her2neu breast cancer positive

Yes! and yes!
Irishrosebud, we definitely have women here who are Her2+ -- 2 I can think of are now 2 years out from diagnosis, finished with treatment, and doing great!

Part of your mom's treatment will be Herceptin, which is considered something of a miracle drug, in how it specifically targets Her2+ cancer. My understanding is that, 20 years ago, Her2+ breast cancer had almost no effective treatment -- Herceptin changed all that.

I myself am not Her2+, but I know others will be along soon to give you their own experience. We don't always have a lot of folks here on the weekend, so please just sit tight.

Traci

BlownAway60 said:

Welcome to the boards and
Welcome to the boards and sorry about your mom.

Her2neu is a gene that is located on cancer cells that indicates the agressivness of the cancer. I am Her2 positive as are a lot of ladies on these boards. The most common treatment for Her2 is Herceptin for a year. It is given as an infusion, sometimes along with chemo and continuning afterward for a year total. It does not make you sick like chemo does. The side effects can be a reduced heart function but while under treatment you will be tested every 3 months to make sure there are no problems. I was told that it is better to be positive than negative because there are specialized treatments for us.

I had a lumpectomy, 6 rounds of chemo, 33 rads, took Herceptin for a year and am currently taking Femara for 3 1/2 more years, 5 years total. I am 2 years past dx.

Donna

I am Her2+....
Welcome to the board, yet I am sorry to hear about your mom. Maybe I can answer some of your questions. It is not so uncommon, there are many women here who were Her2+ and are either currently undergoing treatment (like me) or have completed their treatment and are definitely surviving. The positive support of women on this board have been extremely helpful to me, and hope you will find the same.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer this past spring. I had a lumpectomy and the 2 cm. lump was found to be Her2+, and ER/PR-. When I receive my chemo cocktail, I receive Herceptin (specifically targets the Her2+ cells) along with two other chemo drugs. I am scheduled to receive 6 cycles of chemo. I've only had one cycle and I am preparing to go this Monday for my second cycle. My chemo cycle is every 3 weeks. But I receive Herceptin every week. When my chemo cycle is over in 18 weeks, I will continue to receive Herceptin for a total of 1 year. It may seem complicated, but the oncologist will give you schedule. Of course your schedule may be different. I will also receive radiation treatment after the chemo cycle ends.

Before I was able to start chemo, I had to go for an ecko-cardiogram to check my heart function and I am told I will need to do this periodically during my herceptin year. It was like a sonagram, painless, not a bid deal. My oncologist monitors me for any adverse side effects and will adjust the treatments if necessary.

So far, I feel fine. It is absolutely do-able. Along with the chemo dose, I have received 3 doses of Herceptin and have not had any kind of noticable adverse side effects in any way. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer I was absolutely overwhelmed. At times I still am. I appreciate that there are targeted treatments for each woman. It is our best chance to beat this beast!

I wish your Mom strength and hope on her journey.

Ditto for Me
I was triple positive and was on Taxotere, Carboplatin, and a year of Herceptin. I also had six weeks of rads.

It's been two years since June 2010 and I am doing GREAT and moving FORWARD! Best to your Mom on her road to Recovery!
Ines

ginnyl said:

hert2 positive survivor
i have ibc brest cancer stage 4 and have had it sinnce june 29.2000.i had chemo surgey more chemo and then a reoccurance in my arm. so i thrn had radiation and chemo together annd thats when herceptin was put on board and that was sept of 2001. i was on herceptin with toxak weekly then went to herceptin every two weeks . went several years that wayand they took me off herceptin for 6 weeks but i got a hot spot in my back and was put back on and hot spot cleared up and i been on it every since and it is july 31 of 2011.so there are a lot of us out there and many will take herceptin till the end. as the years go buy i notce a few more ache and pains but i was 50 when i srarted and now i am 62 so age might play a roll in it
.i habe a email address i will give u if u want to ask any questions
lginny19@yahoo.com. take care ane keep fighting frieend ginnyl

HER2+
I too was diagnosed HER2+ ... had lumpectomy, chemo (taxol and herceptin) then 7 weeks of radiation ... now tamoxifen. Doing great. As others have said ... herceptin is a "miracle drug" ...

hugs.
teena

debi.18 said:

Glad you found us
Welcome and glad you found us. This board has tons of information and the support is amazing.

I am HER2 positive (diagnosed May of this year) and have no doubt I will survive it. I've had a lumpectomy and 15 nodes removed - only 2 positive. Will have 8 rounds of chemo, 33 rads and 52 treatments of Herceptin.

My sister-in-law was also Stage 4 - HER2 positive 6 years ago. She was told if the treatment didn't work, she had only approx. 6 months to live. Fast forward to today, she is happy and healthy - no recurrence. She swears by herceptin - says it truly is a miracle drug.

Best wishes to you and your mom!

Debi

Sorry to read this about
Sorry to read this about your Mother. I'm sending prayers for her!


Hugs, Megan