My sister and I both are Stage IV but our breast cancer has different profiles. She is HER2+ ER+. I am ER+ Her2-. My sister was told that due to her low heart function (around 50%) there is no chemo that she can do. She was on herceptin after mets diagnosis in Jan 07 and changed to tykerb when she had spread on herceptin. She has now been taken off tykerb due to her heart function. Her mets are just in bones as of now but last scan showed small spots on her liver that the Dr stated was not mets as of now. Also, she had a severe allergic reaction to Taxol in 2002 when being treated for her primary.
Anyway, I am trying to find out if anyone knows of any treatment that does not affect the heart or of any trials that she might be able to go on. I have tried to research but so far have found nothing.
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Dr told sister no chemo options left
- By KathyCB
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 1:06 pm · 5 replies
- In Treatment options
- Shared with the public
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Taxotere Cancer Beta blockers Taxol Chemotherapy Breast cancer
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- By gpawelski
- Posted October 24, 2009 at 9:44 am
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Any cancer drug can cause potential heart damage. In patients who are showing heart trouble, the hope is that doctors can tweak therapy and avoid serious damage to the heart.
Patients who have been through several chemotherapy regimens and are running out of options might want to consider assay-directed therapy. It might help you find the best option or save you from fruitless additional treatment.
Laboratory screening of samples from a patient's tumor can help select the appropriate treatment to administer, avoiding ineffective drugs and sparing patients the side effects normally associated with these agents.
For patients who have no other options, giving lower doses of several drugs every day by mouth may lower the side effects, while still being effective on the tumor cells. Doses, timing and combinations all need to be worked out.
- By Saraj
- Posted October 25, 2009 at 9:48 pm
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Regarding your sister's cardiac toxicity and low heart function, I heard a very interesting presentation at the recent ASCO Breast Cancer Symposium. Dr. Jean-Bernard Durand is cardiologist at M.D. Anderson. Apparently, he is a specialist who works very closely with the oncologists regarding the management of cardiac disease, and he has done some very unique and exciting work in cardiology in the setting of oncology. He suggested that many times the cardiac disease can be controlled with beta blockers and then chemotherapy can continue, even Herceptin. Dr. Durand also suggested that a 3-D echocardiogram is much more indicative of heart function than the traditional ejection fraction. If the heart function is brought back up through the use of Beta Blockers, Herceptin might be able to be put back in the mix. Sounds like that might be the first issue to take care of. Dr. Durand's e-mail is : jdurand@mdanderson.org
I have successfully had Navelbine and Herceptin, Gemzar and Herceptin, and many other combos with Herceptin. I would also check into Abraxane, since many people do not have the allergic reaction to Abraxane that they do to Taxol. Taxotere might be another consideration. I would get a second opinion at a major breast cancer center. There may be many options available to your sister. Try Mayo, Jacksonville, FL or Rochester,MN, M.D. Anderson, Indiana University,etc. or your state medical center. Also go on breastcancertrials.org to check out other options for clinical studies. Good luck and take care!
- By KathyCB
- Posted October 26, 2009 at 10:31 pm
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Thank you both for the information. I have been trying to get her to go to a larger facility for more extensive testing. I will be passing this info on to her and hopefully we will find out that our Dr was wrong in his opinion.
God Bless you both
- By jg-24
- Posted October 26, 2009 at 10:37 pm
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If you haven't talk to the doctor about heart vitamins.
I recently started taking them because my treatment is effecting my heart. When I saw a cardiologist he did not object to me taking the vitamins.
My best to you both
- By cdf
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 6:03 pm
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Hey there..I just joined the site today but I do have a possiblity for you.
Have you ever heard of artemsisin? Google artemsisin and breast cancer and see what you get...lots of good news and research on this "herb" I go to Cancer Treatment Center of America and they have me taking this with some other things (xeloda and alot of supplements)
If you decide to get it, you need to get it from Allergy Research Group..200 mg. I personally take 2 at night before bed...along with omega fish oil for absorption.
Research it and see what you think. They have had excellent results in petrie dish and on animals. It attacks breast cancer cells and leaves normal cells alone.
Hope this helps..
Carrie
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