I asked my Oncologist if Herceptin cut down reoccurance rate by up to 50% for early stage breast cancer, did it not do the same for me (stage IV, 2 lung mets). He said that no, it was different. Sorry to say, for us the horse has gotten out of the barn, so to say. But that is not to say that it doesn't work and your mets can't be gotten under control or even sent into remission. I have been in remission for 10 months now with my lung mets, all my scans since April have been clean. I get scans every 3 months and am due for one this month. Once the cancer has left the site of orgin, you are always at risk of reoccurance. My Oncologist told me the goal was to keep it away as long as possible, if it comes back, attack it again. He said that there are always new drugs being found every day that they are working on and the goal is to keep it away till they find that one that might one day keep it away for good. Don't lose hope, it's hard..I know. But every case is individual, we are all different and what doesn't work for someone else, could be your magic bullet..sherryg683
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Sherry
Diagnosed: December , 2005 at age 44
13+ positive lymph nodes
Stage IV , Her2+, 2 small mets to lungsChemo Started: Jan, 2006
4 months Taxotere, Xeloda, Hercepin
NED since April 2006!!
36 Rads to follow with weekly Herceptin indefinately
8 years NED now
Scans every year
Life is not about avoiding the thunderstorms, it's about learning to dance in the rain!
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