What chemo treatments are you on with Herceptin?

Options
2»

Comments

  • SSAZ
    SSAZ Member Posts: 16
    edited August 2010

    Boo 

    I spoke with 2 oncologists before receiving treatment. The first preferred the TCH (with carboplatin) regimen, the second oncologist agreed stating that this is the most established non-anthracycline regimen. The second oncologist also offered what he referred to as the Jones' regimen which uses cytoxan and taxotere; Herceptin is also given concommitantly. Both steered me away from the use of an anthracycline but let me decide. So, I think you received a treatment that was certainly in use 2 years ago when I was making my decision and has probably been used quite a bit more since then. I certainly understand wanting to have had your options presented up front but hopefully this will make you a little more comfortable with your treatment. How you feel about your oncologist not discussing the options with you at the time is certainly something to consider going forward.   

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bluedasher
    bluedasher Member Posts: 1,203
    edited August 2010

    mmm, the TCH that was tested was with the C being Carboplatin. They chose that because in vitro tests showed some synergy between Carboplatin and Herceptin killing the cells. (Of course, we don't know if the in vitro tests reflect what will happen in a living person.)

    Cytoxan may be just as good as Carboplatin with Taxotere and Herceptin, but we won't know until testing is done on that regime.

    Also, only 6 cycles was tested. We won't know if 4 cycles is enough for Stage I women until testing on that completes - I think some has been started. 

    Boo, while you got a chemo that hasn't been tested, we know that you got at least two drugs that are very effective against HER2+ cancers - Taxotere and Herceptin. Carboplatin is harder on the body than Cytoxan from what I understand. For stage I, the chemo you got may be better (all or most of the benefit with less short or long term side effects) than the established TCH x6 regime.

    Having realized only a couple of years ago how important chemo and H were for Stage I HER2+, there are a lot of clinical trials under way to try to tune in on an easier but effective chemo regime targeted at our group. 

    I think your onc should have let you know that the regime he was suggested wasn't one of the tested regimes and why he wanted to deviate from that, but it probably wasn't a bad decision.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • CoolBreeze
    CoolBreeze Member Posts: 4,668
    edited August 2010

    I was slated to have six rounds of taxotere and carboplatin.  Halfway through I started getting serious neuropathy.  My oncologist thought that switching to taxol would help that, so I did. I began weekly rounds of taxol along with the every three weeks of carbo.

    Still doing herceptin.  I should add that I was stage II.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Boo307
    Boo307 Member Posts: 222
    edited August 2010

    Bluedasher,

    I agree with you 100%.  A crucial element of maximizing Herceptin effectiveness is that it be accompanied with some kind of chemo. 

    My gripe is strickly because I received a regime of unknown effectiveness.  Someday it might proven superior or it might have a higher incidence of recurrence. We just don't know.

    It is a bad call for my oncologist to not disclose deviating from proven treatment.  If I had been fully informed, I would have selected a proven regime.  Boo

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mmm5
    mmm5 Member Posts: 1,470
    edited August 2010

    Bluedasher 

    Thanks for clarifying I knew the trials included 6 cycles of TCH but was not sure if Cytoxin was used or Carbo. To your point I had the above regime and am still having issues from the Carboplatin. My Onc believes it is the cause of my chronic neutropenia. I have spoken to several other gals on these boards that suffer with low neutrophils as well. Anyway I guess for the most part I am grateful that I had a successfully proven regime and that I was very insistent on no ACTH as one of my close friends had that and she now has CHF, she is almost 6 years out of Stage 3C Triple positive BC but has an LVEF of 32 percent and is in the hospital often working through med issues. She is only 44. 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • libraylil
    libraylil Member Posts: 528
    edited August 2010

    Group, I am receiving TCH (Carboplatin) week 1 with Herceptin weeks 2 and 3. Total of 16 weeks, works out to 6 TCH treatments.  I'm going for my 2nd chemo this week.   This is before surgery. libray lil

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • o2bhealthy
    o2bhealthy Member Posts: 2,101
    edited August 2010

    I had taxotere/cytoxan/herceptin x 4 and just finished my one year of herceptin on July 21st.  I knew going into it that it was a trial.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories