to fudge symptoms!! Way to go Joe! Again thanks, Sandy

Becky · 02-21-2006, 10:49 AM

I got my first routine brain MRI yesterday. I don't have the results yet but my onco (the new great one) gave me a script with no problems. All he said is that I would be "off" the schedule with my routine CT scans - did I want to wait a couple of months and get everything together. I said no. He will email me by tomorrow morning with the results (this is how we do this). So... go for it. This group gave me the info I needed to just say what I wanted and why. My onco said he is going to do this for all his Her 2 gals no matter how early their stage (at least once per year).

Becky

PS - I know my onco will say something to me on my timing of getting my brain MRI yesterday and the article coming out today. He will insist that I planned it this way.

CherylS · 02-21-2006, 05:38 PM

Do you think this applies to only those of us with lymph node involvement or mets or should everyone who is HER2+ have brain MRI's?

Sandy H · 02-21-2006, 07:35 PM

Cheryl that is all Her2. That is what we were advocating in San Antonio in December. I was advocating this and yet my oncologist was not in favor of doing routine MRI's but I know now he will. He was following the protocals coming out of Dana Farber. hugs, Sandy

janet/FL · 02-21-2006, 08:20 PM

Sandy,
Are you saying that the recommendation is for me as a stage 1, now on Herceptin and 15 months post diagnosis, should ask for an MRI, and if so, when? I am on Herceptin for a year--until in August. I have talked my doctor into a Bayer Serum test but since I didn't do it before the start of Herceptin, I figured I would wait on that until about the end of Herceptin. It is hard to know what to push for.
Thanks,
Janet

Becky · 02-22-2006, 06:40 AM

Janet

I am Stage 2A and I just got my first one on Monday. I will finish adjuvant Herceptin in June. My husband thinks I should push for a brain MRI every 6 months.

We really don't know how the whole body will be affected by adjuvant Herceptin because it is so new. It may be that it prevents metastises in the body but since it doesn't cross the blood/brain barrier, we may also be vunerable to mets to the brain.

I would push for one at least once a year.

Best regards

Becky

02-22-2006, 11:24 AM

I'm going to INSIST on having one. Either that or the insurance company can pay for me to go into an insane asylum. which ever they prefer.

Randi

SandyBB · 02-24-2006, 08:19 AM

The article states:

Now, breast specialists in particular are reporting an increasing number of women who beat back cancer elsewhere in the body, only to have it flare in the brain. It seems to be a special concern among users of Herceptin, a powerful drug that targets an aggressive type of breast cancer _ everywhere except in the brain, because it's too large a molecule to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, explains Lieberman.

I never realized this! Bummer...

Lee · 02-24-2006, 08:58 AM

And he said it was a reasonable thing to do so I'm having a brain MRI on Monday.

I'm not having any symptoms so we aren't expecting anything to show up, but I have been dealing with liver mets and want to make sure nothing else is going on. If something *is* found, its certainly easier to deal with if it is caught early.

Helen · 02-24-2006, 02:31 PM

I am also having a brain MRI on Monday. My onc did not want to give it to me without symptons but I was able to convince him.
I hope and pray that everything will be fine.

Helen

lexigirl · 02-24-2006, 04:04 PM

Thanks Joe for posting the article.

I had my MRI today and I am hoping there's nothing to be concerned about.

My best friend thought it would be funny if the only thing that shows on the pictures are hot fudge sundaes and doghnuts!!

I love her!!

Lexi

Yorkiegirl · 02-24-2006, 05:13 PM

WOW, it seems like alot of us are having MRI's on Monday. Mine is at 2:00.

Now I have been having headaches for about two weeks and they haven't really gone away so am I scared to say the least.

Vicki

Christine · 02-24-2006, 06:02 PM

Cher
It has come to our attention that at a more advanced stage or long time Breast CA pt, even if we have no real symtoms, should be monitored for brain metastases by MRI, esprcially those who have high grade tumors or a her2+, Stage 3 or 4 pt. Also from my personal observation, sometimes mets to the brain can easily migrate to the brain fom lung mets and/or lymph nodes under the sternum or under left collor-bone. Headaches are not the only sysmptoms we all have at times, but telling yor onc about it may prompt the Onc to rule out brain mets. I had Vertigo,asap, dizziness, and dxed in 1999. Women really need to be proactive in making decisions about their Dx and Tx's.

Be well....
Hugs. Christine

AlaskaAngel · 02-26-2006, 11:34 AM

From what I've been able to find, they also do not know for certain that aromatase inhibitors cross the BBB either -- although they seem to "think" it does because so many of those with brain mets are ER/PR negative.

Maybe those who get brain MRI's checked could post their results and whether they are early stage and whether they are ER/PR negative or positive.

AlaskaAngel

kristen · 02-26-2006, 12:05 PM

I have been very lucky in which I have had MRI's every 6 months since DX. When do you stop having them or go to every year?

I would be interested in anyone who has had herceptin as an adjuvent along with chemo who has had it met to the brain tell us when it occured? Thank you for your answers in advance and I am sorry that it has happened to you. I hope you understand I am just trying to get information for my nuerologist, as we have agreed that since I am 2 and almost 1/2 years out, I will have my last 6 month one on March 17 and go to yearly. I did print out the article for her, as she doesn't see many cancer patients, but if we should continue the every 6 month routinie I know she will do it if I can show her that it is beneficiary (sp). Thank you again.

mamacze · 02-27-2006, 10:16 PM

Joe, Thank you once again for posting a current and very helpful article. I am printing it as I type and plan to bring it into my onc tomorrow morning. Kristen, I am sorry, I can not help you with your question, but I am sure someone who can will post advice.

Kim from CT

02-28-2006, 12:54 AM

Are teh Dana Farber protocols on Brain MRI posted?

saleboat · 02-28-2006, 05:45 AM

I asked my Onc about Sloan-Kettering's protocal on brain MRIs for early-stage patients. She said that it had been the subject of a very active discussion at their last meeting. For now, they are not advising early stage Her2+ patients to get brain MRIs, although I had the distinct sense that this decision was not clear cut nor unanimous. Her hypothetical question is 'what if we find a 3mm lesion, but no symptoms, would we do anything about it-- we probably wouldn't.' I am in no hurry to get a brain MRI, but I reserved the right to ask her about it in the future. I had the feeling that she would have sent me for one if I pushed.

Hope this is helpful.

Jen