Herceptin during rads??

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cdccpa
cdccpa Member Posts: 42
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

For those who have done rads, were you getting Herceptin during rads? 

I did neo-adjuvant chemo from June - Dec, so I had Herceptin with my 12 weekly Taxol.  I just had a lumpectomy on 1/9 and re-excision on 1/27 for clear margins.  Now I'm moving on to rads, but they will not start for about 2-3 more weeks and I won't be finished until sometime in April.  My onco says my 1 year of Herceptin will start AFTER rads are done.  I'm just worried about waiting 4 months before starting on Herceptin again...it seems like a long time!  Wondering how this compares to your experiences?

Thanks!

Carolyn

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  • ejlj
    ejlj Member Posts: 211
    edited February 2009

    hi carolyn,  I too did neo herceptin/taxol X12, but then had mastectomy, AC, and radiation.  Irestarted herceptin 2 weeks after last dose of AC, so herceptin and radiation did overlap.  are you going to have AC?  Tina

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  • cdccpa
    cdccpa Member Posts: 42
    edited February 2009

    Hi Tina,

    Thanks for your reply.  I forgot to put in my post, but I did have AC also...it was before my 12 weekly Taxol w/ H.  Can I ask which side your cancer/rads were on?  Mine was left so I'm wondering if they won't do rads on left side along w/ Herceptin because of possible heart damage from both.

    Carolyn

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  • ejlj
    ejlj Member Posts: 211
    edited February 2009

    carolyn,  left side breast cancer with mastectomy and lymphnode removal.  the radiation oncologists are so careful these days about missing your heart.  i know it's a risk, but the machines they use today are incredible.  I also had an inframammary node that was "suspicious" and could not be removed surgically that was VERY close to my heart and they fried it!  I'm pretty sure my heart is fine, but haven't had any tests yet to find out.  I've been told that the herceptin damage is reversible once it's stopped.  Do you feel like you had good results from your neo treatment?  Hope this helps.  Tina

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  • Auddie1
    Auddie1 Member Posts: 5
    edited February 2009

    Hi - I too had neo-adjuvant A/C, then Taxol+Herceptin, then bi-masc, then rads, and continued my Herceptin treatment through both surgery and rad. Everyone's situation is different, but neither my onc nor radiation onc ever questioned continuing the Herceptin during radiation. oh, and my cancer was on the right side!

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  • lexislove
    lexislove Member Posts: 2,645
    edited February 2009

    hi there,

    I did neo adjuvant chemo as well. ACT X 8, every 3 weeks, mastectomy then rads. My rads did overlap with my Herceptin treatment as well. There were 2 days when I had to rush like mad to make my Herceptin appt, but everything worked out well! Just a little planning ahead of time.

    My onc said to most definatly continue with the Herceptin every 3 weeks with the rads.My cancer was on the right side as well. ~ Good luck!~

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  • Brenda_R
    Brenda_R Member Posts: 509
    edited February 2009

    I had Herceptin AFTER rads. The Onc was concerned that it may be too hard on heart to both at the same time. I had A/C before rads, and my Muga was 55 after chemo.

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  • TammyLou
    TammyLou Member Posts: 740
    edited February 2009

    Yup.  Herceptin with rads.

    I also took FEC with Herceptin...most uncommon to take anthracyclines with Herceptin...I was at a way high risk of dying from cancer...so, just about any risk was justifiable.

    So far, heart is good.

    Tammy Lou

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  • fightinhrd123
    fightinhrd123 Member Posts: 633
    edited February 2009

    Herceptin with Rads also, but i had neo chemo and didnt start herceptin til after sugery.  Right side rads also, i think if it was on the left my onc wouldve waited til after radss.

     Laura

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  • 2frogs1princess
    2frogs1princess Member Posts: 120
    edited February 2009

    right side cancer...Herceptin started when I started Taxol and continued throughout my rads

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  • cdccpa
    cdccpa Member Posts: 42
    edited February 2009

    Thanks for all the replies ladies!  I am seeing my rads onc on Monday and I'm going to ask her about this.  Once I get her opinion I'm going to call my medical onc to discuss it.  I obviously don't want to risk heart damage if it is likely to occur...but I think I am more scared of HER2+ cancer!!  I have had ECHO's done to test my heart before and after AC chemo and there was no decrease...still around 68% I think it was.  I'm supposed to have another ECHO before I re-start Herceptin.

    Tina - I was VERY happy with my response to the neo-adj chemo.  At surgery, I had two sentinel nodes removed and both were clear as well as no IDC in the tissue removed.  Only a small amount of DCIS and had a re-excision due to only a 1mm margin on that.  But I think that is still considered a complete response as long as there is no invasive cancer left...so, chemo definitely worked!

    Carolyn 

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  • Gayleebug
    Gayleebug Member Posts: 166
    edited May 2009

    My signature says most of it, but ... left side cancer, have been on Herceptin since the beginning: all the way thru neo-adj chemo, surg, rads, PT ... will continue on it thru Aug (1 year since Dx).  My surgeon (who's otherwise an ass) had no problem with me getting the Herceptin infusions right before & after surgery, nor my rads doc throughout my rads treatment

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  • bluedasher
    bluedasher Member Posts: 1,203
    edited May 2009

    Mine was left side, lumpectomy and the rad onc let me stay on Herceptin during rads. I did the 5 week rads plus 1 week of boosts. He wouldn't let me do the 3-week treatment which is a higher rads dose because he hasn't seen data on the safety of that combined with Herceptin.

    I think it depends on your onc, your general health and perhaps how close to the heart they are having to radiate.

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