survival and ca 27.29

Diagnosed 10/6/00. 1.7 Cm tumor, ER/PR neg, HER2 3+ , 1 node pos w/ microscopic-"rare" positive cells. Margins clear after surgery, AC & Taxol chemo and radiation.  I am fearful because I have been told that this is very aggressive.  Based on general stage II tumors,I think survival rate is 87%.  Is my tumor such that survival rate is less?

I am getting blood test every 3 months. My ca 27.29 levels are always 36 or above.  On one occasion they raised to 48. I can change to blood tests every 6 months. I am fearful, thinking that early notification of problems could help me. The information on-line indicates that early notification does not change survival. This seems not logical. Please explain.

Should another tumor present itself, in my breast or in another place, I am told that radiation therapy is no longer an option.  That leaves surgery with or without chemotherapy, as the treatment options.  Would a three month or a six month window of discovery (diagnosis) of reccurance make any difference in survival probability?

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear tdad:  The HER2 status of your tumor indicates that it may be more aggressive than some other breast cancers.  I do not know that this impacts on the survival data but it does indicate a higher incidence of recurrence.  As far as monitoring, mammography, breast examination would be most important.  Any other symptoms should be carefully evaluated.  Whether or not to do the Ca 27.29 is controversial.  It is not considered reliable enough to treat any disease based solely on this number.  In other words, in the absence of any "other" evidence of cancer, most would not treat anyone strictly on the basis of a ca 27.29 - no matter how high.  

The doctor is right in that you could not be radiated again to the breast that has been radiated.  But you potentially could be radiated to other locations if indicated.  So, if you were to have a recurrence in the breast that was treated, the treatment would likely be mastectomy + chemotherapy.  If there were a recurence anywhere else, treatment would depend on the location but would likely include chemotherapy.  I suspect you may be given herceptin if there were a recurrence.

[Tdad]

I know it is impossible to list but generally what are some symptoms of reoccurance in bones, lung or brain? How is herceptin administered? What are side effects?  Thanks.