Intrathecal (IT) Herceptin for brain mets

Options
13

Comments

  • marvass
    marvass Member Posts: 57
    edited December 2012

    Thanks barb but i did not understand what you want to know.

    Mario

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sueopp
    sueopp Member Posts: 1,541
    edited December 2012

    Mario, so very happy to hear your good news.  SUE

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marvass
    marvass Member Posts: 57
    edited December 2012

    Thanks sue

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 8,458
    edited December 2012

    Mario, thank you for letting us know your good news. I'm so glad your wife continues to do well.

    Leah

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bhd1
    bhd1 Member Posts: 3,874
    edited December 2012

    What is it herceptin? Intrathecal ?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marvass
    marvass Member Posts: 57
    edited December 2012

    Thanks Leah

    Barb, IT herceptin is intrathecal, given through a lumbar puncture or an ommaya reservoir to get the herceptin to the brain and spinal cord, since herceptin going through the veins do not pass into these.

    There are a lot doing this lately, for cure of brain mets from breast cancer.  I have heard that at MD Anderson in Texas there is a whole group doing it, besides the two trials still going on.

    Mario

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bhd1
    bhd1 Member Posts: 3,874
    edited December 2012

    thanks mario.  what a wonderful thing.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marvass
    marvass Member Posts: 57
    edited January 2013

    MRI of 2 weeks ago showed that the edema is less than half it was two month ago.
    All tumors gone except for 3 small ones now measure 4mm or less. These were around 6 to 7 mm 4 months ago.  All the tumors that were gone in the MRI of two months ago did not show up again in this new MRI.
    Looks like we are getting very close to clear all the brain from this metastatic cancer. Maybe with next MRI end of next February, fingers crossed. 

    My wife is still on 150mg IT herceptin and 50mg IT hydrocortisone which is working perfectly till now, without any side effects at all.

    Mario

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sueopp
    sueopp Member Posts: 1,541
    edited January 2013

    Thank you Mario for keeping us informed.  This is extremely good news, and I am so pleased for you, your wife and your family.  Keep on truck'n!  SUE

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marvass
    marvass Member Posts: 57
    edited January 2013

    Thanks Sue

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 8,458
    edited January 2013

    Mario, I hope you continue to get good results.

    Leah

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • justjudie
    justjudie Member Posts: 3,397
    edited January 2013

    Love to hear when someone is doing well. Hope she continues to improve!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marvass
    marvass Member Posts: 57
    edited January 2013

    Thanks Leah and Judie

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bhd1
    bhd1 Member Posts: 3,874
    edited January 2013

    So glad she is doing well. Where does she get thus tx? Is it a trial?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marvass
    marvass Member Posts: 57
    edited January 2013

    Thanks barb,

    We are in Europe, it is not part of any trial

    Mario

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bhd1
    bhd1 Member Posts: 3,874
    edited January 2013

    Good for u mario

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • meima-Bev
    meima-Bev Member Posts: 2,432
    edited January 2013

    Sending best wishes for continued successful treatment!      Bev

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nancyh
    nancyh Member Posts: 2,644
    edited January 2013

    Mario - this is really amazing, thank you for keeping us posted.  

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • afadil99
    afadil99 Member Posts: 1
    edited January 2013

    May I respectfully ask for an update on how your wife is doing?
    how long has she had breast cancer? and how quickly did it take for it to attack the brain?

    Many thanks

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marvass
    marvass Member Posts: 57
    edited February 2013

    Sorry for the delay in answering but did not log in lately.

    My wife is still doing fine, still taking 150mg IT herceptin, now for 9 months since we started.

    She had cancer for the past 7 years and now 2 years since we found that it had spread to her brain.  Many of the tumors were in deep brain and not on the meninges and now they either are completely gone or nearly gone.  She is also taking tykerb 750 mg per day since 4 months ago, but no chemo or radiation being done.

    It started to reduce the cancer after three to four months.

    We should have an MRI in 2 weeks time and will post again to update.

    Mario

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sueopp
    sueopp Member Posts: 1,541
    edited February 2013

    Mario, you and your wife make my heart glad and give me much hope.  Thanks so much for keeping us all in the loop.  Best to both of you, and keep on truck'n.   SUE

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marvass
    marvass Member Posts: 57
    edited February 2013

    Thanks sue

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marvass
    marvass Member Posts: 57
    edited February 2013

    MRI and CT scan of yesterday:

    Edema is stable just like it was two month ago.
    All tumors gone except for 1 small one now measuring around 3 to 4mm diameter. There were 3 deep brain ones left 2 months ago.
    All the tumors that were gone in the MRI of two months ago did not show up again in this new MRI.
    Looks like we are getting closer and closer to clear all the brain from this metastatic cancer.
    CT Scan came out good, there are no tumors or activity all around the whole body except for this last tiny deep brain tumor.
    Thank God!

    Mario

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sbidalia
    sbidalia Member Posts: 33
    edited February 2013

    Thank God indeed, Mario. So happy to hear this news. My Daughter 's brain MRI has been stable for the last 6 months, and like your wife, has only one small, deep tumor that is not growing.

    Marilyn

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Heidihill
    Heidihill Member Posts: 5,476
    edited February 2013

    Excellent results! I am so happy for both of you!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sueopp
    sueopp Member Posts: 1,541
    edited February 2013

    Yes, Mario, thank God.  I am so very happy that this is working for your beloved wife.  Your good news is good news for all of us.  Best to you, and thanks for continuing to keep us posted.   SUE

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marvass
    marvass Member Posts: 57
    edited February 2013

    Thanks Sue, Heidi and Marilyn, so glad to hear you daughter is still doing well.

    Will keep you posted

    Mario

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bhd1
    bhd1 Member Posts: 3,874
    edited February 2013

    such great news mario.  where is your wife being treated?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • maylinda
    maylinda Member Posts: 1
    edited May 2013

    How is your wife doing? Prayers and hugs you both.  I am glad to have stumbled on this discussion. Gives me hope. Just learned of my 2 brain mets last week and just looking everywhere for any survivor stories and their treatments. Am 46 and I want to have at least 20 more years. I am particularly interested in this intrathecal herceptin. 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marvass
    marvass Member Posts: 57
    edited May 2013

    Cancer is curing, but the complications of cancer have drawn her back lately.  She had a PE 2 months ago, and this week she had a stroke.  However with It herceptin there is always hope of complete cure.

    IT herceptin works but if there is an edema or cancers bigger than 5mm in my opinion they must be irradiated locally, by gamma knife or some other source.

    But It herceptin looks like stops the spread of brain mets and controls small ones very quickly, for patients that had IV herceptin int heir body which controlled the cells everywhere except int he brain.

    Mario

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories