new mets - looking for advice (ER+, Her2+, PR+)

metswarrior

Hi, I am a 5 year breast cancer survivor and a 3 year metastatic breast cancer survivor. I am ER+, PR+, Her2+. I had bone mets to my spine in 2005. I have been on Herceptin, Zometa, Faslodex since 1/2005. I have been clean of disease since then. Last week I was diagnosed with mets to my lung. 4 small spots smaller than 1 cm.

My treatment recommendations were to combine Herceptin with chemo (either Navelbine or a Taxane) or to take Lapatinib with Xeloda.

I wanted to hear your stories and your treatment recommendations and why.

I was also considering doing Herceptin, Lapatinib, Faslodex, Lupron/Zoladex. Has anyone tried that combination?

Looking forward to your remarks.

Sincerely,

Dikla

nash

Sorry to hear about your new mets. I'm not Stage IV, but my mom is. Exact same stats as you--5 year survivor, 3 years with mets, ER+ PR+ HER+. She's been on Herceptin since diagnosed with mets until this month, and she's always had to have it in combination with chemo to stop progression. So that's great that you've gone 3 years without adding a chemo to the mix.

My mom has had pretty much every chemo combo out there, and was on Xeloda/Herceptin for a year until she started progressing again. She's staying on the Xeloda, but switched the Heceptin to Tykerb (lapatinib). She's not tolerating the Tykerb well, but it's early days yet, so we'll see.

If I were you, I'd try the Herceptin with a chemo (either Navelbine or a taxane is fine--you have to try it out to see what works) before switching to Tykerb. I'd save that for when Herceptin stops working. I think you'll find you'll get a good response just by adding chemo.

Herceptin and Tykerb haven't been approved for use together, there are no studies to suggest it's beneficial to combine them, and most oncs won't prescribe them that way.

Have you visited www.her2support.org? In addition to the HER section of this board, that site is an absolute goldmine of information on HER2 breast cancer.

KimRI

Hi,
I was diagnosed 1/03(33yrs.old,married, 2 1/2yr.daughter & 6mth. old daughter at the time!!!))ER+,HER+,PR+,Stage 2(3cm. tumor, microcalcifications to milk ducts & 1+ sentinel node of 6) had rt. mastectomy, 4AC chemo,35 radiation, 3yrs. Tamoxifen,proph.mast. & lat flap reconstruction.........Thought I was done with cancer.........

Dec '05 was treating terrible back pains in center of back. I had pulled muscles moving xmas gifts and finally after 1mth. was better. I went to my 4mth. Oncol. visit in Jan.'06 and he suggested a bone scan........... Well, it came back to my liver(tiny lesions all over it), collapsed 2 vertebra in my center back, diseased 2 vertebra in my lower lumbar. I had a port put in, started with 10 radiation to my back..... weekly Herceptin, Carboplatin, Taxol, Zometa(1xmth) in March '06-Oct.'06. Went into clinical remission NED!!!!!!YIPPEE!!! in Oct., with the exception of a cyst on my liver. Had a complete Hysterectomy,tubes & ovary removal in Nov. at which time I dropped the Carboplatin off the routine. Currently, I go for weekly Herceptin,Taxol & Zometa(1xmth). I have had no side affects other than a day of a little nausea(which will be tomorrow because I just got my 70th treatment today!!!). My Dr. is in CA right now for another matter and was going to discuss my case, as we are thinking of moving me to Herceptin, Zometa and Arimidex in the near future.

Everyone says I am so strong......I guess we just have to deal with what we have, never give up, don't look at the statistics for Stage iv because they are 5-10yrs. old and we could be the lucky % that dies of old age, realize that there are MANY options out there for us if one fails and keep on smelling the flowers!!!!!!

Sorry to blab so much. It's just that when you are talking to women that have been there, done that, they know exactly where you are coming from.

Take care!
Kim

Anonymous

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Anonymous

back on topic...

KimRI

What the @~%!#?????????? Who wants to see those pics???????