Herceptin not working

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dajawood
dajawood Member Posts: 13
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

I have stage IV metastatic breast cancer, HER-2 positive, and have been on Herceptin and Taxotere for six months.  My doctor recently changed my treatment as the Herceptin was not working.  I am now off the Taxotere and in a clinical trial that attempts to "force" the Herceptin to work.  Has anyone else experienced this Herceptin problem?

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  • Carolina59
    Carolina59 Member Posts: 232
    edited October 2007

    I'm sorry you're going through this. I am still in the middle of TCH tx, so I don't have experience, but I did read that Tykerb targets the HER2 in the cancer cells in a different way than Herceptin. Is this what your doctor is putting you on? I think it is in clinical trials now.



    Good luck. I hope the new regimen works for you.

    Carolina

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  • kcq
    kcq Member Posts: 166
    edited November 2007

    I just finished chemo and started Herceptin.  Did you do chemo too?  How do they know that it isnt working?  I hope that things go better for you.  I hope that Herceptin is working for me, I am not sure if it is working because my mast is scheduled in two weeks.  I guess I will know then.  Best of all too you.

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  • dajawood
    dajawood Member Posts: 13
    edited November 2007

    Kim, my liver tumors started to grow again while on Herceptin.  The doctor has placed me in a clinical trial with an experimental drug to jump-start the Herceptin.  The last set of tests showed some shrinkage.  She is leaning toward Tykerb and Xeloda (sp?).

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  • vharris1956
    vharris1956 Member Posts: 1
    edited February 2013

    I just found out last Monday per a pet scan that indicated none of the stage 4 cancer cells had shrunk while on Herceptin.  My Oncologist immediately took me off the Herceptin weekly treatments and put me on Tykerb and Xeloda in a prescription pill form instead of the drip.  I am waiting for the pharmacy to ship the prescription so I have not started them yet.  Was very upset being on the Herceptin so long that it was not working.  Was on Herceptin from September 2011 until July 2012 and then they found a metastatic brain tumor so now I am wondering if the Herceptin worked during my first round with stage 1 cancer with surgery, chemo and Herceptin.  Just wanted you to know that apparently this is not unusual.  I am hoping and praying the new treatment works since the cancer has spread again.  Good luck with your treatment. 

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  • NevadaPaula
    NevadaPaula Member Posts: 42
    edited March 2013

    Herceptin does not cross into the brain. That is the only area of the body that it can't penetrate. I did not know this until I did research on it myself. I don't remember my oncologist telling me this either. 

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  • Jennt28
    Jennt28 Member Posts: 2,021
    edited March 2013

    Cancer cells are "clever". After a while they will become immune to the effects of a drug, even a targetted drug like Herceptin, and start growing again.



    Cancer sucks!



    Jenn

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  • ccjj
    ccjj Member Posts: 128
    edited March 2013

    It's my understanding that the Herceptin studies show it works about 50% of the time. 50% is considered to be very good by cancer drug treatments and has helped numerous women, but certainly small consolation to those it doesn't help. Hopefully Tykerb proves to be effective for the other 50% and they figure out a way to determine which best to use in each individual so time is not lost in treating.

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