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Breast Cancer (Expert Forum)
Herceptin
Questions posted in the Breast Cancer Forum are answered by medical professionals from The Cleveland Clinic. Topics include Breast Biopsy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, Lumps, Lumpectomy, Lymph node dissection, Lymphedema, Mammograms, Mastectomy, Radiation Therapy, Reconstruction, Self Breast Exam, and Surgery.
Herceptin
by SVent, Jan 03, 2002 12:00AM
Greetings! Four months ago I completed six months of chemo (A&C and Taxol). Two months ago I completed a series of radiation treatments. I had invasive inductile carcinoma, stage III with massive lymph node invasion and all nodes were removed. I currently take Tamoxifen. I did well during all the treatments.
Three weeks ago I was diagnosed with invasive lobular cancer in the other breast and am scheduled for a lumpectomy this month. If the lymph nodes turn out to be positive, again, I'd like to know if there has been sucess using Herceptin instead of A&C with Taxol. Is Taxotere any different from Taxol? I had severe bone pain from the Taxol and I am wondering if the Taxotere has this same side effect.
As a footnote to this, during the administration of the A&C, I experienced a leaky port and had a major Cytoxin spill inside my body during the third session. The area is VERY CLOSE to where the new lobular tumor is located. I know this is a leap but could this be related?
Your feedback would be very helpful. Thank you. Susan V
Three weeks ago I was diagnosed with invasive lobular cancer in the other breast and am scheduled for a lumpectomy this month. If the lymph nodes turn out to be positive, again, I'd like to know if there has been sucess using Herceptin instead of A&C with Taxol. Is Taxotere any different from Taxol? I had severe bone pain from the Taxol and I am wondering if the Taxotere has this same side effect.
As a footnote to this, during the administration of the A&C, I experienced a leaky port and had a major Cytoxin spill inside my body during the third session. The area is VERY CLOSE to where the new lobular tumor is located. I know this is a leap but could this be related?
Your feedback would be very helpful. Thank you. Susan V
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-RN,MSN-rf, Jan 04, 2002 12:00AM
Dear SusanV: Herceptin is only appropriate in tumors that express Her2/neu. It has been approved for advanced disease and is being investigated as part of first line therapy for Her2/neu positive tumors. Taxotere is a different drug than taxol, although they are members of the same family. Taxol is being used more commonly as first line therapy and taxotere, although used in breast cancer, is more commonly used as 2nd or 3rd line therapy. Taxol has more of a reputation for transient bone pain but both drugs have side effects. As you have no doubt learned by now, these vary from person to person. It is likely, if chemotherapy is prescribed again, that different drugs will be prescribed. With regard to the relationship of the cytoxan leak and the development of the lobular cancer; it is more likely that the lobular breast cancer is related more to your personal risk, although most of the research on secondary cancers caused by treatment has focused on long term (years - decades) complications.
