HER2 positive. Does that mean definitely chemo?

Morning

My better half was HER2+ positive and the answer you didn't want to hear is unfortunately Yes, you will be given chemo.

There are 2 targeted therapies for HER2+ BC which are Herceptin and Perjeta - some get offered Herceptin, some get recommended both.

The only biggie with this is NICE only funds these two expensive treatments if given in conjunction with chemotherapy, so to get the specifically formulated meds you have to have chemo as well :-/

Most chemo regimes are FEC or EC (same but without the F part) and a Taxane which can be Paclitaxel or Docetaxel.

Noticed you were asking about the 'Awake' discussion so if you click the coloured text it will take you there There are several puzzles to get your head around there at the moment too.

Good luck with your MRI results, take care, G n' J

Hi, can I ask how long between your first and second diagnoses? 

My first cancer was almost exactly 10 years ago.

MRI results not good.  Much larger area involved than previously thought.

Now waiting for mastectomy .

Trying not to worry about the 4 week delay for surgery. 

Hi Jejke

I gave Stage 2 Grade 2 HER2+ positive, 4cm tumor in a mass and some lymph nodes affected at the moment. Diagnosed in 19 May 2020.  Hope I can shed some light for you. It is my understanding from my Consultant that HER+ positive accelerates, feeds and multiplies using your own hormones against you , so to speak, unlike the negative version. So to stop it in its tracks they have found certain drugs that are very effective. These drugs, in my case are being given through chemotherapy and are absolutely necessary to treat the HER positive type of cancer have.  A perfected concoction for me with the type of cancer I have listed is 4 cycles (every 3 weeks being a cycle) of EC and 4 cycles of Docetaxol, Herceptin and Pertuzumab, then surgery then radiotherapy then hormone therapy (which I think, but am not sure is tablets). I was told my cancer like to pop up elsewhere in the body so I need all these drugs through chemotherapy these to prevent that happening. I am having terrible side effects from the chemo but each side effect is being treated by the consultant as they pop up, for example, sore mouth I was given mouthwash, bad stomach a change of steriod, stopped that, extreme fatigue, a slight lowering of dose helped. I wish someone has said to me before I had chemotherapy that everyone is very different in how their body reacts and some people can react badly. I .least I would have been prepared, but this can be alleviated, side effect by side effect. In my experience I went down like a tonne of brick after day 1. Very poorly, tight chest, stomach cramps, some days suicidal, a trip to A&E, only starting to feel human after day 6, but after a meeting with the consultant, she reduced the dose slightly, changed the anti-sick steriod and  gave me a mouthwash. I only feel poorly really for 3 days, which I now knew would go off in time.   I honestly felt like stopping the chemo I felt so bad but then the changes were made and its made it much more bearable.  it has also pushed me into menopause so there are symptoms of that to content with as well. Hope this helps in some way.  

Hi

Mine was hormone receptive too.  After my lumpectomy my cancer was found to be 20% grade 3 so border line chemo.  A  sample was sent off to be oncotested as the surgeon didn't want me to have unnecessary chemo.  The onco test came back with a high reoccurrence rate so I had chemo.  The one good thing about chemo is that you know that where ever those nasty cells are hiding, you're gonna get them! 

Thanks for taking the time to reply in so much detail.  Sorry you are having such a rough time with the chemo but I hope you haven’t too many more cycles to go.

Im still waiting to hear about a date for surgery. The waiting seems to get harder the longer it goes on.

thats encouraging thank you.  First that I won’t be given chemo unless really necessary and second that if I do need it, it is effective.

Latest update today. Surgery not expected until late September.  How do they expect people to remain sane waiting that long???  And I am supposed to be high priority!!!