Herceptin

jax568
jax568 Member Posts: 57
in Esophageal Cancer #1
Has anyone received Herceptin? My husband is starting it with his 3rd round of chemo on Monday. I was wondering if anyone knew how much this would help.

Jackie

Comments

  • sangora
    sangora Member Posts: 213
    #2
    Herceptin Interest
    If the pathology comes back showing my tumor tissue is whatever it needs to be I start on it next week. I too would be interested in what others experience has been with this drug. Sam
  • mario33ec
    mario33ec Member Posts: 21 Member
    #3
    Will be on this drug too...
    I have not started Chemo yet but will on Sept. 20th. I tested postive for this drug and that first thing that I asked my oncologisist was if that was better for me.

    He said that this drug is more targetted and extends life longer so its better to have this drug. So consider it a good thing.

    Best of luck. Oh-and how has chemo been so far? Manageble?
  • Heeran
    Heeran Member Posts: 171
    #4
    mario33ec said:

    Will be on this drug too...
    I have not started Chemo yet but will on Sept. 20th. I tested postive for this drug and that first thing that I asked my oncologisist was if that was better for me.

    He said that this drug is more targetted and extends life longer so its better to have this drug. So consider it a good thing.

    Best of luck. Oh-and how has chemo been so far? Manageble?

    Tested Positive
    Hi,
    My mom is also starting Chemo next week. They asked if she would like to also include Herceptin in addition to Taxol and I thinking Carboplatin. Wasn't sure how to respond but we said yes. May I ask what you mean by you tested positive for the drug?
  • sangora
    sangora Member Posts: 213
    #5
    mario33ec said:

    Will be on this drug too...
    I have not started Chemo yet but will on Sept. 20th. I tested postive for this drug and that first thing that I asked my oncologisist was if that was better for me.

    He said that this drug is more targetted and extends life longer so its better to have this drug. So consider it a good thing.

    Best of luck. Oh-and how has chemo been so far? Manageble?

    Mario33ec and chemo
    How we handle chemo is all over the board here. Some have a miserable time and others including me have had very little trouble. My biggest problem over the first year was fatigue. Very little nausea. The last ten months I was on Xeloda that has put folks to bed for weeks and all that happened for me was redness and fatigue. As I say, I feel exceptionally blessed when it comes to side effects of these drugs. Next week I begin a whole new string of chemo drugs(Herceptin and Taxotere) so it will be interesting to see how my body handles those. Good luck and many prayers for you as you start the journey. Sam
  • sangora
    sangora Member Posts: 213
    #6
    sangora said:

    Mario33ec and chemo
    How we handle chemo is all over the board here. Some have a miserable time and others including me have had very little trouble. My biggest problem over the first year was fatigue. Very little nausea. The last ten months I was on Xeloda that has put folks to bed for weeks and all that happened for me was redness and fatigue. As I say, I feel exceptionally blessed when it comes to side effects of these drugs. Next week I begin a whole new string of chemo drugs(Herceptin and Taxotere) so it will be interesting to see how my body handles those. Good luck and many prayers for you as you start the journey. Sam

    Herceptin/Heeran
    I am just beginning to learn about Herceptin. As I understand it at this point, this drug targets the over production of protein common in cancer cell replication. I am sure this is an over simplification and others here will hopefully do better for you. The point of Herceptin is to slow that protein production thus slowing cell division and growth of tumors. Pathology is testing my original tumor cells at this time and I will know next weeek if I am a candidate. Hope this simplified explanation helps. Sam
  • chemosmoker
    chemosmoker Member Posts: 501
    #7
    Study up on HER2
    Hi all,
    Herceptin is for those whose cancer cells test POSITIVE for HER2 GENES. There are three types. HER2+, HER2neu or neutral, and HER2 Negative. I am negative so Herceptin will have absolutely NO effect on my cancers cells.

    If you test positive, or I also believe (not an expert) neutral, you CAN have Herceptin and it is VERY effective at TARGETED treatment of those cancers cells.
    I was not this "lucky", and ended up stage IVb anyway, so it goes.

    If you are going to receive Herceptin, consider yourself LUCKY as they told me that those who do and can use Herceptin have better chances of killing the cancer than the rest of us, where they just have to use the Platinum and other Chemo's that were originally intended for other types of cancer, but work, more or less.

    Hope this helps, and that an expert comes along and states this more scientifically.

    -ERIC
  • fredswilma
    fredswilma Member Posts: 185
    #8
    Hi Jackie
    If you test
    Hi Jackie
    If you test positive to the HER2 gene, then herceptin is prescibed and suppost to have very good results, so if your husband has tested positive then this could be another tool to fight this horrible disease, unfortunately for us my husband tested positive for the HER2 gene, but as we live in NZ our FREE hospital care does not include this for EC, but is widely used here for the treatment of Breast Cancer, sorry did not want to grizzle but it makes me really angry that a drug widely used and advocated in loads of countries worldwide is not available here unless you have a spare $100,000 lying around. sorry again just this makes me so bloody angry.
    Thinking of you.
    Ann
  • JaneE2366
    JaneE2366 Member Posts: 289 Member
    #9
    Herceptin info
    My husband Charlie (stage iv) was on Herceptin for 8 months....had a total of 12 infusions.....once every 3 weeks. He really had no side effects....he was on Xeloda at the same time so we assumed the fatique was from the Xeloda. Charlie felt it kept him in remission for the 8 months and was happy to have it. At the time Herceptin was not approved by the FDA for use with gastric cancers (that has since changed) so our insurance company would not cover it. Our dr worked with the drug company and the drug company agreed to reimburse the dr for the drug.
    Hope this info helps.
    I really don't post much since Charlie passed 6 months ago but I still check in from time to time and continue to pray for all of you.
    Jane
  • jax568
    jax568 Member Posts: 57
    #10
    JaneE2366 said:

    Herceptin info
    My husband Charlie (stage iv) was on Herceptin for 8 months....had a total of 12 infusions.....once every 3 weeks. He really had no side effects....he was on Xeloda at the same time so we assumed the fatique was from the Xeloda. Charlie felt it kept him in remission for the 8 months and was happy to have it. At the time Herceptin was not approved by the FDA for use with gastric cancers (that has since changed) so our insurance company would not cover it. Our dr worked with the drug company and the drug company agreed to reimburse the dr for the drug.
    Hope this info helps.
    I really don't post much since Charlie passed 6 months ago but I still check in from time to time and continue to pray for all of you.
    Jane

    Yes, my husband tested
    Yes, my husband tested positive for the HER2 protein. He will begin receiving Herceptin on Monday, along with Docetaxel, Leucovorin then he goes home with the Fluorouracil back on Wednesday for Cisplatin. This is now his life every other week.

    Jackie
    husband age 45 and stage IV
  • Heeran
    Heeran Member Posts: 171
    #11
    sangora said:

    Herceptin/Heeran
    I am just beginning to learn about Herceptin. As I understand it at this point, this drug targets the over production of protein common in cancer cell replication. I am sure this is an over simplification and others here will hopefully do better for you. The point of Herceptin is to slow that protein production thus slowing cell division and growth of tumors. Pathology is testing my original tumor cells at this time and I will know next weeek if I am a candidate. Hope this simplified explanation helps. Sam

    Thanks Sam
    Thanks for the info. I guess I'll be calling the oncologist now to say "Yes to the Herceptin"

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