New here....and a question...

hippiemom

Hi!  My name is Tonya.  I have stage 1 and am HER/+. I am doing 4 tx of chemo and Herceptin.  But my onc said that I wont be doing the Herceptin for a year by itself cause there havent been enough studies done on the benefits in stage 1.  I have noticed here and a few other boards that other women with stage 1 are doing it....   So, what do you guys think.  I am researching it so I can talk to my onc about it when I go back on the 29th.  I want to do all I can, u know???

Estepp

I thought Herceptin WAS now for early stage her2 BC as well as late stage?? That is what I read. I will have it a yr but I am about stage ll b. ( I will never know for sure ) Chemo first for me.

I would want Herceptin if I was stage 1. Was it in nodes? If it was not, they may be saving Herceptin for "IF" you ever need it later. I would address this question with him as the most important question there is for us HER2+

Gods Love,

Laura

hippiemom

No, nodes were neg.  It is so confusing.  He said that the Herceptin with chemo like I am doing is all I'll need.  I hate the HER2+, it makes me so nervous

wendyk13

Could it be that maybe you misunderstood your onc?  That he meant that you wouldn't do Herceptin alone, but needed chemo along with it...meaning that chemo first and then continuing the Herceptin for the year.  Herceptin is for anyone who is Her2+...and the protocol in this country is one year.  If you are from New Zealand tho...I hear that they will only give you 9 infusions as they don't feel the data is there for any longer treatment.  You are grade 3 and er/pr- so having Herceptin is crazy important for you...at least accordingly to my onc, my surgeon and all my reading!  BTW...I was stage 1, grade 2,  node-neg ,1.5 cm, er/pr+ and am able to take arimidex and onc felt that the MOST IMPORTANT THING was that I get the Herceptin.

Brenda_R

What kind chemo are you having? 

texasmom

I had stage 1 IDC and my oncologist said that herceptin in recommended for early stage HER2+ breast cancers. It has been proven to reduce recurrence based on clinical trials. I am having Taxotere, Cytoxan and Herceptin for six treatments every three weeks and will continue the Herceptin for one year. After chemo, I will also get radiation treatment. My oncologist said we should hit the cancer with the big guns while we have the chance. I did have lymph/vascular involvement but no nodes so I don't know if that made a difference in his recommendation.

lisa39

I'm stage 1 - node negative and I'm getting Herceptin for a year.  In fact, I just got back from Herceptin #6 today.  It's the second one I've had post-chemo.  The first 4  I received were given with Taxol.  You should definitely ask a few more questions Tonya.

Best,

Lisa 

hippiemom

I am having Taxotere,Cytoxan and Herceptin....but I am having 4 tx every 3 weeks.  I had no lymph/vascular involvement.  I am going to go over it again with him, because I feel like the best thing is to do all I can right now....you know.  But he has said over and over that I wont be doing the herceptin for a year.  He said that if I was stage 2 then I would need it after chemo, but not being stage 1.  He is good about listening to what I say, so I know he will do it for a year if I want to,  At this point I want it.....

Brenda_R

I just wanted to make sure you weren't doing Herceptin with Adriamycin. They tried to do that with me, and that's a no-no.

I know there were some studies about giving H short term (I believe it was 3 months), as compared to the year's course, but I never saw the results posted.

I think I would feel better with the full year. 

hippiemom

Hey!!  Well, I saw my onc today and he said that it is up to me if I want to do the Herceptin for 6 mo to a year.  So I am going to do it for a year.  I have read to much about it not to do it..you know??  So now I feel better about that.  If I didnt do it and it came back I would always be doing the "what ifs".  He said that it is pretty easy....not much side effects.  I hope thats the case

bluewillow

Hey there Hippiemom, Good for you!  I think you have made the right decision.  I wasn't given a choice whether to do Herceptin or not, but if I had been, I would definitely have said "yes!"  Your diagnosis sounds almost identical to mine, so you're not alone by any means.  I had 4 DD Adriamycin and Cytoxan, plus 12 weekly Taxols, then Herceptin alone after that plus radiation and did very well.  I am still having Herceptin, should finish up my year in November, and I am doing great.  I have had a little more fatigue lately, but sometimes I think I'm just lazy

Hang in there and take care-- you will be fine!

Mary Jo

Sassa

Hang in there, Hippiemom - herceptin is definitely the way to go.

Bluewillow, I felt the same way on herceptin the last few months.  I seemed to be more fatigued and I slept like a rock for 9-10 hours a night.  I finished the herceptin in the middle of February this year and by the start of April I noticed my energy returning.

Another Mary Jo