I am not feeling so ‘+’ about this! My doctor says this is ‘another string to our bow.’ What do other people feel? I was diagnosed this month with primary invasive breast cancer- and starting chemotherapy on Monday. Following this up with a mastectomy, and lymph node removal in the new year. They will give me the herceptin along with my second three chemotherapy sessions. This is meant to have good results…
Hiya
I am her+++ and er/pr-. it does take a bit of getting used to, but the thing is I can’t change it. I was dx in March and since then have done some research and questioning. Yes her +++ does have it’s share of scary statistics and negative headlines. But I have also learned from meeting other women with bc, it doesn’t matter which type you have got , everyone has reasons to worry about their particular version.
Remember that for a lot of women chemo will do the trick her2 pos or not. For those that it doesn’t herceptin will work on about half again. Yes there are those who it will not work on, but we all know there are no guarantees with any treatment. Herceptin is still new statistically particularly for primary bc, but I know that onc s are very pleased with it.
I have finished chemo and start herceptin on Monday. I asked my onc why I wasn’t getting it alongside chemo and she said because I was having taxotere they don’t like to confuse side effects and possible allergic reactions. I do know a few others who have had them together.
Remember the word aggressive is used to describe many aspects of breast cancer, not just her2 +++.
There is a an American forum for her2 pos women if you google Her2 support it comes up. The introduction page is a bit off putting and be careful which threads you read, but it is a useful resource.
Good luck with your treatment. Debx
Hi TSR,
Like Midge I am also her+++ and er/pr-. But unlike you both I do have secondaries. Herceptin was not around when I had primaries. But where our type of breast cancer is described as aggressive - this was the case before herceptin except we had not been ‘labelled’ then, just that we had an aggressive cancer. Her2+++ affects about 20% of those with bc and herceptin is successful for many of us, but that is difficult to say when you have primary bc. I do know that for me, having had many recurrences, I wish herceptin had been around a lot earlier. I have had it since 2004 for secondaries and it has certainly worked well for me. So hopefully for both of you herceptin will work and give you many more years than you would have had without it.
Dawn
xx
as far as I understand it, if you are her2 +ve the cancer is more agressive, but if you then take herceptin it puts the survival statistics very much in line with those who are her2 -ve. So the only difference it makes (to someone with a primary diagnosis) is turning up to the hospital for another year to get the herceptin.
Thank you all. That was really helpful. Having always been a very reasoned and pragmatic person - I find that post diagnosis, that evades me sometimes at the moment!! Good luck you guys.
Im starting herceptin in the new year and i have no doubt in my mind that i want it. My chemo is working really well and after my first fec treatment my lymphnodes had shrunk after my second they cant find them now on my third. I have had an excellent response already but no way would i go without herceptin