TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP

ElaineTherese

Jerseygirl22,

Glad to hear that you're reaching the end of your "chemo journey"! Hope the SEs from your last infusion are bearable and that you recover quickly.

rosesrx

Jersey, yeah to the last chemo! The taste buds and energy DO come back. 8 weeks PFC feeling better every day. Here's to an uneventful spa day.

amylsp

Last Chemo is so wonderful. Congratulations for making it through!

lauragirl

Hi. I was just wondering after AC/ taxol chemos are done and the one year of Herceptin is still ongoing, do we usually take tamoxifen during the time? I read somewhere tamoxifen increases her2 cells? Is this true?

ElaineTherese

I had my last chemo on 12/3/14, then had my operation (lumpectomy) on 1/11/15. In February, I resumed Herceptin and began hormonal therapy (Aromasin). I have never heard that about tamoxifen; maybe, someone else can chime in.

LindaKR

Im on an AI and they started it about 6 weeks PFC, during rads and while I was still on herceptin

SpecialK

laura - this is some older info, but worth reading and speaking to your MO about regarding ER+/Her2+ and the effect of Tamoxifen.  I think there is some lack of clarity as to whether it is Her2+ overexpression making Tamoxifen less effective, or Tamoxifen stimulation of Her2.  The question becomes what is driving a recurrence - the Her2+ or the ER+, or both, because of Tamoxifen stimulation, Tamoxifen resistance,  poor metabolizing of Tamoxifen from the outset, or none of those things. 

http://www.cancernetwork.com/articles/preventive-effects-tamoxifen-vary-her2-level

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/407813_5

http://www.clinchem.org/content/55/8/1453.long

JerseyGirl22

Extremely bummed.... last chemo delayed until Tuesday Nov. 10th!!!! The peripheral neuropathy that I am having in my fingers and toes is not easing enough, so they want to back off for a week to see if it eases up more, and then do last chemo on Tuesday. They want to take every precaution that the PN doesn't become permanent. (insert sigh) I guess it was more upsetting to get ready for the end of this phase and ready to ring that bell and have this part done. Especially since I met with the Radiation Onc, and set my plastic surgery consult appt. So I was really seeing the light at the end of the tunnel when I rolled up to the MO's office today.

It's all good and I'll warrior on.... just really want to go bat the crud out of something right now... Keep the good vibes coming for next week women! So glad you all are out here a support!

KateB79

My MO doesn't seem to think there's room to play around with NOT doing endocrine therapy. . . But you'd better believe I'll ask her about the ER+/HER2 crosstalk when I see her on Wednesday!

JerseyGirl, hang in there. There's still light at the end of the tunnel. And think of it this way: you have a week of feeling pretty good ahead of you, right?

Tresjoli2

I asked my onc about the cross talk and she said it can be possible. I am on Lupron but on tamoxifen instead of AI. MO was worried about bone density and said clot risk on tamoxifen was same as the pill, which I was on for decades...

TTfan

jersey girl, take a breath and enjoy the break! I had a similar thing happen (bad echo result) and had to wait I hated pushing off the end, but next Wednesday will be the last Herceptin - so I did (or soon will) get there anyway!


Special K does the ER/Her2 crosstalk thing potentially decrease AI effect too? I didn't see anything about that in a brief literature search.


Another turmeric fan here, I take it in 1000mg capsules twice a day. I had a marked decrease in AI related joint pain within a week.


Now I'm working on the nasty hot flashes with acupuncture - they do seem less intense and a little less frequent but too soon to tell for sure.

SpecialK

ttfan - not that I am aware of, but I have not been looking exhaustively.  I know that my MO was specific about wanting me on Femara - my assumption was a performance edge statistically and I never really quizzed him about it, but he did let me switch to Arimidex after six months due to trigger finger issues.  I stayed on it for a year, but then developed more triggers so I switched back to Femara, but a different brand, and no further problems.  The potential interference with Tamoxifen may have been why my MO was less than enthusiastic about my suggestion to switch to Tamoxifen after my five years are up with AI drugs.  I am willing to stay on something and I am not sure I want to fly without a net!  I have my regular appointment with him next month and I will bring the crosstalk question up in regards to both types of hormonal therapy and see what he says.

debiann

Ah, Jersey girl so sorry they postponed your last tx. That's really a letdown, even if its for a good reason.

I had some disappointment too yesterday. I had a reconstruction revision surgery and was so looking forward to nipples but the PS decided they have to wait till what he did settles do they are even. He'll do them in a couple months in his office, sigh. The revision however looks really good.

I have a new issue that I think is chemo related and wondering if anyone else has experienced this, an ingrown nose hair! I'm guessing that when they.grew back one came in sideways.

ElaineTherese

Sorry about your nipples but good news about your revision surgery, debiann! I know you weren't happy with how your reconstruction looked.

JerseyGirl22, sorry about the delay. Here's hoping your neuropathy dissipates and you can be done soon!

JerseyGirl22

Thanks for the encouragement, my warrior women! So many people have said, "Aww, it's just a week, what's the big deal?" It's hard to explain to someone who doesn't get it... I'm thankful for you women out here who understand what it means to be so close to the end of this part of the journey, and to have it delayed.

Warrior on! Breathe in. Breathe out. Move forward, always! I'll have a definitive on next week by Friday when they assess the neuropathy. Meet with the PS on Friday, so praying for some positive news with regard to reconstruction...

Suladog

Jersey,

Congrats on getting done with chemo!!

KateB79

I asked my oncologist today about ER+/HER2 crosstalk. She said that many of those studies (which indicated that Tamoxifen might amplify HER2) were done before Herceptin was protocol for HER2+, and that Herceptin has all but eliminated that concern. For what it's worth.

She wants me to have genetic testing far beyond BRCA, and I have really mixed emotions about it. Do I want to know if I have some weird mutation that means I'll get more cancer? Not really. But she put it to me like this: if we know, then we know. Then, if something comes along (immunotherapy, gene therapy, etc.), I'll be a candidate.

Any thoughts about this?

Jerseygirl927

go for it, age would indicate much, your will to live, and possible new discoveries. My 33 year old daughter went for the testing because of our family history, she was not fearful at all. Now the other daughter doesn't want to know, but is willing to go for hysterectomy because of bleeding, here age is another factor. It's rotten we have this type of breast cancer but the more they know, the more I hope they can improve cause no one is getting out alive.

Musosgirl

That is a good point--if you know and can qualify for something down the road... At our age that is something definitely worth considering.

Vildanbt

Hello

I want to ask something. My mother has triple positive tumour, she is 63 years old. And we just started neoadjuvant chemotherapy. She took 1 cycle epirubicin docetaxel cyclophosphamide and in the second cycle she will take herceptin docetaxel cyclophosphamide. Our onc did not order Echocardiogram or MUGA.

Is cardiac examination mandatory during HERCEPTIN treatment, are we doing something missing

debiann

Did your mom recently have a Muga or Echo so they already have her baseline data? Definitely ask about having this done. Some have had to delay or even stop herceptin because of its effect on their heart. It needs to be monitored. I had a baseline MUGA, 2 during treatment and one when treatment was finished. The center that did my MUGAs said that most of their patients are on herceptin.

Gretagirl

I have been missing for awhile. Life had been crazy and I had to put one of my dogs down. Good news yesterday was my last chemo!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Will start radiation in about three weeks. Hugs to all!!!

SpecialK

greta - yay for finishing chemo, but so sorry about your doggy.

vildanbt - it is really important that your mom have either a MUGA scan or echocardiogram because in addition to the Herceptin she is receiving Adriamycin/Epirubucin, which can cause a more permanent type of heart damage.  She does need to have a baseline of her ejection fraction, which is pumping action of the heart, asap.

Vildanbt

thanks for the answers. Doctor stopped epirubisin after starting herceptin. She took only one epirubicin. I asked him but after the first cycle for ECHO. He said not necessary. So I searched form the web and looked pro BNP myself. It was normal. But I worried about why he did not tell me.

rosesrx

Greta, So sorry for the loss of your furbaby. Look forward to energy and taste returning post chemo. Taking a deep breath for you and doing a happy dance.

amylsp

Congratulations on last Chemo Gretagirl! Hopefully, radiation will seem easy compared to chemo. That's how is was for me.

Trisha-Anne

I celebrated being five years out a couple of weeks ago, and then found a lump in my remaining breast.

I'd had an MRI in March this year that was totally clear. I've had an u/s and core biopsy and this thing is big and ugly. Already at 2.5cm with it's own blood supply. Hopefully will have results of the receptors next week. We are testing for HER2 as well.

I'm seeing my bs on Tuesday. I'm currently on Femara, and now wondering if I should be still taking it. It obviously hasn't prevented a new primary.

Feeling very overwhelmed at the moment.

ElaineTherese

Trisha-Anne! I'm so sorry. Five years and you think you're out of the woods, but you're not. That's what sucks about this disease; it's sneaky and underhanded. I don't know what to say about the Femara; it may have sort-of worked if your new primary is triple negative. Best wishes for successful treatment; hope you start feeling less swamped soon.

Congrats, Gretagirl!

SpecialK

trisha - so sorry - sending you strength to face the coming news and a hug across the miles!

LindaKR

My MO had me get an echo before I started Herceptin, and another after about 6 months on it.  I know others who have also had one after, but my MO felt that since there was no difference between my first two that one after was not needed.  I was 54-55 at the time.