Herceptin and serous endometrial cancer

Little Annie
Little Annie Member Posts: 28 Member
in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1

My wife had some spotting (Nov. 2017),  D&C showed UPSC,  after hysterectomy, determined to be stage 3A with overies involved, 6 cycles of taxol and carboplatin(very painful bone pain), just finished 27 pelvic radiation treatments last week.   So she just had her first treatment of Herceptin.....so my only thought is....have your tumor tested for over expression of HER2/neu to see if Herceptin treatment is right for you.    If you want to learn about Herceptin, take the movie "Living Proof" out from your library.   It is very uplifting, inspirational, and may give you hope in dealing with this cancer.

Comments

  • It happened to Me
    It happened to Me Member Posts: 206 Member
    edited July 2018 #2
    Little Annie

    Thank you for your post.  Best wishes for your wife.  This is a great site.  It's great to know that researchers are continuing to try to find treatments for "below the belt" cancers.

  • Candlewood
    Candlewood Member Posts: 27 Member
    edited July 2018 #3
    So sorry to hear about your

    So sorry to hear about your wife's condition.  I am curious as to why they did not check her tumor for Her2/neu prior to giving her carbo/taxol, did you get an answer to that question?....usually they add the Herceptin to the carbo/taxol.  Also why did they give her Herceptin after her surgery, chemo and radiation treatment, did she have a recurrence or was it just extra insurance?

    I also have stage 3a UPSC and my tumor was not tested for Her2/neu or Estrogen and Progesterone.  After I finished with surgery, chemo and radiation, I had a recurrance and had surgery  again and the margins were clear so the doctor suggested no further treatment other than to test the tumor for estrogen and progesterone, both were negative so I asked if he tested for Her2/neu and he said he did not but agreed to do so and sure enough it overexpressd for Her2/neu.  I am a little upset that I had not been tested originally and now the doctor said I cannot have the Herceptin until I get another recurrance.  So I was wondering why they gave your wife the Herceptin and also did she have to have the carbo/taxol again or just the Herceptin?  Thanks for your help!

  • Little Annie
    Little Annie Member Posts: 28 Member
    #4
    Candlewood said:

    So sorry to hear about your

    So sorry to hear about your wife's condition.  I am curious as to why they did not check her tumor for Her2/neu prior to giving her carbo/taxol, did you get an answer to that question?....usually they add the Herceptin to the carbo/taxol.  Also why did they give her Herceptin after her surgery, chemo and radiation treatment, did she have a recurrence or was it just extra insurance?

    I also have stage 3a UPSC and my tumor was not tested for Her2/neu or Estrogen and Progesterone.  After I finished with surgery, chemo and radiation, I had a recurrance and had surgery  again and the margins were clear so the doctor suggested no further treatment other than to test the tumor for estrogen and progesterone, both were negative so I asked if he tested for Her2/neu and he said he did not but agreed to do so and sure enough it overexpressd for Her2/neu.  I am a little upset that I had not been tested originally and now the doctor said I cannot have the Herceptin until I get another recurrance.  So I was wondering why they gave your wife the Herceptin and also did she have to have the carbo/taxol again or just the Herceptin?  Thanks for your help!

    Herceptin is just being studied for UPSC and is not FDA approved.   So I printed out recent studies showing positive results and gave to our gynecologist oncologist who then order the tumor to be tested for over expression of HER2/neu. We believe we have an excellent doctor, an expert in robotic hysterectories, who has been doing everything right.  

    Little Annie has not had a recurrence (fingers crossed) and so the Herceptin treatment is to delay recurrence and/or kill any cancer cells that are hiding somewhere. So its just for insurance since recurrence is expected for grade 3A.

    Her Herceptin is given alone (no chemo) and no side effects has been noted at this time.   Her infusion is only 30 minutes and will be given every three weeks for at least a year and maybe much longer. I believe this Herceptin treatment will become standard treatment for UPSC that shows the over expression of NER-2/neu.

     

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