TAXOL

MY WIFE HAS IS JUST FINISHING 12 WEEKS OF DOSE DENSITY CHEMO WITH TAXOL AND HERCEPTIN AND SHE IS HAVING TROUBLE HEARING AND I WONDERED IF THIS IS A SIDE EFFECT OF THE CHEMO. MY WIFE HAD 10 OF 20 NODES POSITIVE AND HER2 3+ POSITIVE. IF CANCER HAS SPREAD TO HER LYMPH NODES IS THIS CONSIDERED METASTISIZED BECAUSE I AM CONFUSED ABOUT THIS. SHE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW IF SHE SHOULD KEEP TAKING HERCEPTIN EVERY THREE WEEKS TO IMPROVE HER PROGNOSIS WHICH IS WHAT SOME PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING FOR TREATMENT. SHE WILL ALSO HAVE TO TAKE 35 RADIATION TREATMENTS BECAUSE SHE ONLY HAD A LUMPECTOMY. THIS IS ALL PRETTY CONFUSING AS TO WHAT TO DO NEXT AND IF SHE CAN GET HERCEPTIN TO KEEP HER ALIVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP IN THE PAST.

[CCF-RN,MSN-JS]

Dear Out in the Sticks, Some ototoxicity (problems with hearing) have been reported with both drugs although the incidence is very rare (<1%).  
Cancer found in the axillary lymph nodes is not considered metastatic.  Metastatic breast cancer is in reference to cancer spreading to a site distant from the breast.  The use of Herceptin in an adjuvant setting continues to be studied, as well as continuing use of Herceptin as maintenance.  It's use outside of a clinical trial would not be recommended as at this time, we do not know if there will be any benefit in this setting.