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01-22-2008, 05:47 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 368
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Input needed
I got my echo back yesterday. They said it was ok.
When I looked at the report, it said LVEF 55%, according to the report it is supposed to be between 60% - 100%. I'm not sure how an echo compares to a muga. My muga was 56% a year ago. I'm not too worried about the LVEF though.
Here's what concerns me. Left atrium mildy dilated.
Mild mitral regurgitation, mild tricuspid regurgitation.
I'm scheduled for a chemical stress test Thursday and I get my 3 week dose of Herceptin Wed.
Should I have a chemical stresser right after my treatment? Especially with some mild valve problems?
I will ask my onc, but I wanted your input, please.
Thanks.
__________________
12/12/06- IDC Stage III, 4x A/C, 35 rads, Herceptin 1 year
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01-22-2008, 08:17 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 232
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Brenda,
When I started Herceptin my EF was 63 and it remained there until about 8 months out and then it dropped to 53, so I had to take a break from Herceptin. The number resolved itself and I was able to complete the year of Herceptin.
I think as long as you stay within the 50's (which seems normal for you) and your number doesn't drop dramatically (like mine 10pts), then you are ok. But I would check with my doc to make sure.
Karen
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01-22-2008, 10:04 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,357
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Hi Brenda! All that may be "normal" stuff the heart does on all the meds they give us. I don't know, but call the nurse and ask her to ask your doctor. It will relieve your mind. I sat next to someone in treatment yesterday who did their stress test just after her herceptin and did great! It was a good story and gave her much hope for all the days coming! Good luck and just ask lots of questions. ma
p.s. I had my echo yesterday too and am still celebrating at the 70% reading! Thank you supplement advocates for "keep on keeping on about CoQ 10!!!! WOW!
__________________
MA in TX.
Grateful for each and every day....
Diag. 12/05 at age 60
Stage II, Grade 3, 4.5 cm primary tumor
ER/PR- Her2 +3 strongly positive
Her2 by FISH 7.7 amplified
vascular invasion
Ki67 20% borderline
Jan - March '06 Taxotere/Adriamycin X 3 to try to shrink tumor - it grew
April '06 Rt Modified Radical Mas, 7 of 9 nodes positive
April - Aug. '06 Herceptin/Taxol/Carboplatin X 8 (dose dense)
Sept - Dec. '06 Navelbine/Herceptin x 8 (dose dense)
Radiation & Herceptin Jan. 22 - March 1, 2007
Finished Herceptin Dec. 10 '08! One extra year.
Port removed August, 2012.
8 1/2 years since diagnosis! 5 1/2 Years NED!
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01-22-2008, 12:58 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Central Coast, CA
Posts: 3,207
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I'm certainly not a doctor...
But I've had the mild regurgitation thing forever, and nobody every bats an eye about it.
__________________
Chris in Scotts Valley
June 2002 extensive hi grade DCIS (pre-cancer-stage 0, clean sentinal node) Mastectomy/implant - no chemo, rads. "cured?"
9/2004 Diag: Stage IV extensive liver mets (!) ER/PR- Her2+++
10/04-3/05 Weekly Taxol/Carboplatin/Herceptin , complete response!
04/05 - 4/07 Herception every 3 wks, Continue NED
04/07 - recurrence to liver - 2 spots, starting tykerb/avastin trial
06/07 8/07 10/07 Scans show stable, continue on Tykerb/Avastin
01/08 Progression in liver
02/08 Begin (TDM1) trial
08/08 NED! It's Working! Continue on TDM1
02/09 Continue NED
02/10 Continue NED. 5/10 9/10 Scans NED 10/10 Scans NED
12/10 Scans not clear....4/11 Scans suggest progression 6/11 progression confirmed in liver
07/11 - 11/11 Herceptin/Xeloda -not working:(
12/11 Begin MM302 Phase I trial - bust:(
03/12 3rd times the charm? AKT trial
5/12 Scan shows reduction! 7/12 More reduction!!!!
8/12 Whoops...progression...trying for Perjeta/Herceptin (plus some more nasty chemo!)
9/12 Start Perjeta/Herceptin, chemo on hold due to infection/wound in leg, added on cycle 2 &3
11/12 Poops! progression in liver, Stop Perjeta/Taxo/Herc
11/12 Navelbine/Herce[ptin - try for a 3 cycles, no go.
2/13 Gemzar/Carbo/Herceptin - no go.
3/13 TACE procedure
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01-22-2008, 01:54 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Southern, CA
Posts: 2,511
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Brenda, My ECHO's also showed mild mitral regurgitation. I was concerned about it so I went to a cardiologist. He pretty much told me not to worry about it and said *everyone* has some mitral regurgitation. He explained in detail what it is and when I should be concerned about it. As of now...he said there is no problem. He relieved my fears/concerns. I have noticed since seeing him all doctors I have seen that's read this on my ECHO's make no mention of it either. If you are real concerned as I was....ask to see a cardiologist....it was well worth it to me.  Hang in there.
Chelee
__________________
DX: 12-20-05 - Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu, 3+++,Er & Pr weakly positive, 5 of 16 pos nodes.
Rt. MRM on 1-3-06 -- No Rads due to compromised lungs.
Chemo started 2-7-06 -- TCH - - Finished 6-12-06
Finished yr of wkly herceptin 3-19-07
3-15-07 Lt side prophylactic simple mastectomy. -- Ooph 4-05-07
9-21-09 PET/CT "Recurrence" to Rt. axllia, Rt. femur, ilium. Possible Sacrum & liver? Now stage IV.
9-28-09 Loading dose of Herceptin & started Zometa
9-29-09 Power Port Placement
10-24-09 Mass 6.4 x 4.7 cm on Rt. femur head.
11-19-09 RT. Femur surgery - Rod placed
12-7-09 Navelbine added to Herceptin/Zometa.
3-23-10 Ten days of rads to RT femur. Completed.
4-05-10 Quit Navelbine--Herceptin/Zometa alone.
5-4-10 Appt. with Dr. Slamon to see what is next? Waiting on FISH results from femur biopsy.
Results to FISH was unsuccessful--this happens less then 2% of the time.
7-7-10 Recurrence to RT axilla again. Back to UCLA for options.
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01-22-2008, 02:11 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Acworth, GA
Posts: 2,104
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Brenda,
On an echocardiogram as long as your LVEF does not drop below 50% you will still be able to receive Herceptin. Mine started at 65% and now ranges about 55%. I too have mild regurgitation and neither my cardiologist or oncologist are concerned about it.
__________________
Kate
Stage IIIC Diagnosed Oct 25, 2005 (age 58)
ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3, Ploidy/DNA index: Aneuploid/1.61, S-phase: 24.2%
Neoadjunct chemo: 4 A/C; 4 Taxatore
Bilateral mastectomy June 8, 2006
14 of 26 nodes positive
Herceptin June 22, 2006 - April 20, 2007
Radiation (X35) July 24-September 11, 2006
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
Stage IV lung mets July 13, 2007 - TCH
Single brain met - August 6, 2007 -CyberKnife
Oct 2007 - clear brain MRI and lung mets shrinking.
March 2008 lung met progression, brain still clear - begin Tykerb/Xeloda/Ixempra
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01-22-2008, 04:33 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,851
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Brenda,
It seems like your LVEF is holding steady, which is good.
And as Kate said, 50 is the lower cut-off point.
I too have mild reguritation, and nobody's making a fuss over it.
As for your chemical stress test, it probably wouldn't hurt to find out whether you should wait a few days between the test and Herceptin.
Joan
__________________
Diagnosed stage 2b in July 2003 (2.3 cm, HER2+, ER-/PR-, 7+ nodes). Treated with mastectomy (with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction), AC + T/Herceptin (off label). Cancer advanced to lung in Jan. 2007 (1 cm nodule). Started Herceptin every 3 weeks. Lung wedge resection April 2007. Cancer recurred in lung April 2008. RFA of lung in August 2008. 2nd annual brain MRI in Oct. 2008 discovered 2.6 cm cystic tumor in left frontal lobe. Craniotomy Oct. 2008 (ER-/PR-/HER2-) followed by targeted radiation (IMRT). Coughing up blood Feb. 2009. Thoractomy July 2009 to cut out fungal ball of common soil fungus (aspergillus) that grew in the RFA cavity (most likely inhaled while gardening). No cancer, only fungus. Removal of tiny melanoma from upper left arm, plus sentinel lymph node biopsy in Feb. 2016. Guardant Health liquid biopsy in Feb. 2016 showed mutations in 4 subtypes of TP53. Repeat of Guardant Health biopsy in Jana. 2021 showed 3 TP53 mutations, BRCA1 mutation and CHEK2 mutation. Invitae genetic testing showed negative for all of these. Living with MBC since 2007. Stopped Herceptin Hylecta (injection) treatment in March 2020. Recent 2021 annual CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis and annual brain MRI showed NED. Praying for NED forever!!
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01-22-2008, 05:42 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,756
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In my experience, it's better to schedule your heart tests before you get Herceptin, like a day or so if you can. I noticed it made a difference of several points lower if I had my echo's or muga's right after Herceptin.
<3 Lolly
__________________
Sept.'99 - Dx.Stage IIIB, IDC ER/PR-, HER2+++ by IHC, confirmed '04 by FISH. Left MRM, AC x's 4, Taxol x's 4, 33 Rads, finishing Tx May 2000. Jan.'01 - local/regional recurrence, Stage IV. Herceptin/Navelbine weekly till NED August 2001, then maintenance Herceptin. Right Mast. April 2002. Local/Regional recurrence April '04, Herceptin plus/minus chemo until May '07. Gemzar added from Feb.'07-April '07; Tykerb/Abraxane until August '07, back on Herceptin plus Taxotere and Xeloda Sept. '07. Stopped T/X Nov. '07, stopped Herceptin Dec. '07, started Avastin/Taxol/Carboplatin Dec. '07. Progression in chest skin, stopped TAC March '03, started radiation.
Herceptin has served as the "Backbone" of my treatment strategy for over 6 years, giving me great quality of life. In 2005, I was privileged to participate in the University of Washington/Seattle HER2 Vaccine Trial.
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01-23-2008, 06:28 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 368
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Thanks everyone.
I'm happy with the 55%. I expected lower since the tech said she got 51%.
I'll ask my GP when I go back, about the regurgitation.
I'll ask my Onc today (it's vitamin H day) about having the chemical stress test tomorrow. That bothers me a little, and I'd like to wait until next week. |
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01-23-2008, 06:58 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Bay City, MI
Posts: 73
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Hi Brenda: When my LVEF dropped to 49 from starting out at 63, I had to quit herceptin, but after 6 months and going on some meds, it's back in the high 50's again, so mine was reversible. I was dissapointed not being to finish one year of herceptin, but I did get 8 months in, and the dr's assured me that they are finding the 6 months of herceptin is probably as good as 1 year. I feel fine now, and I'm even done with the heart med.
Sue
__________________
Sue
IDC, Stage 1, Grade 3
Oncotype Dx Score 40
Her2+++ E+P+
Lumpectomy 5/05
Re-excision 6/05
4AC
33 rounds of radiation
1 year Herceptin (had to quit after 8 months, due to low muga scores)
Faslodex until 11-07
Hysterectomy with ovaries 11-07
Arimidex 12-07 switched to Aromasin 10-09
Quit Aromasin 11-09 due to joint pain
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01-23-2008, 11:58 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 368
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I gave the onc my reports and asked him about the Stress test.
He said I should wait at least a week, so I re-scheduled it.
He also said I should get a scan to see what's causing my hip pain.
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