Who watched Stand Up to Cancer?....

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Carolina59
Carolina59 Member Posts: 232
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

I was putting my daughter to bed and missed this, but my dh said there was a Her2+, Stage IV bc survivor who was treated only with Herceptin? Tykerb?--he doesn't remember what it was. Did anyone see this? I want to know more.  

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  • TammyLou
    TammyLou Member Posts: 740
    edited September 2008

    I think they said she had a cancer in her breast that was so big that it was busting through the skin AND lung mets.

    2.5 years NED.

    I think that she currently takes Herceptin only.  I can't imagine that sort of response to Herceptin only AND protocol indicates chemotherapy for visceral (lung) mets.

    Tammy Lou

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  • TammyLou
    TammyLou Member Posts: 740
    edited September 2008

    P.S.  One of the young survivors (www.youngsurvival.org)

    Marin514 cleaned up her liver with taxotere and herceptin.  (NED)

    6-8 months later she popped a coupla' hot lymph nodes...but her liver is clean as a whistle.

    (No kidding!)

    Tammy Lou

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  • Dejaboo
    Dejaboo Member Posts: 2,916
    edited September 2008

    I saw that to & thought - what is this?  They said she never had Chemo.

    I forget exactly how they worded her treatment....I dont think they said she was taking herceptin...I thought they worded it different...I cant remember Foot in mouth

    Pam

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  • wishiwere
    wishiwere Member Posts: 3,793
    edited September 2008

    It's supposed to be rerun on sunday morning at 11:00 am, I believe they said.  You can go to wzzm13.com to get some info from it. 

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  • suemed8749
    suemed8749 Member Posts: 1,151
    edited September 2008

    I was surprised too when they said she never had chemo. I know she was treated with Herceptin - Am I right in thinking she was in a clinical trial? She was answering phones on the stage and looked gorgeous.

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  • lexi4
    lexi4 Member Posts: 1,074
    edited September 2008

    Yes,I think they said that she has weekly herceptin txs. She looked great! ANd healthy!

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  • rohmdesign
    rohmdesign Member Posts: 1
    edited September 2008

    She was treated at a medical facility in CA. They did not mention herceptin, only that she did not have chemo, but was treated with a medication that is developed in the lab and only distroyed the cancer cells while her healthy cells were not harmed. Sounds like herceptin to me, but they did not say that is what is was. Let me know if anyone finds out her name and any other details!

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  • Daffodil
    Daffodil Member Posts: 829
    edited October 2008

    Their website has some articles on herceptin. They are presently swamped, so you can't log on~~~try later. I thought they did mention herceptin with the aerobics instructor, but I was cooking at the time!

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  • JoniB
    JoniB Member Posts: 346
    edited September 2008

    She definitely did not have chemo.  They did not say she had Herceptin - I think they may have said gene therapy that attacked only the cancer cells.  She was definitely HER2+.  My immedicate response was "wow, Herceptin without chemo - why wouldn't they give that to me?".  However, they did not say Herceptin.  I would love to know as well. 

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  • Carolina59
    Carolina59 Member Posts: 232
    edited September 2008
    Thanks, everyone. Yes, my dh said they definitely did NOT mention Herceptin--he would've remembered it since I was on it for one year. I guess I'm glad I got the chemo, too, (TCH) so I feel I've attacked the cancer with everything possible. But I'm very interested in the new txs that target the Her2+. 

    Thanks for the info that they are going to rebroadcast. I'll try to watch it. 
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  • EGAL
    EGAL Member Posts: 539
    edited September 2008

    I saw that also and thought "I'm Stage 3 and I had 8 rounds of chemo, bilateral masectomy, radiation and Herceptin.  They did not mention the word Herceptin but that is what it must have been.  I told my DH I as going to ask my Ocon in two weeks when I have an appt. if that is really possible.  I would like to have been "cured" without the treatments that I had to endure.

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  • kimbly
    kimbly Member Posts: 398
    edited September 2008

    I could have sworn they did mention Herceptin but perhaps with them talking about her being her2+ I just assumed.  Sure sounds like it to me.  I also was amazed that she had no chemo with a tumor that large.  I have chemo and herceptin (currently still on herceptin every 3wks) and it is so wonderful to hear a story like that. 

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  • Brenda_R
    Brenda_R Member Posts: 509
    edited September 2008

    It looks like you can watch it on the web here-

    http://www.nbc.com/Movies_Specials_More/Stand_Up_To_Cancer/video/episodes/ 

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  • tomatojuice
    tomatojuice Member Posts: 382
    edited September 2008

    I saw it too. Did not hear them mention herceptin, only something about being treated with some kind of antibodies?THey said her tumor was so large, it burst right out of the breast tissue. She looked great, healthy, beautiful and strong.And she was NED.She didn't have chemo or rads.

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  • Maryiz
    Maryiz Member Posts: 975
    edited September 2008

    Carolina 59, Just to let you know, they are doing vaccine trials that target HER2 and say they are very promising.  Johns Hopkins is one place that is doing this trial.  Lets hope it can stop it in its tracks. Maryiz

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  • JoniB
    JoniB Member Posts: 346
    edited September 2008

    I am not aware that they are doing the HER2 vaccine trial at Hopkins.  On the east coast, I thought it was only Wake Forest in NC - except for Walter Reed in MD - but you have to be in the arm services.  I just checked their website and they are testing a general breast cancer vaccine.  Please let me know if they are indeed doing the HER2 vaccine clinical trial.  

    Joan

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  • Mary-Lou
    Mary-Lou Member Posts: 2,230
    edited September 2008
    I just watched it, I had to tape it cause I was out of town. . The Her2 gal did have Herceptin but no chemo.. That was what popped out to me and I said something to my husband at the very moment it was mentioned.
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2008
    I thought it odd also, that her only treatment was Herceptin without chemo.   
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  • Carolina59
    Carolina59 Member Posts: 232
    edited September 2008
    Does this mean I could've saved my breasts? No bilateral mastectomy, no chemo. I'm amazed. Does anyone know where she was treated?

    Thanks for the link, by the way, I will watch it later tonight I hope.
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  • Mary-Lou
    Mary-Lou Member Posts: 2,230
    edited September 2008

    Update: I know when I watched it it had the word Herceptin on the screen.

    But I just went back and listened to the report and it didn't say she had Herceptin. She was treated with a Lab Created Antibody at UCLA's  Johnson Comprehensive center through a trial study.

    She was 1 of 2 of the worst  cases ever seen and had been given 2 months to live, that was two years ago.

    Her name was Stephanie Grimes.

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  • HensonChi
    HensonChi Member Posts: 357
    edited September 2008

    A news report about her that says she did use herceptin.

    Unique cancer treatment saves woman

    Friday, May 09, 2008   By Denise Dador

    LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A local woman had a breast cancer so aggressive, she could see it on her skin. She didn't have much hope until doctors offered her a unique treatment.

    Fitness instructor Stephanie Grimes is the picture of strength and balance.

    Click in the Eyewitness News Story Window above to watch the accompanying video.

    She rarely gets sick, but in 2006 something she thought was an unusual mosquito bite on her chest ended up being an extremely aggressive form of breast cancer. Doctors told her that it was a severe case.

    Story continues below Advertisement

    "They told me that it was one of the most severe cases of breast cancer that they had seen," explains Grimes.

    The cancer had literally eaten through her chest wall and eventually caused a large open wound.

    "At that point I had been given about two months to live," said Grimes.

    The disease had spread to her lymph nodes. At this point, standard treatment wouldn't help.

    "Chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer is not curative," said Oncologist John Glaspy, MD.

    Dr. Glaspy at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center suggested the an experimental drug therapy combination of Herceptin and Avastin.

    "The thing that made her cancer really aggressive also gave us a target," explains Dr. Glaspy.

    The drugs target proteins that feed the cancer. Within the first few weeks, Stephanie saw her lumps start to disappear.

    "They had shrunk tremendously. Externally I could see changes occurring right away," said Grimes.

    And except for a little fatigue, she hardly felt any side effects. Two years after she was told she had two months to live, Stephanie's prognosis is very hopeful.

    Stephanie's tumor before herceptin and avastin was a substantial size, but after her treatment it shrunk significantly.

    "Things are going very well and they may go well indefinitely," said Dr. Glaspy.

    "I am truly blessed with the outcome of the treatment that I am on," said Grimes.

    The clinical trial is one of many happening at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. And some of the proceeds from the Revlon Run Walk funds their research.

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  • Little-G
    Little-G Member Posts: 647
    edited September 2008

    Right on for posting the link to watch it!!  Thanks for that!

    g

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  • Mary-Lou
    Mary-Lou Member Posts: 2,230
    edited September 2008

    Thanks for that post, I thought I saw that.

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  • jan125
    jan125 Member Posts: 411
    edited September 2008

    Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I usually post on the mets board, but I am her2+ with mets to bone and liver. NED at present (almost 2 years now!)

    I am on herceptin one time every 3 weeks. They can give a shorter infusion 1 time every week, but I like the convience of every 3.

    According to my onc. there is a good possibility that herecptin only will become the new standard of care (meaning no chemo) for early her2+ bc.

    That's one great drug!!!

    Jan

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  • JoniB
    JoniB Member Posts: 346
    edited September 2008

    jan125 - do you know of any trials for Herceptin as stand-alone treatment?  

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  • DEAK95
    DEAK95 Member Posts: 121
    edited September 2008

    Most doctors will say that Herceptin is your chemotherapy (chemical therapy) but it is actually  a mono-clonal antibody treatment for the Her2-neu+ protein in patients with + tumors since it attacks only these cells to stop them from replicating and spreading. I guarantee you she is also on some anti-estrogen drugs like arimidex or aromasin, etc... even if she has had a hysterectomy since the adrenal glands still produce estrogens, even after menopause. The Stand up for Cancer show was a nice surprise to see on TV. I've also been on Herceptin Weekly for 2.5 yrs and my Bone Mets have shrunk to stable.  Pat

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  • DianaT
    DianaT Member Posts: 532
    edited September 2008

    Here are some links with a bit of info for the vaccine:

    http://www.springerlink.com/content/tj451863035u3132/

    http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=20145290

    http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/content/abstract/23/30/7536

    If you google E75 Her2+, you should be able to find additional information.  I am not sure if only people in the armed services can get into the trial, but I know the armed services are spearheading the trials.

    Looks very promising to me and I am ready to get the vaccine!

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  • ango74
    ango74 Member Posts: 255
    edited September 2008

    I just had my first onco appt. after my surgery today.  I signed up to do a study that adds Avastin with the Herceptin but I will also be getting my regular chemo too.  I wonder if this is the same as the E75 trail, I will have to ask.  Sounds promising though.

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  • HensonChi
    HensonChi Member Posts: 357
    edited September 2008

    I was in the trial with avastian, but once they found out I needed herceptin they said I couldn't be in the trial anymore, as it is not for people with the her/neu thing.

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  • cheryl58
    cheryl58 Member Posts: 182
    edited September 2008

    Brenda,

    Thank you so much for the link.  I missed the show because we had out-of-town company.  I just sat here and had a darn good cry for an hour but feel very hopeful and enpowered since watching this very uplifting and inspiring show.  Thanks again!

    Cheryl

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