Breast Cancer Now Forum

oh no... just aware FDA has approved the Herceptin+Purjeta combo injection. I am a needle phobia...   https://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/fda-approves-phesgo-for-her2-pos-bc ... View more

Hi , I am triple positive. Was diagnosed in Aug 2018. Started with 8 cycles of 3 weekly paclitaxol+herceptin+purjeta, after then ,continue with H/P up to now. Last week just received my 31st cycle of H&P.  After 6th cycle, I found my vein was recovered a bit longer than 3 weeks. One time my nurse tried the vein under my thumb. My veins were good. Usually 1 attempt but this time 3 attempts. So painful... I decided the chemo port after my onco told me PICC line last for months but chemo port last for years. Since then, faster and easier to get my blood though I am still a needle phobia. ** ps I am no medical. Hi Angel eyes, seems you are triple + by reading your previous posts. Not sure if your 18 weeks scheme means only the weeks on THP or HP.  Hi Jennie60, I am no medical but I think your onco has chosen the best option for you.  😊  taxol vs cape. If remember correctly, my onco once told me the first line chemo is usually having a better ??performance rate?? (something like that, can't remember the exact term) statistics from the clinical research. By the way, before you decide whether PICC or port or vein, maybe you want to check with your onco what is your next treatment after the 18 weeks. Back to hormone?? continue with the weekly treatment ??       ... View more

missed 1 page in my last posting. ... View more

Hi Redfish, **ps. I am not any medical Anemia is one of the side effects palbociclib. But, should you have regular blood test like every 3 cycles and such, the development of anemia could be monitored? (just my thought), I am having herceptin for long term treatment. I understand from my onco if a s/e doesn't appear at the beginning, it is quite unlikely it will develop so much later. 7.5 years on pablociclib  🤔 . I am receiving treatment in Canada. Just to share the below information which is from BC cancer regency of Canada Health Authorities and hope it helps.   ... View more

Hi PinziA, I think UTI is listed as a side effect of Fulvestrant. By the way, does anyone encountered UTI while taking calcium supplement ? I started daily intake of 1000 vitamin D3 (1000 IU) and calcium carbonate (500 mg) last week. On the 2nd and 3rd day, both days I had urgent pee which lasted about couple hours each time. I googled which said calcium supplement may increase the risk of UTL. I then stopped and resumed on last Saturday. Urgent pee again and this time blood in the urine.... Went to GP and was prescribed Monurol. Today have a meeting with my oncologist but she said there is nothing to do with calcium and they are good for me. She also clarified it is not due to my cancer as my latest CT scan 3 weeks ago was "good", "no change". Seems she has no worry. I am on Letrozole, Herceptin and Purjeta but none of them have UTI on the S/E list. Could it be just a coincidence or due to my lowered estrogen?? ... View more

I am not any medical and have no experience of taking cape. Just found this and like to share.   ... View more

Hi Debi2, lacrimation is one of the pertuzumab SEs. It happened to me a few times during my SBC treatment. ... View more

Hi Preet, I have SBC. I am currently on Letrozole+Herceptin+Purjeta. Last week just finished my 30th cycles of H+P. I am not any medical. But, my understanding arterial/venous thromboembolism is NOT listed as a SE of H nor P.  xx Mel         ... View more

Hi Walsh, I am receiving treatment in Canada. Just to share my findings from the BC cancer agency website about the time dependency between the 3 AIs. It explains why you are put on Cape (a kind of chemo) after Letrozole and Pablociclib. I am not any medical but from the piece of information I think you may still eligible for Fulvestrant (not an AI. No guideline in BC cancer agency yet but I heard some patients are given Fulvestrant right after Letrozole/Anatrozole) and E/E.     ... View more

Hi Shirley, please check with your onco / medical team. ps. I am NOT any medical. I am guessing would it be due to the 16% side effect dyspnea. ... View more

Hi Gillyflower, I have a similar liver issue. In 2011, my onco told me there was a lesion in my liver. He specified after MRI it was not cancer but a polyp and probably it was there since birth. However, they would monitor closely. My mom (also had bc) had the same in her liver and also was told it was not cancer.  In 2018 Sep, I was diagnosed sbc and was told there were lesions in my heart, lung, sternum, abdominal lining, liver. Up to now,  I have changed 3 onco. (1) 1st CT scan after 4 cycles chemo (Jan 2019),  my 1st onco said all lesions shrunk away except the 2 lesions in liver but she had no worry about it. (2)2nd CT scan after 8 cycles chemo, my 2nd onco said the liver lesions should be cancer as they shrunk with chemo. (3)3rd CT scan In July 2019, my 3rd onco said the liver lesions were BEGNIGN. (4)4th CT scan in Dec 2019 showed 'CLEAN'.  However, I challenged and said my last onco told me it was cancer. My 3rd onco then said MRI can tell but this would not change my regime. (5) The 5th CT scan my onco put a statement "cancerous liver lesion". She tried to explain there was the confusion bcoz the lesions are a nodule...I then said but in 2011 I was told it was not cancer after a MRI. My onco said I didn't tell her this and she would change to "unidentified lesions". I asked for a MRI but she said only when a increase in size or number. (6) the blood test two weeks ago showed my tumor marker CA15-3 further dropped to 13.2. So I think you may wait until you get the MRI result (which should be in soon ? in a week ??) and based on that then you can work with your medical team for the best treatment plan for you.   ps. (1) I totally understand where you come from. I concur they should not first stop Pablociclib then MRI. (2)I am not any medical. I just guess your onco had asked for 2nd opinion. Probably the new lesions showed a different shape (speck??) on your scan compared to others. Hugs, MelMel       ... View more

Hi, as posted in the private section, personally I have no experience of cape but just want to share below information for what I found on the BC cancer agency of Canada Provincial Medical Authorities and hope it is useful. Pic 3 is for the management of chemo-induced vomiting ... View more

Personally I don't have any similar experience. Heard from my in-law living in the US there are a few options for treating HER2+ metastatic bc.  ps. I am not any medical Herceptin + Purjeta Kadcyla (which, you already have it) Neratinib + Xeloda ( a newer treatment approved recently) Lapatinib + Xeloda (an older treatment) By the way, look like your primary treatment is adjuvant. Did your first after treatment scan was taken before radiotherapy or after ? At that time, have you started the hormone therapy ?             ... View more

Hi Ruthie2, Attached the side effects (pg2only, want to highlight the percentage for muscle PAIN which I am suffering 😎 , doable and manageable though) of Letrozole for your reference.   ... View more

Hi Ruthie2, Personally I don't have any experience of Anatrszole. I am receiving my treatment in Canada and I am on letrozole. Below is the document which I found on the BC cancer agency of Canada Provincial Health Authorities website. it seems depression (not for letrozole) and hypercholesterolemia (4-12% for letrozole) are both a known side effect of Anatrozole. However, you may also want to discuss with your medical team about the side effects of other AI before making a decision.  PS. personally, I don't like to take any anti-depression pill if I can avoid.   ... View more

Hi Tah65, Maybe, you want to discuss with your medical team to participate in another trial.  ps. I am not TN https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/find-a-clinical-trial/clinical-trials-search?populate=Breast%20cancer&f%5B0%5D=field_trial_status%3A4386&items_per_page=20&page=1 ... View more

Happy Birthday!!!, MBJ, I hope you read this.  Don't know how to go down this lengthy :smileylol: thread and confirm. I get my treatment in another country and remember you are the first one to welcome me to this forum (thank you) and also your birthday is the same as me in March  :smileyvery-happy: .  ... View more

I am not any medical. I understand 8 cycles is the maximum by reading the protocol summary created by BC cancer agency of Canada Provincial health authorities website, ps. I was offered the maximum 8 cycles at beginning based on my primary treatment history (what my onco said)   BC Cancer Protocol Summary for Palliative Therapy for Metastatic Breast Cancer using DOCEtaxel           ... View more

Hi Jencat, Maybe you want to check with your onco if it is technical you can't have the same area radiated two times or it is not offered under NHS. I posted a link in this thread before which is about the radiation therapy for breast cancer in USA. I am no medical but my understanding technically it is possible. Besides, like Shi said, the 1st time radiation is usually to the breast and maybe nodes and collar bone. My (sternum)  met is 1 inch exactly right above my tattoo in the middle of my chest. Again I am no medical. I simply guess the tattoo is the borderline of radiation.  I had requested my onco if I can have radiation to the 'dot'. He rejected me and only said my first onco expected it can be cleared by the chemo. After finished all the active treatment, he told me the lesion is 'rotted' (yep, he used this word though my 3rd onco didn't quite understand at first and later explained the cancer is gone and leave a hole. In my recent bone scan (in Dec or Jan), my current onco said the 1cm disruptive tissue is healing and only one-tenth left and hardly seen on CT scan.   At first,  I thought you might be able to get some 'curable' treatment like surgery and immediate radiation to the tumor bed and the sternum 'dot' then chemo.   ... View more