Sunday, December 21, 2008
Post #43 - Today Is A Good Day
I know I am getting chemo tomorrow but GOD is good. I am thankful for life! Thank you GOD for giving me strength and enlightenment. Thank you for bringing wonderful people in my life. It's not quantity it's quality!!!!
Post #42- Chemo Count Down
Tomorrow is coming so fast. My prescriptions are filled. Dexamethasone, Compazine, Avelox, Percocet, Claritin, Tylenol.
DEXAMETHASONE
I started taking my Dexamethasone this morning I take two pills, two times a day for the next three days.
Dexamethasone is a member of the glucocorticoid class of hormones. This means they are steroids but, unlike the anabolic steroids that we hear about regarding sports medicine, these are "catabolic" steroids. Instead of building the body up, they are designed to break down stored resources (fats, sugars and proteins) so that they may be used as fuels in times of stress. Cortisone would be an example of a related hormone with which most people are familiar. Glucocorticoids hormones are produced naturally by the adrenal glands.
We do not use glucocorticoids for their influences on glucose and protein metabolism; we use them because they are also the most broadly anti-inflammatory medications that we have. Their uses fit into several groups:
Anti-inflammatory (especially for joint pain and itchy skin)
Immune-suppression (treatment of conditions where the immune system is destructively hyperactive. Higher doses are required to actually suppress the immune system)
Cancer Chemotherapy (especially in the treatment of lymphoma)
Central Nervous System Disorders (usually after trauma or after a disc episode to relieve swelling in the brain or spinal cord)
Shock (steroids seem to help improve circulation)
Blood Calcium Reduction (in medical conditions where blood calcium is dangerously high treatment is needed to reduce levels to normal)
SIDE EFFECTS
Dexamethasone does not have activity in the kidney leading to the conservation of salt. This means that the classical side effects of dexamethasone use ( excessive thirst and excessive urination) are less pronounced with this steroid than with others. This makes dexamethasone a more appropriate choice for patients with concurrent heart disease or other condition requiring restricted salt intake. If this occurs, another steroid can be selected or the dexamethasone dose can be dropped.
Dexamethasone is commonly used for several weeks or even months at a time to get a chronic process under control. It is important that the dose be tapered to an every third day schedule once the condition is controlled. The reason for this is that body will perceive these hormones and not produce any of its own. In time, the adrenal glands will atrophy so that when the medication is discontinued, the patient will be unable to respond to any stressful situation. An actual circulatory crisis can result. By using the medication every other day, this allows the body's own adrenal glands to remain active
COMPAZINE
Compazine is the drug I can take for nausea. I don't know about this one I may ask for an alternative anti-nausea drug
AVELOX
Avelox is my antibiotic. I have to take my temperature throughout the day and it it reaches 100.4 I have to start taking my antibiotic and call my Doctor immediately. All of my prescriptions have at least three refills on them.
This is what Avelox does.
Bacterial infections are among the most common reasons that people seek health care worldwide. These infections interfere with activities of daily living, burden the health care system, and can lead to serious medical complications.
Avelox® (moxifloxacin hydrochloride) is an antibiotic that is highly active against many different bacteria, including those that are most likely to contribute to acute bacterial sinusitis, acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, and community-acquired pneumonia. Avelox has also been proven effective in the treatment of skin and skin structure infections and intra-abdominal infections caused by certain bacteria. Avelox rapidly travels to the site of infection, and provides fast clinical recovery. Avelox has a well-characterized safety profile, which has been studied in over 14,000 patients in clinical trials and 92,000 patients in post marketing surveillance studies. Furthermore Avelox has been used to treat more than 98 million patients worldwide.
CLARITIN
I have to start this today also and I have to take it for a week to prevent aches from the Neulasta shot I get on Tuesday.
PERCOCET/TYLENOL
For pain, especially the Percocet.
DEXAMETHASONE
I started taking my Dexamethasone this morning I take two pills, two times a day for the next three days.
Dexamethasone is a member of the glucocorticoid class of hormones. This means they are steroids but, unlike the anabolic steroids that we hear about regarding sports medicine, these are "catabolic" steroids. Instead of building the body up, they are designed to break down stored resources (fats, sugars and proteins) so that they may be used as fuels in times of stress. Cortisone would be an example of a related hormone with which most people are familiar. Glucocorticoids hormones are produced naturally by the adrenal glands.
We do not use glucocorticoids for their influences on glucose and protein metabolism; we use them because they are also the most broadly anti-inflammatory medications that we have. Their uses fit into several groups:
Anti-inflammatory (especially for joint pain and itchy skin)
Immune-suppression (treatment of conditions where the immune system is destructively hyperactive. Higher doses are required to actually suppress the immune system)
Cancer Chemotherapy (especially in the treatment of lymphoma)
Central Nervous System Disorders (usually after trauma or after a disc episode to relieve swelling in the brain or spinal cord)
Shock (steroids seem to help improve circulation)
Blood Calcium Reduction (in medical conditions where blood calcium is dangerously high treatment is needed to reduce levels to normal)
SIDE EFFECTS
Dexamethasone does not have activity in the kidney leading to the conservation of salt. This means that the classical side effects of dexamethasone use ( excessive thirst and excessive urination) are less pronounced with this steroid than with others. This makes dexamethasone a more appropriate choice for patients with concurrent heart disease or other condition requiring restricted salt intake. If this occurs, another steroid can be selected or the dexamethasone dose can be dropped.
Dexamethasone is commonly used for several weeks or even months at a time to get a chronic process under control. It is important that the dose be tapered to an every third day schedule once the condition is controlled. The reason for this is that body will perceive these hormones and not produce any of its own. In time, the adrenal glands will atrophy so that when the medication is discontinued, the patient will be unable to respond to any stressful situation. An actual circulatory crisis can result. By using the medication every other day, this allows the body's own adrenal glands to remain active
COMPAZINE
Compazine is the drug I can take for nausea. I don't know about this one I may ask for an alternative anti-nausea drug
AVELOX
Avelox is my antibiotic. I have to take my temperature throughout the day and it it reaches 100.4 I have to start taking my antibiotic and call my Doctor immediately. All of my prescriptions have at least three refills on them.
This is what Avelox does.
Bacterial infections are among the most common reasons that people seek health care worldwide. These infections interfere with activities of daily living, burden the health care system, and can lead to serious medical complications.
Avelox® (moxifloxacin hydrochloride) is an antibiotic that is highly active against many different bacteria, including those that are most likely to contribute to acute bacterial sinusitis, acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, and community-acquired pneumonia. Avelox has also been proven effective in the treatment of skin and skin structure infections and intra-abdominal infections caused by certain bacteria. Avelox rapidly travels to the site of infection, and provides fast clinical recovery. Avelox has a well-characterized safety profile, which has been studied in over 14,000 patients in clinical trials and 92,000 patients in post marketing surveillance studies. Furthermore Avelox has been used to treat more than 98 million patients worldwide.
CLARITIN
I have to start this today also and I have to take it for a week to prevent aches from the Neulasta shot I get on Tuesday.
PERCOCET/TYLENOL
For pain, especially the Percocet.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Post #41- Getting Ready For Chemo Monday
If it's going down let's get it over with!!! I love to pack for trips so I am taking all my enthusiam in packing and packing my chemo bags. What are chemo bags you may ask? Well there are two types that I will have my everyday chemo bag and my chemo/herceptin day chemo bag.
My everyday chemo bag is just that a bag I have to carry around whenever I leave the house. It consists of a digital thermometer ( I have to take my temeprature throughout the day and if it gets over 100.4 I have to immediately start taking my antibiotics and call the Doctor), thermometer covers, neosporin, gloves, band aids, biotene for dry mouth, contact rewetting solution, tissues, toilet seat cover, travel size of contact solution and case, travel size spray lysol, face mask, hand sanitizer, blistex, q-tips and baby wipes.
I am still packing my chemo/herceptin day bag. I will take that bag when I go have chemo. My chemo session will last between 5-6 hours. So I have to take water, snacks, nooks, portable dvd, dvds, my journal etc..still packing. I have to invest in an Ipod I can't believe I haven't brought one yet, lol..
My everyday chemo bag is just that a bag I have to carry around whenever I leave the house. It consists of a digital thermometer ( I have to take my temeprature throughout the day and if it gets over 100.4 I have to immediately start taking my antibiotics and call the Doctor), thermometer covers, neosporin, gloves, band aids, biotene for dry mouth, contact rewetting solution, tissues, toilet seat cover, travel size of contact solution and case, travel size spray lysol, face mask, hand sanitizer, blistex, q-tips and baby wipes.
I am still packing my chemo/herceptin day bag. I will take that bag when I go have chemo. My chemo session will last between 5-6 hours. So I have to take water, snacks, nooks, portable dvd, dvds, my journal etc..still packing. I have to invest in an Ipod I can't believe I haven't brought one yet, lol..
Post #40- Port Put In And I Feel Worse Than After The Mastectomy
The picture to the left is exactly what I had done and exactly how the port is placed in my body. I feel horrible. It's uncomfortable for now, I feel it move a little when I get up and I have pain in my chest when I lift my right arm up. This time I am taking my pain medicine. I was given heavy sedation during my procedure. I was told some people get local anesthesia but I was knocked out before I was wheeled out of the pre op room into the the operating room. When I woke up they ordered a chest x-ray and I was able to go home about an hour later. Looking at the picture it is a little frightening no one wants something in this in them. Truthfully I am scared to move around. My shoulder hurts also. This was nothing like the mastectomy. I was able to move around and I had no pain. This on the other hand is very different. I have to pray that everything works out well, I will have this port in for over a year. Now because I am getting the herceptin ( because I am Her-2 neu positive) for a year I can't have the right mastectomy with reconstruction on both sides until I have completed the full year cycle of medicine.
Here is more detailed info about the port and it's associated risks.
An implanted port is made up of two parts: a catheter (kath-uh-ter) and a port. A catheter is a small plastic flexible tube. A port is a pocket for fluids that you get through the catheter. It is made of metal or plastic and holds a small amount of liquid. One end of the catheter is connected to the port, and the other end goes through a vein near your heart.
Most ports are the size of a quarter. They have plastic or metal on the sides and rubber over the top. The port is placed right under your skin and you can usually feel it through your skin. A special needle goes through your skin and the rubber on top of the port when the port is used. By having an access port, you can have blood taken for tests, and get IV fluids quickly and easily. Having the port may keep your arm from being stuck many times with a needle.
A vein is a tube inside you that carries blood from the body to the heart and lungs. Your doctor will put the catheter into a vein near your neck. The port is placed on your chest near your collarbone, or in your upper arm. If the port will be used often, there may be a catheter tube (tail) attached to the needle. It will hang down onto your chest.
RISKS
There are always risks with any medical procedure. You may have more bleeding than usual or get an infection (in-fek-shun). You could have trouble breathing, or get blood clots. The port may become blocked or clogged. If this happens, you may need to have a special medicine put into the port to unclog it. The tip of the catheter could move out of place, or the catheter could get a leak in it. This may cause IV fluid to leak out into your skin, and damage it.
The port may become loose and move around. Air could get into your blood stream through the catheter, or you could get an irregular heartbeat. Rarely, your lung may collapse, or the catheter can break apart in your vein. You may die. Your caregivers will watch you closely for these problems. Call them if you are worried or have questions about your medicine or care
Friday, December 19, 2008
Post #39- I am Getting My Port Put In Today
Another day, another surgery, lol... One step closer to my new life and second chance. I get my port put in today. Surgery is at 1:30. I should be getting dressed now because it's 10:39am and I am blogging. Haven't eaten or drank anything since midnight but I am not hungry. I made sure that I drank a whole lot of water this time before my cut off last night. Maybe my eyelids won't burn and dry out so much this time. I know GOD has me so I am not anxious about the surgery. I am just ready to get it over with. It's ugly outside today. Cloudy and rainy but that's ok. Everyday that I wake up is a good day!!!
Post #38- THANK YOU Smuckers and R.W. Knudsen Family Juice Products!!!
Thank GOD!!!! I just found out Smuckers and R. W. Knudsen Family Juices are sponsoring me during my breast cancer battle. They are supplying me with the juices that I need to keep me strong to fight, the fight of my life. This means so much to me because the financial burden of fighting cancer is tremendous. You could save an entire lifetime and be wiped out in a flash. The out of pocket costs, deductibles, co pays are off the chain. The constant Doctor's visits and medication. Transportation back and forth. It's so much and there will be a post about the financial burden and insurance companies, believe you me. SMUCKERS and R.W. Knudsen Family Juices THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!
Make sure you check out Knudsen juices! They are great and very beneficial to your health!!!!
http://www.knudsenjuices.com/products
I start chemo Monday, December 22, 2008 and this will help me greatly during my chemotherapy cycles!!! Thank you so much and GOD bless you!!!!!
Make sure you check out Knudsen juices! They are great and very beneficial to your health!!!!
http://www.knudsenjuices.com/products
I start chemo Monday, December 22, 2008 and this will help me greatly during my chemotherapy cycles!!! Thank you so much and GOD bless you!!!!!
Post #37- Thanks Aunt Tiny For The Prayers
I am just becoming familiar with my Father's side of the family. My Aunt Tiny and her son Shawn have been extremely supportive and loving to me since I met them. Not in person yet but over the phone on 11/22. I remember the date because the first time I talked to her was the day after I got out of the hospital for the mastectomy. Genetics are amazing, I have never been able to really relate to my Mother's side of the family with the exception of a few people. I am so much like my Aunt Tiny is amazing we both have a fiery, I am going to get you straight personality. Last night I even found out we have the same fighting strategies, lmao!!! She's into natural remedies like me and overall it's just very comfortable and natural to talk to her. I have wondered what it would have been like if she and Shawn had been around all my life. Things happen for a reason so it was GOD's will and we are together now so it's wonderful.
I am looking forward to a visit from them soon because they live in another state. Yesterday, my Aunt had a minister pray with me over the phone. It's a great feeling to know that you have genuine people who care for you and have your best interest at heart. I keep saying GOD is good and out of negative definitely comes positive.
I am looking forward to a visit from them soon because they live in another state. Yesterday, my Aunt had a minister pray with me over the phone. It's a great feeling to know that you have genuine people who care for you and have your best interest at heart. I keep saying GOD is good and out of negative definitely comes positive.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Post #36- Concerns..Concerned... CONTENT!!!
My life has been a whirlwind since 10/30/08. Now I am going into the second phase of treatment. Mentally I am exhausted and very tired. Physically I ave some concerns and I am going to call my Doctors tomorrow because I think I might have lymphedema.
Lymphedema is the chronic swelling or feeling of tightness in the arm or hand due to an accumulation of lymphatic fluid in the soft tissue of the arm. The condition occurs when lymph vessels, which normally carry excess fluid out of the limbs and back into central circulation, have had their flow interrupted. Axillary (underarm) lymph node removal is commonly performed on breast cancer patients to stage or treat their cancer. However, between 15% and 20% of breast cancer patients who undergo axillary lymph node removal develop lymphedema. According to the American Cancer Society, of the two million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., approximately 400,000 must cope with lymphedema on a daily basis.
I've noticed swelling on my left side and I fell tightness in my face on the left side. It's went down a whole lot but I still have a collection of lymph fluid under my arm and on my upper left side. There is so many after effects of cancer and cancer treatment. I am really, really just emotionally, mentally and physically drained. I am getting to the point that I just don't want to be bothered. It's so crazy because women over 40 seem to fair much better than women under 40. Under 40 the cancer is more aggressive and your risks for getting lymphedema are higher. This could be something else I have to deal with for the rest of my life. The more I get into this the more aggravating it's getting. People just don't understand. They think just because I am getting treated for the cancer I am good. They don't even know about all the other things that go along with it and the effects that it will have on the rest of my life. I pray GOD gives me the extra strength that I need to jump over this hurdle. My mind has been like a cluttered computer with all this programs running at the same time. Today I wanted to pick up the last things I needed up from my house but forget it. I'll do it tomorrow after my 3 Doctors appointments, maybe four once I tell them about these lymphedema symptoms.
I am starting not to like to talk to people because it seems like it's always something else wrong with me or now I am just not telling them. I don't know what's worse. I am not used to complaining and being in a down trodden mood. However, everyone told me to feel and experience the pain because even Jesus wept and it is not a sign that my faith is weak. I am used to being upbeat all the time but I guess I am human, lol. I have too much time to sit and think about things now. I think a lot about the past, a lot about the mistakes I have made, the things people have done to me, the things I have done to people and how 2008 changed my life forever. My life has built up to this cancer. What's crazy is the cancer was not the worst thing that happened to me. This year was a year of realization for me prior to the cancer. Death, sorrow, betrayal, treachery, self realization, self actualization, pain, redemption, truth, renewal and rebirth were all brought to me this year served to me on a silver platter starting January 1, 2008. The people I thought in the beginning of the year who appeared to be closest to me were illusions and deceptive but nothing can happen to you unless you allow it. The people who were true and real I had clouded under misconceptions, hurt and misunderstandings. People close to me died throughout the year starting January 1, 2008. Business was good, the music was kicking off. I took a leap of faith and went back to school for pharmacy to have a back up career. Got into a car accident, school was derailed. I had some big shows scheduled ( canceled cause I was hurt). All the people who were scheming on me were exposed or exposed themselves for what they were and why they were with me ( GOD bless them because they brought about the biggest brightest change in me because of their evil doings).
This year was my rebirth spiritually, mentally and with the cancer physically. I was dealing with the spiritual and mental part months before I found out I had cancer. Getting my house, my temple in order so I guess it would make sense for GOD to set up a situation so the cancer could be found. Your body is really a reflection of your mind so since I was consciously getting my mind in order my body had to follow suit. We all are a sum of our experiences my experiences have been awful! I realized though that I can change that with GOD's help. I am realizing and discovering what's really me, what I have adopted from experiences and what defense mechanisms I have employed that I can put down now due to my life's experiences that aren't really me. So with the cancer program running, it's a lot of other things running along with it. How I am seeing it is the cancer is the last stage of my renewal.
To all those people who thought and did betray me, deceive me and everything in between. Thank You! You were just a part of GOD's plan to purify me and make me better. As of today I am not holding on to it because I see it for what it was. We fall down but we get up :) I fell down real low but look at how high I am flying now and I am battling cancer. Imagine how high I will be flying after my cancer is gone because I am freeing myself from the past and focusing on the the future with a new way of thinking. I was successful before and my thinking and judgement wasn't exactly right all the time. Now just imagine what I will be doing now that my thinking and judgement is right with no hang ups or issues. I can see clearly now the rain and the veil that I put over my eyes is gone. The sky is the limit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The wisest person I know told me I have a second chance at life and they want me to run with it and be happy! This is the only person that has stuck by me through thick, thicker and the thickest, lol...When I was totally insane to downright commitable, when I did things I know I shouldn't have done to when I suffered the consequences for doing them. Through the good times and the bad times and everything in between. THANK YOU!!!! You never want credit but you know who you are.
My life will be my own. I will choose very carefully who I let in and I am talking about eye of a needle type careful. I realize I allowed everything to happen to me that happened but I value my life and myself too too too much to ever let it happen again! I also have some plans to help other young women ( who have grown up in similar situations like me) so they will not allow things to happen to them that happened to me. They will be the captains of their own destinies from early on. I haven't gone and I am not going through this for nothing!!!!! Negative always works for positive!!
Lymphedema is the chronic swelling or feeling of tightness in the arm or hand due to an accumulation of lymphatic fluid in the soft tissue of the arm. The condition occurs when lymph vessels, which normally carry excess fluid out of the limbs and back into central circulation, have had their flow interrupted. Axillary (underarm) lymph node removal is commonly performed on breast cancer patients to stage or treat their cancer. However, between 15% and 20% of breast cancer patients who undergo axillary lymph node removal develop lymphedema. According to the American Cancer Society, of the two million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., approximately 400,000 must cope with lymphedema on a daily basis.
I've noticed swelling on my left side and I fell tightness in my face on the left side. It's went down a whole lot but I still have a collection of lymph fluid under my arm and on my upper left side. There is so many after effects of cancer and cancer treatment. I am really, really just emotionally, mentally and physically drained. I am getting to the point that I just don't want to be bothered. It's so crazy because women over 40 seem to fair much better than women under 40. Under 40 the cancer is more aggressive and your risks for getting lymphedema are higher. This could be something else I have to deal with for the rest of my life. The more I get into this the more aggravating it's getting. People just don't understand. They think just because I am getting treated for the cancer I am good. They don't even know about all the other things that go along with it and the effects that it will have on the rest of my life. I pray GOD gives me the extra strength that I need to jump over this hurdle. My mind has been like a cluttered computer with all this programs running at the same time. Today I wanted to pick up the last things I needed up from my house but forget it. I'll do it tomorrow after my 3 Doctors appointments, maybe four once I tell them about these lymphedema symptoms.
I am starting not to like to talk to people because it seems like it's always something else wrong with me or now I am just not telling them. I don't know what's worse. I am not used to complaining and being in a down trodden mood. However, everyone told me to feel and experience the pain because even Jesus wept and it is not a sign that my faith is weak. I am used to being upbeat all the time but I guess I am human, lol. I have too much time to sit and think about things now. I think a lot about the past, a lot about the mistakes I have made, the things people have done to me, the things I have done to people and how 2008 changed my life forever. My life has built up to this cancer. What's crazy is the cancer was not the worst thing that happened to me. This year was a year of realization for me prior to the cancer. Death, sorrow, betrayal, treachery, self realization, self actualization, pain, redemption, truth, renewal and rebirth were all brought to me this year served to me on a silver platter starting January 1, 2008. The people I thought in the beginning of the year who appeared to be closest to me were illusions and deceptive but nothing can happen to you unless you allow it. The people who were true and real I had clouded under misconceptions, hurt and misunderstandings. People close to me died throughout the year starting January 1, 2008. Business was good, the music was kicking off. I took a leap of faith and went back to school for pharmacy to have a back up career. Got into a car accident, school was derailed. I had some big shows scheduled ( canceled cause I was hurt). All the people who were scheming on me were exposed or exposed themselves for what they were and why they were with me ( GOD bless them because they brought about the biggest brightest change in me because of their evil doings).
This year was my rebirth spiritually, mentally and with the cancer physically. I was dealing with the spiritual and mental part months before I found out I had cancer. Getting my house, my temple in order so I guess it would make sense for GOD to set up a situation so the cancer could be found. Your body is really a reflection of your mind so since I was consciously getting my mind in order my body had to follow suit. We all are a sum of our experiences my experiences have been awful! I realized though that I can change that with GOD's help. I am realizing and discovering what's really me, what I have adopted from experiences and what defense mechanisms I have employed that I can put down now due to my life's experiences that aren't really me. So with the cancer program running, it's a lot of other things running along with it. How I am seeing it is the cancer is the last stage of my renewal.
To all those people who thought and did betray me, deceive me and everything in between. Thank You! You were just a part of GOD's plan to purify me and make me better. As of today I am not holding on to it because I see it for what it was. We fall down but we get up :) I fell down real low but look at how high I am flying now and I am battling cancer. Imagine how high I will be flying after my cancer is gone because I am freeing myself from the past and focusing on the the future with a new way of thinking. I was successful before and my thinking and judgement wasn't exactly right all the time. Now just imagine what I will be doing now that my thinking and judgement is right with no hang ups or issues. I can see clearly now the rain and the veil that I put over my eyes is gone. The sky is the limit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The wisest person I know told me I have a second chance at life and they want me to run with it and be happy! This is the only person that has stuck by me through thick, thicker and the thickest, lol...When I was totally insane to downright commitable, when I did things I know I shouldn't have done to when I suffered the consequences for doing them. Through the good times and the bad times and everything in between. THANK YOU!!!! You never want credit but you know who you are.
My life will be my own. I will choose very carefully who I let in and I am talking about eye of a needle type careful. I realize I allowed everything to happen to me that happened but I value my life and myself too too too much to ever let it happen again! I also have some plans to help other young women ( who have grown up in similar situations like me) so they will not allow things to happen to them that happened to me. They will be the captains of their own destinies from early on. I haven't gone and I am not going through this for nothing!!!!! Negative always works for positive!!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Post #35 - Nutritionally Sound- What I Eat
For the most part I ate nutritionally sound prior to my cancer diagnosis. I don't eat a lot of sweets (I do love vanilla bean cheesecake), no pork, little red meat(for the week after I was diagnosed I did crave double cheeseburgers, go figure,lol), don't drink or smoke ( no, not even the funny little ones, lol), I take vitamins and supplements, don't like milk chocolate ( I do like whit chocolate) and I don't drink coffee. So since I was diagnosed I have been researching what foods are good for breast cancer and what foods are not. Basically ever Doctor I talked to told me to eat nutritionally balanced meals. So here is what I am eating now (for the rest of my long days) and this is what I'm taking out. When I add or delete something I will put a revision tag next to the title and number it as the revisions take place. Some things that may be good for cancer may not be on my list because I am allergic to a lot of foods. So this is my personal list specific for me and my type of cancer this is not THE cancer list.
WHAT'S IN
Garlic
Turmeric
Cinnamon
White pepper
Rosemary
Onions
Pineapples
Plantain
Turnip greens
Ginger
Spinach
Broccoli
Beets**Don't like them though
Organic- Romaine lettuce, baby carrots, celery, apple sauce, tomatoes, oranges, lemons, apples, blueberries, potatoes, strawberries
Salmon
Tuna
Tilapia
Shrimp
Crab
Mussels
Calves liver
Turkey
Lamb
Organic- Chicken, eggs, cheddar cheese, yogurt
Nitrate free- turkey bacon, turkey sausage, turkey bologna and lunch meats
Organic-Butter, milk( I usually just cook with this), ketchup, almond milk,
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Liquid Amino's
Apple Cider Vinegar
Organic brown cane sugar
Agave***going to try this sweetener
Honey
Navy beans
Lentil beans
R.W. Knudsen Family® Mega AntioxidantTM, Mega CTM, Vita Juice®
Green Tea
Figi water
Electrolyte water
Cranberry juice-unsweetened
Spelt bread
Flaxseed- crackers, bread, flour** going to try this
Vitamin D
Co-Q10
Omega3
Multi-vitamin
Vitamin c
Calcium chews
Pro biotic
Apple Jacks
Vanilla bean cheesecake
Good Humor Toasted Almond Ice cream bar
1. Eating foods high in beta- carotene has been linked in many studies to lower rates of breast cancer. Tip: Baby carrots beta-carotene is more absorbable then regular carrots and carrots beta-carotene is 500% more absorbable than in raw carrots.
2. There's an intriguing compound in milk fat (including butter)-- conjugated linoleic acid -- that fights breast cancer cells in test tubes and animals. Butter contains CLA's mentioned in #3. One study suggests that a diet higher in trans fats may increase the risk of breast cancer. Margarine, most french fries, both frozen and fast-food, and many processed and fried foods made with hydrogenated fats are a top trans fat source (I love butter!!!!!)
3. Even Ketch-up to fill up on a compound called lycopene. Diets high in lycopene are linked to lower rates of breast and prostate cancer
4. Research suggests that women with higher tissue levels of omega-3s have lower rates of breast cancer. <*not light tuna.>
5. Women whose diets are higher in vitamin D have less breast cancer. To ensure that you get the recommended level, add Vitamin D to a healthy diet, advise many experts, especially in climates or lifestyles with out year round sun (20 minutes a day).
6. Green tea is rich in EGCG, a compound that inhibits breast cancer cells in mice
7. Garlic kills breast cancer cells in the test tube and maybe in you. But if you're going to cook garlic, always peel and chop, then let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before you heat. Heating right away doesn't allow time for the cancer-fighting compounds to develop.
8. Women in one study who ate a serving of spinach at least twice a week had half the rate of breast cancer of women who avoided it.
9. Why flaxseed? Because it has 75 times more lignin precursors, compounds that inhibit mammary tumors in animals.
10. Oranges and lemons contain Iimonene which stimulates cancer-killing immune cells (lymphocytes, e.g.) that may also break down cancer-causing substances
11. Rosemary may help increase the activity of detoxification enzymes. An extract of rosemary, termed carnosol, has inhibited the development of both breast and skin tumors in animals. We haven't found any studies done on humans. Rosemary can be used as a seasoning. It can also be consumed as a tea: Use 1 tsp. dried leaves per cup of hot water; steep for 15 minutes.
12. Turmeric (curcuma longa), a member of the ginger family, is believed to have medicinal properties because it inhibits production of the inflammation-related enzyme cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2), levels of which are abnormally high in certain inflammatory diseases and cancers, especially bowel and colon cancer. In fact, a pharmaceutical company Phytopharm in the UK hopes to introduce a natural product, P54, that contains certain volatile oils, which greatly increase the potency of the turmeric spice.
WHAT'S IN
Garlic
Turmeric
Cinnamon
White pepper
Rosemary
Onions
Pineapples
Plantain
Turnip greens
Ginger
Spinach
Broccoli
Beets**Don't like them though
Organic- Romaine lettuce, baby carrots, celery, apple sauce, tomatoes, oranges, lemons, apples, blueberries, potatoes, strawberries
Salmon
Tuna
Tilapia
Shrimp
Crab
Mussels
Calves liver
Turkey
Lamb
Organic- Chicken, eggs, cheddar cheese, yogurt
Nitrate free- turkey bacon, turkey sausage, turkey bologna and lunch meats
Organic-Butter, milk( I usually just cook with this), ketchup, almond milk,
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Liquid Amino's
Apple Cider Vinegar
Organic brown cane sugar
Agave***going to try this sweetener
Honey
Navy beans
Lentil beans
R.W. Knudsen Family® Mega AntioxidantTM, Mega CTM, Vita Juice®
Green Tea
Figi water
Electrolyte water
Cranberry juice-unsweetened
Spelt bread
Flaxseed- crackers, bread, flour** going to try this
Vitamin D
Co-Q10
Omega3
Multi-vitamin
Vitamin c
Calcium chews
Pro biotic
Apple Jacks
Vanilla bean cheesecake
Good Humor Toasted Almond Ice cream bar
1. Eating foods high in beta- carotene has been linked in many studies to lower rates of breast cancer. Tip: Baby carrots beta-carotene is more absorbable then regular carrots and carrots beta-carotene is 500% more absorbable than in raw carrots.
2. There's an intriguing compound in milk fat (including butter)-- conjugated linoleic acid -- that fights breast cancer cells in test tubes and animals. Butter contains CLA's mentioned in #3. One study suggests that a diet higher in trans fats may increase the risk of breast cancer. Margarine, most french fries, both frozen and fast-food, and many processed and fried foods made with hydrogenated fats are a top trans fat source (I love butter!!!!!)
3. Even Ketch-up to fill up on a compound called lycopene. Diets high in lycopene are linked to lower rates of breast and prostate cancer
4. Research suggests that women with higher tissue levels of omega-3s have lower rates of breast cancer. <*not light tuna.>
5. Women whose diets are higher in vitamin D have less breast cancer. To ensure that you get the recommended level, add Vitamin D to a healthy diet, advise many experts, especially in climates or lifestyles with out year round sun (20 minutes a day).
6. Green tea is rich in EGCG, a compound that inhibits breast cancer cells in mice
7. Garlic kills breast cancer cells in the test tube and maybe in you. But if you're going to cook garlic, always peel and chop, then let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before you heat. Heating right away doesn't allow time for the cancer-fighting compounds to develop.
8. Women in one study who ate a serving of spinach at least twice a week had half the rate of breast cancer of women who avoided it.
9. Why flaxseed? Because it has 75 times more lignin precursors, compounds that inhibit mammary tumors in animals.
10. Oranges and lemons contain Iimonene which stimulates cancer-killing immune cells (lymphocytes, e.g.) that may also break down cancer-causing substances
11. Rosemary may help increase the activity of detoxification enzymes. An extract of rosemary, termed carnosol, has inhibited the development of both breast and skin tumors in animals. We haven't found any studies done on humans. Rosemary can be used as a seasoning. It can also be consumed as a tea: Use 1 tsp. dried leaves per cup of hot water; steep for 15 minutes.
12. Turmeric (curcuma longa), a member of the ginger family, is believed to have medicinal properties because it inhibits production of the inflammation-related enzyme cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2), levels of which are abnormally high in certain inflammatory diseases and cancers, especially bowel and colon cancer. In fact, a pharmaceutical company Phytopharm in the UK hopes to introduce a natural product, P54, that contains certain volatile oils, which greatly increase the potency of the turmeric spice.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Post #34- All I Want For Xmas Is A Port and Some Chemo On The Side
LOL...laughter is good for the soul.. I am scheduled for surgery to get my port in on 12/19 and I start Chemo on 12/22. All I'll probably be doing this Christmas is sucking on a candy cane for nausea, lol. I won't have to worry about those extra holiday pounds this year. Seriously, it is the best gift I ever had because it is The Gift Of Life. I have to look for the positive because I have been in a roller coaster funk these last few days. Not just about the chemo about a lot of things. I am learning not to sweat the small or large stuff very, very, slowly but I am doing it.
Now what is a port you may ask. Well your teacher on all things cancer will answer it for you, lol. I'm going to have my port in for a quite a while. My veins are small and they can no longer take blood from my left arm due to the mastectomy. So me and my port will be buddies for a long time to come. I'm averaging about a surgery a month since October, lol.....As long as I am good and sleep we will be fine. The nurse said they will put me out so, I say let's do the damn thing. Here's the port information.
Implantable ports (sometimes called portacaths or subcutaneous ports)
An implantable port is a thin, soft, plastic tube that is put into a vein in your chest (will be in my chest) or arm and has an opening (port) just under the skin. This allows medicines to be given into the vein or blood to be taken from the vein.
The tube is long, thin and hollow, and is known as a catheter. The port is a disc about 2.5–4cm (1–1½ in) in diameter. The catheter is usually inserted (tunnelled) under the skin of your chest. The tip of the catheter lies in a large vein just above your heart ( Just hearing that scares the hell out of me, in my heart vein, AWWWWWW) and the other end connects with the port which sits under the skin on your upper chest. The port will show as a small bump underneath your skin, which can be felt but is not visible on the outside of your body.
What they are used for
A port can be used to give you treatments such as chemotherapy, blood transfusions, high-calorie liquids, or antibiotics. Ports can also be used when it is necessary to take samples of your blood for testing. This makes it possible for you to have your treatment without the need to frequently put needles into veins in your arms.
You can go home with the port in and it can be left in place for weeks, months or, for some people, years. A port may be very useful if doctors or nurses find it difficult to get needles into your veins, or if the walls of your veins have been hardened by previous treatment. A port is more discreet than a central line or PICC line because it lies completely under the skin and has no external parts.
How the port is put in
Your port will be put in at the hospital by a surgeon or a radiologist. It is usually done in the operating theatre or an area called the vascular radiology unit. It can be put in either under a general anaesthetic or a local anaesthetic.
Before your surgery you may find it helpful to discuss the position of the port on your chest with the surgeon.
You will have a small needle put into a vein in your arm or hand and you will be given medicine to help you to relax. The doctor will inject a local anaesthetic into your skin to numb a couple of small areas on your chest and neck. After this you may be aware of activity around you and may feel some pressure on your chest (or arm) during the procedure, but you should not feel any pain.
You will have one or two small incisions (cuts in your skin). If the port is put into your chest vein the incision on your upper chest will be about 3–4 cm long and is where the port is placed. There will be a smaller incision above this, which is usually less than 1–2 cm (½–1 in) long. The catheter will be put into a vein in your chest. It will then be tunnelled under the skin from the lower chest incision to the incision above. The catheter is then attached to the port, which is fitted into a space created under the skin. The incisions are then stitched. If the stitches are not dissolvable they will be removed after about 7–10 days, when the wound has healed.
If the port is put into a vein in your arm the wound will be on the inner side of your arm.
You may also have a chest x-ray to make sure the port is in the right place.
A small dressing may be used to cover the wounds for a day or so after the procedure. The nursing team will teach you how to look after this.
You may feel a bit sore and bruised for a few days after the port is put in. A mild painkiller such as paracetamol will help with this.
Immediately after the port has been put in, and for a few days afterwards, check for any redness, swelling, bleeding, bruising, pain or heat around the wounds. Let your hospital doctor know straight away if you have any of these signs as you could have an infection, which may need to be treated.
How it is used
The port can be used soon after it has been put in, if necessary. When you are about to have treatment or have a blood sample taken, the skin over the port will be numbed with an anaesthetic cream which will be put on about half an hour beforehand. The skin will then be cleaned.
A special needle, known as a Huber needle, is used to push through the skin and into the port (see diagram, above). This should not be painful but you may feel a pushing sensation.
The Huber needle connects with the catheter, allowing treatment to be given directly into the bloodstream. Blood samples can also be taken in this way if needed. If you are having a short treatment, the needle will then be withdrawn. For longer treatments, a dressing will be taped over the needle to hold it in place until the end of the treatment, when it will be removed.
Care of your implantable port
After each treatment a small amount of fluid is ‘flushed’ into the catheter so that it does not become blocked. The port will need to be flushed every four weeks if it is not being used regularly. The nurses at the hospital may teach you (or a friend or relative) to do this for yourself if you feel able to, or a district nurse can do it for you at home. Apart from this, your port will not need any care at all.
Now what is a port you may ask. Well your teacher on all things cancer will answer it for you, lol. I'm going to have my port in for a quite a while. My veins are small and they can no longer take blood from my left arm due to the mastectomy. So me and my port will be buddies for a long time to come. I'm averaging about a surgery a month since October, lol.....As long as I am good and sleep we will be fine. The nurse said they will put me out so, I say let's do the damn thing. Here's the port information.
Implantable ports (sometimes called portacaths or subcutaneous ports)
An implantable port is a thin, soft, plastic tube that is put into a vein in your chest (will be in my chest) or arm and has an opening (port) just under the skin. This allows medicines to be given into the vein or blood to be taken from the vein.
The tube is long, thin and hollow, and is known as a catheter. The port is a disc about 2.5–4cm (1–1½ in) in diameter. The catheter is usually inserted (tunnelled) under the skin of your chest. The tip of the catheter lies in a large vein just above your heart ( Just hearing that scares the hell out of me, in my heart vein, AWWWWWW) and the other end connects with the port which sits under the skin on your upper chest. The port will show as a small bump underneath your skin, which can be felt but is not visible on the outside of your body.
What they are used for
A port can be used to give you treatments such as chemotherapy, blood transfusions, high-calorie liquids, or antibiotics. Ports can also be used when it is necessary to take samples of your blood for testing. This makes it possible for you to have your treatment without the need to frequently put needles into veins in your arms.
You can go home with the port in and it can be left in place for weeks, months or, for some people, years. A port may be very useful if doctors or nurses find it difficult to get needles into your veins, or if the walls of your veins have been hardened by previous treatment. A port is more discreet than a central line or PICC line because it lies completely under the skin and has no external parts.
How the port is put in
Your port will be put in at the hospital by a surgeon or a radiologist. It is usually done in the operating theatre or an area called the vascular radiology unit. It can be put in either under a general anaesthetic or a local anaesthetic.
Before your surgery you may find it helpful to discuss the position of the port on your chest with the surgeon.
You will have a small needle put into a vein in your arm or hand and you will be given medicine to help you to relax. The doctor will inject a local anaesthetic into your skin to numb a couple of small areas on your chest and neck. After this you may be aware of activity around you and may feel some pressure on your chest (or arm) during the procedure, but you should not feel any pain.
You will have one or two small incisions (cuts in your skin). If the port is put into your chest vein the incision on your upper chest will be about 3–4 cm long and is where the port is placed. There will be a smaller incision above this, which is usually less than 1–2 cm (½–1 in) long. The catheter will be put into a vein in your chest. It will then be tunnelled under the skin from the lower chest incision to the incision above. The catheter is then attached to the port, which is fitted into a space created under the skin. The incisions are then stitched. If the stitches are not dissolvable they will be removed after about 7–10 days, when the wound has healed.
If the port is put into a vein in your arm the wound will be on the inner side of your arm.
You may also have a chest x-ray to make sure the port is in the right place.
A small dressing may be used to cover the wounds for a day or so after the procedure. The nursing team will teach you how to look after this.
You may feel a bit sore and bruised for a few days after the port is put in. A mild painkiller such as paracetamol will help with this.
Immediately after the port has been put in, and for a few days afterwards, check for any redness, swelling, bleeding, bruising, pain or heat around the wounds. Let your hospital doctor know straight away if you have any of these signs as you could have an infection, which may need to be treated.
How it is used
The port can be used soon after it has been put in, if necessary. When you are about to have treatment or have a blood sample taken, the skin over the port will be numbed with an anaesthetic cream which will be put on about half an hour beforehand. The skin will then be cleaned.
A special needle, known as a Huber needle, is used to push through the skin and into the port (see diagram, above). This should not be painful but you may feel a pushing sensation.
The Huber needle connects with the catheter, allowing treatment to be given directly into the bloodstream. Blood samples can also be taken in this way if needed. If you are having a short treatment, the needle will then be withdrawn. For longer treatments, a dressing will be taped over the needle to hold it in place until the end of the treatment, when it will be removed.
Care of your implantable port
After each treatment a small amount of fluid is ‘flushed’ into the catheter so that it does not become blocked. The port will need to be flushed every four weeks if it is not being used regularly. The nurses at the hospital may teach you (or a friend or relative) to do this for yourself if you feel able to, or a district nurse can do it for you at home. Apart from this, your port will not need any care at all.
Post #33- Had My Echocardiogram :)
I had my echocardiogram, it was fast and painful for me. It was painful because I had to lay on my left side for a bit because that's where your heart is located and it just so happens to be my mastectomy side, lol.. Other than that it was a breeze. I had to get a echocardiogram in preparation for chemotherapy and herceptin treatment to see how my heart is functioning and to establish a baseline line for the Doctors to go off of because I will receive an echocardiogram every three months to monitor my heart for damage. So before I tell you my results that I got from my onocological nurse. Let me tell you a little about an echocardiogram.
An echocardiogram is a test in which ultrasound is used to examine the heart. The equipment is far superior to that used by fishermen. In addition to providing single-dimension images, known as M-mode echo that allows accurate measurement of the heart chambers, the echocardiogram also offers far more sophisticated and advanced imaging. This is known as two- dimensional (2-D) Echo and is capable of displaying a cross-sectional "slice" of the beating heart, including the chambers, valves and the major blood vessels that exit from the left and right ventricle
An echocardiogram can be obtained in a physician's office or in the hospital. For a resting echocardiogram (in contrast to a stress echo or TEE, discussed elsewhere) no special preparation is necessary. Clothing from the upper body is removed and covered by a gown or sheet to keep you comfortable and maintain the privacy of females. The patient then lies on an examination table or a hospital bed Sticky patches or electrodes are attached to the chest and shoulders and connected to electrodes or wires. These help to record the electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) during the echocardiography test. The EKG helps in the timing of various cardiac events (filling and emptying of chambers). A colorless gel is then applied to the chest and the echo transducer is placed on top of it. The echo technologist then makes recordings from different parts of the chest to obtain several views of the heart. You may be asked to move form your back and to the side. Instructions may also be given for you to breathe slowly or to hold your breath. This helps in obtaining higher quality pictures. The images are constantly viewed on the monitor. It is also recorded on photographic paper and on videotape. The tape offers a permanent record of the examination and is reviewed by the physician prior to completion of the final report.
Pumping function of the heart can be assessed by echocardiography. One can tell if the pumping power of the heart is normal or reduced to a mild or severe degree. This measure is known as an ejection fraction or EF. A normal EF is around 55 to 65%. Numbers below 45% usually represent some decrease in the pumping strength of the heart, while numbers below 30 to 35% are representative of an important decrease.
So the results I received were about my pumping function which is at 60%. So that's a good thing. I can proceed as scheduled. Now I have to call my surgeon and so they can set up my out patient port surgery. GOD is good to me everything is falling into place on the medical side of things now I just got to get my personal side in check. lol..That's another blog ....
An echocardiogram is a test in which ultrasound is used to examine the heart. The equipment is far superior to that used by fishermen. In addition to providing single-dimension images, known as M-mode echo that allows accurate measurement of the heart chambers, the echocardiogram also offers far more sophisticated and advanced imaging. This is known as two- dimensional (2-D) Echo and is capable of displaying a cross-sectional "slice" of the beating heart, including the chambers, valves and the major blood vessels that exit from the left and right ventricle
An echocardiogram can be obtained in a physician's office or in the hospital. For a resting echocardiogram (in contrast to a stress echo or TEE, discussed elsewhere) no special preparation is necessary. Clothing from the upper body is removed and covered by a gown or sheet to keep you comfortable and maintain the privacy of females. The patient then lies on an examination table or a hospital bed Sticky patches or electrodes are attached to the chest and shoulders and connected to electrodes or wires. These help to record the electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) during the echocardiography test. The EKG helps in the timing of various cardiac events (filling and emptying of chambers). A colorless gel is then applied to the chest and the echo transducer is placed on top of it. The echo technologist then makes recordings from different parts of the chest to obtain several views of the heart. You may be asked to move form your back and to the side. Instructions may also be given for you to breathe slowly or to hold your breath. This helps in obtaining higher quality pictures. The images are constantly viewed on the monitor. It is also recorded on photographic paper and on videotape. The tape offers a permanent record of the examination and is reviewed by the physician prior to completion of the final report.
Pumping function of the heart can be assessed by echocardiography. One can tell if the pumping power of the heart is normal or reduced to a mild or severe degree. This measure is known as an ejection fraction or EF. A normal EF is around 55 to 65%. Numbers below 45% usually represent some decrease in the pumping strength of the heart, while numbers below 30 to 35% are representative of an important decrease.
So the results I received were about my pumping function which is at 60%. So that's a good thing. I can proceed as scheduled. Now I have to call my surgeon and so they can set up my out patient port surgery. GOD is good to me everything is falling into place on the medical side of things now I just got to get my personal side in check. lol..That's another blog ....
Post #32- My Clinical Trial Chemotherapy Generalities
Just found out some good news while looking up chemo stuff on the internet. :)
The results of a Phase III clinical trial, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, concluded that Taxotere (docetaxel) plus Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide) resulted in better cancer free survival than the treatment combination of Adriamycin (doxorubicin) and Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide).
Adriamycin and Cytoxan, referred to as the AC chemotherapy regime, has been the gold standard for adjuvant therapy for those patients diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. This study was conducted on more than 1000 women who had Stage I to Stage III disease. Half of the women were given the AC regime and the other half given the Taxotere/Cytoxan (TC) regime.
The results of the study showed that cancer free survival was 86 percent for those treated with TC an 80 percent among women treated with AC. Overall survival was 90 percent among women treated with TC and 87 percent among women treated with AC. Nausea and vomiting were more common among women treated with AC. Muscle and joint pain, edema, and low white blood cell counts accompanied by fever were more common among patients treated with TC.
MY CLINICAL TRIAL and CHEMO INFO
Study Title- Phase II Trial of Adjuvant TC (Docetaxel/Cyclophosphamide) plus Trastuzumab(Herceptin) in Her2- Positive Early Stage Breast Cancer Patients
The goal of this clinical study is to determine if a shorter course of chemotherapy with TC, when combined with standard Herceptin, is safe and effective in the treatment of HER2+ breast cancer.
Procedures:
I will receive IV Taxotere and Cytoxan on Day 1 and IV Herceptin on Days 1, 8 and 15 of each 21-day treatment period, or cycle for a total of 4 cycles. Once 4 cycles of TC+H have been received, I will continue to receive only IV Herceptin once every 21 days to complete 1 year total of Herceptin therapy, which is the current standard of care for early stage HER2+ breast cancer.
I will also have a echocardiogram every 3 months plus much more. The onocological nurse was giving me a schedule over the phone that she is preparing to give me when I see her on 12/15. It is a lot of check ups, tests and follow ups during the trial and after for three years. That makes me feel good about this trial because I see that I will be taken care of properly. So I will give you all the specific details on 12/15
The results of a Phase III clinical trial, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, concluded that Taxotere (docetaxel) plus Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide) resulted in better cancer free survival than the treatment combination of Adriamycin (doxorubicin) and Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide).
Adriamycin and Cytoxan, referred to as the AC chemotherapy regime, has been the gold standard for adjuvant therapy for those patients diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. This study was conducted on more than 1000 women who had Stage I to Stage III disease. Half of the women were given the AC regime and the other half given the Taxotere/Cytoxan (TC) regime.
The results of the study showed that cancer free survival was 86 percent for those treated with TC an 80 percent among women treated with AC. Overall survival was 90 percent among women treated with TC and 87 percent among women treated with AC. Nausea and vomiting were more common among women treated with AC. Muscle and joint pain, edema, and low white blood cell counts accompanied by fever were more common among patients treated with TC.
MY CLINICAL TRIAL and CHEMO INFO
Study Title- Phase II Trial of Adjuvant TC (Docetaxel/Cyclophosphamide) plus Trastuzumab(Herceptin) in Her2- Positive Early Stage Breast Cancer Patients
The goal of this clinical study is to determine if a shorter course of chemotherapy with TC, when combined with standard Herceptin, is safe and effective in the treatment of HER2+ breast cancer.
Procedures:
I will receive IV Taxotere and Cytoxan on Day 1 and IV Herceptin on Days 1, 8 and 15 of each 21-day treatment period, or cycle for a total of 4 cycles. Once 4 cycles of TC+H have been received, I will continue to receive only IV Herceptin once every 21 days to complete 1 year total of Herceptin therapy, which is the current standard of care for early stage HER2+ breast cancer.
I will also have a echocardiogram every 3 months plus much more. The onocological nurse was giving me a schedule over the phone that she is preparing to give me when I see her on 12/15. It is a lot of check ups, tests and follow ups during the trial and after for three years. That makes me feel good about this trial because I see that I will be taken care of properly. So I will give you all the specific details on 12/15
Post #31- Clinical Trials Dispelling The Myths
People hear about clinical trials and the first thing that pops in their minds is guinea pigs, lmao. Well science has came a long way from that. Clinical trials are very important especially in cancer research. Here are some myths surrounding clinical trials below.
Myths & Facts About Cancer Clinical Trials
Patient fears about experimental treatments, placebos, unnecessary testing, cost of care, and access are among the biggest barriers to enrollment in cancer clinical trials. Many of these fears are unfounded and are strong enough in the general population to slow down the pace of cancer research. Here’s a look at some of the myths that surround cancer clinical trials, in hopes that accurate information will help increase participation.
Myth: Cancer patients avoid clinical trials because they are too risky.
Fact: Many patients simply don’t know that clinical trials are a treatment option. In one survey, most of these patients said they would have enrolled if they had known. In clinical trials, patients are watched closely by their doctor. They are also watched by other members of their medical team.
Myth: Clinical trials test treatments of unknown safety and efficacy.
Fact: Generally not. The large majority of cancer patients are enrolled in Phase III clinical trials, which compare the outcome of two or more established alternative treatments. Many of these treatments are considered variations on the current standard of care and are routinely covered outside clinical trials. Studies of treatments in the early stages of human testing are restricted to small networks of institutions that are especially qualified to conduct such studies.
Myth: Patients in clinical trials are treated like guinea pigs. Fact: 97% of people in one survey said they were treated with dignity and respect. They also reported that the care was very good.
Myth: Cancer clinical trial patients are given sugar pills.
Fact: Patients who join clinical trials are given the best treatment available or the chance to receive a new treatment being considered. Sugar pills (also called placebos) are rarely used in cancer clinical trials and are never used in place of treatment.
Myth: Health insurance will not cover the costs of a clinical trial.
Fact: Many insurers cover the normal costs of treatment on cancer clinical trials, and many states have mandatory coverage. Check with your doctor or insurance plan to see if you are covered.
Myth: Medicare does not cover the patient care costs of clinical trials.
Fact: Medicare has been covering these costs since June 2000. Generally, cancer treatment and diagnostic trials are covered if they are funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), NCI-Designated Cancer Centers, cancer cooperative groups, or other federal agencies that fund cancer research. For up-to-date information on Medicare and cancer clinical trials, visit the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (formerly the Health Care Financing Administration).
Myth: Clinical trials cost more than standard cancer treatment.
Fact: Not necessarily. Studies by groups including the American Association of Cancer Institutes, Kaiser Permanente, Mayo Clinic, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center have found that routine care for patients in trials is comparable to costs for patients not in trials.
Myth: You need to be near a big hospital to take part in a clinical trial.
Fact: Many cancer clinical trials take place at local hospitals. Some also take place at local cancer clinics and doctor’s offices.
Myth: Informed consent is meant primarily to protect the legal interests of researchers.
Fact: The purpose of informed consent is to protect participants by giving them information that can help them make informed choices about whether to take part in research. It also makes you aware of your rights as a participant.
Myth: Signing the informed consent document is the most important part of the process.
Fact: Putting your signature on an informed consent document is only part of the process. The heart of informed consent is a participant's ongoing interactions and discussion with researchers and other medical personnel, both during and after the study.
Myth: My doctor knows best; he or she can tell me whether I should participate.
Fact: You are the only one who can decide whether to take part in a clinical trial. Your doctor and the rest of the care team are important and valuable sources of information, but they can only provide balanced information about the risks and benefits of participation. Remember, no one can predict whether the treatment being studied will be successful in your case.
Myth: Once I sign the consent form, I have to enroll and stay enrolled.
Fact: That is not true. You are free to change your mind and not participate. You also have the right to leave a clinical trial at any time for any reason, without giving up access to other treatment.
Myth: I can’t really expect medical personnel to listen to my questions or keep me informed. Fact: The research team has a duty to keep you informed and to make sure you understand the information they provide and answer any questions. You will be given the name of a key contact person to stay in touch with throughout the trial. Remember, it is your willingness to participate that makes clinical research possible.
..Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups, Inc. 2007
To educate yourself more about clinical trials go to:
http://www.cancertrialshelp.org/Icare_content/icMainContent.aspx?intAppMode=3
Myths & Facts About Cancer Clinical Trials
Patient fears about experimental treatments, placebos, unnecessary testing, cost of care, and access are among the biggest barriers to enrollment in cancer clinical trials. Many of these fears are unfounded and are strong enough in the general population to slow down the pace of cancer research. Here’s a look at some of the myths that surround cancer clinical trials, in hopes that accurate information will help increase participation.
Myth: Cancer patients avoid clinical trials because they are too risky.
Fact: Many patients simply don’t know that clinical trials are a treatment option. In one survey, most of these patients said they would have enrolled if they had known. In clinical trials, patients are watched closely by their doctor. They are also watched by other members of their medical team.
Myth: Clinical trials test treatments of unknown safety and efficacy.
Fact: Generally not. The large majority of cancer patients are enrolled in Phase III clinical trials, which compare the outcome of two or more established alternative treatments. Many of these treatments are considered variations on the current standard of care and are routinely covered outside clinical trials. Studies of treatments in the early stages of human testing are restricted to small networks of institutions that are especially qualified to conduct such studies.
Myth: Patients in clinical trials are treated like guinea pigs. Fact: 97% of people in one survey said they were treated with dignity and respect. They also reported that the care was very good.
Myth: Cancer clinical trial patients are given sugar pills.
Fact: Patients who join clinical trials are given the best treatment available or the chance to receive a new treatment being considered. Sugar pills (also called placebos) are rarely used in cancer clinical trials and are never used in place of treatment.
Myth: Health insurance will not cover the costs of a clinical trial.
Fact: Many insurers cover the normal costs of treatment on cancer clinical trials, and many states have mandatory coverage. Check with your doctor or insurance plan to see if you are covered.
Myth: Medicare does not cover the patient care costs of clinical trials.
Fact: Medicare has been covering these costs since June 2000. Generally, cancer treatment and diagnostic trials are covered if they are funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), NCI-Designated Cancer Centers, cancer cooperative groups, or other federal agencies that fund cancer research. For up-to-date information on Medicare and cancer clinical trials, visit the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (formerly the Health Care Financing Administration).
Myth: Clinical trials cost more than standard cancer treatment.
Fact: Not necessarily. Studies by groups including the American Association of Cancer Institutes, Kaiser Permanente, Mayo Clinic, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center have found that routine care for patients in trials is comparable to costs for patients not in trials.
Myth: You need to be near a big hospital to take part in a clinical trial.
Fact: Many cancer clinical trials take place at local hospitals. Some also take place at local cancer clinics and doctor’s offices.
Myth: Informed consent is meant primarily to protect the legal interests of researchers.
Fact: The purpose of informed consent is to protect participants by giving them information that can help them make informed choices about whether to take part in research. It also makes you aware of your rights as a participant.
Myth: Signing the informed consent document is the most important part of the process.
Fact: Putting your signature on an informed consent document is only part of the process. The heart of informed consent is a participant's ongoing interactions and discussion with researchers and other medical personnel, both during and after the study.
Myth: My doctor knows best; he or she can tell me whether I should participate.
Fact: You are the only one who can decide whether to take part in a clinical trial. Your doctor and the rest of the care team are important and valuable sources of information, but they can only provide balanced information about the risks and benefits of participation. Remember, no one can predict whether the treatment being studied will be successful in your case.
Myth: Once I sign the consent form, I have to enroll and stay enrolled.
Fact: That is not true. You are free to change your mind and not participate. You also have the right to leave a clinical trial at any time for any reason, without giving up access to other treatment.
Myth: I can’t really expect medical personnel to listen to my questions or keep me informed. Fact: The research team has a duty to keep you informed and to make sure you understand the information they provide and answer any questions. You will be given the name of a key contact person to stay in touch with throughout the trial. Remember, it is your willingness to participate that makes clinical research possible.
..Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups, Inc. 2007
To educate yourself more about clinical trials go to:
http://www.cancertrialshelp.org/Icare_content/icMainContent.aspx?intAppMode=3
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Post #30- My Chemotherapy Options- Traditional or Clinical Trial
So here I go again. I don't think it's fair that you have to think so much when you have cancer but that's my life. There are so many things that I'd rather be doing, lol. Whether or not to participate in this clinical trial has not been an easy decision. I prayed that I will have made the right decision. This wasn't easy like my decision for the bilateral mastectomy. Not once did I waiver from my decision and I made that decision two minutes after I was told I had breast cancer. Even when people tried to talk me out of it, I stayed firm in my convictions. This clinical trial on the other hand is taking prayer, research and rational thinking. Chemotherapy works by killing rapidly dividing cells. These cells include cancer cells, which continuously divide to form more cells, and healthy cells that also divide quickly, such as those in your bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, reproductive system and hair follicles. Healthy cells usually recover shortly after chemotherapy is complete, so for example, your hair starts growing again ( the good hair I can't wait for).
My chemotherapy is after other treatments ( mine being surgery) so it is called adjuvant chemotherapy. Given after surgery or radiation, the goal of adjuvant therapy is to eliminate any cancer cells that might linger in your body after earlier treatments.
I will be receiving my chemotherapy regardless of which one I choose Intravenous (IV). Chemotherapy is injected into a vein, using a needle inserted through your skin. This allows rapid distribution of the chemotherapy throughout your entire body.
So after some prayer, research, talking to friends and crying ( a lot) I decided to go with the clinical trial. Often times I wish that when I have a difficult decision to make GOD would just tell me what to do. We do receive signs and sometimes believe it or not the answer is so obvious but we have to have a rational mind to see it. This should have been a no brainer but it was difficult to see at first because of all of the negative things you hear associated with the chemotherapy drugs. It's like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire!!! Get rid of cancer but get a host of other things, lmao! A lot of information has come at me at once from all aspects of my life so truthfully I was just overwhelmed and tired. However I am fine with the decision I made.
I agreed to do the clinical trial based on four main factors:
Heart Damage
Herceptin can cause weakening of the heart muscle, resulting in congestive heart failure. Heart damage is more common when Herceptin is used in combination with the chemotherapeutic drugs anthracycline and cyclophosphamide (AC). In a suggested that taking Herceptin with a chemotherapy regimen without an anthracycline in it (the TCH ) is nearly as effective as taking Herceptin with an anthracycline (the AC-TH). But the TCH regimen has less risk of heart problems. So Iam going with the clinical trial that uses Taxotere, Cytoxan and Herceptin (TCH)
Herceptin Heart Damage Is Reversible
Herceptin Heart Damage Reversible
Ivanhoe Newswire Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2006; 12:00 AM
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A drug used to aggressively treat breast cancer -- Herceptin -- has been recently linked with cardiac toxicity. The good news is heart damage caused by Herceptin can be reversed.
According to new research, 28 percent of metastatic breast cancer patients treated with Herceptin have had heart related damage -- a higher number than what's been previously reported in clinical trials.
Approximately 30 percent of patients with metastatic breast cancer produce an excess amount of a growth protein called HER2-positive, making the cancer that much more aggressive. Herceptin, or trastuzumab, is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits any tumor growth by latching onto these proteins.
Researchers testing Herceptin in previous clinical trials concluded between 10 percent and 26 percent of patients experienced cardiac toxicity. Before this study no one had looked at what happened to patients treated in a clinic, outside of an organized trial, after using Herceptin for one year, according to lead author Franciso J. Esteva, M.D., Ph.D, associate professor in the department of Medical Oncology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
The study, led by Dr. Esteva, followed 173 patients with metastatic breast cancer. After a year of Herceptin use, patients were given a baseline cardiac assessment along with the regular cardiac check ups. After about 32 months, researchers discovered 46, or 28 percent, of the patients experienced a cardiac event.
All but three patients improved cardiac function after discontinuing Herceptin as well as using cardiac treatments like beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors.
Dr. Esteva reports, "If the cardiac side effects of Herceptin treatment can be managed, the drug is safe to use."
SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Oncology, published online Aug. 14, 2006
Adriamycin (Doxorubicin) Causes Heart Problems
Doxorubicin may cause heart damage:
It is well recognized that doxorubicin may cause damage to the heart in some individuals. While other anthracyclines (like epirubucun and mitoxantrone) may also cause heart damage, the chances are more common with doxorubicin. Doxorubicin causes both early and late heart damage (also called 'cardiotoxicity'). The early damage occurs immediately after drug administration or within 1 to 2 days. There are minor effects that are picked up on the electrocardiogram (EKG) and in most cases resolve without casing any major problems. It is the late-starting damage that is important and more serious.
Late cardiac damage with doxorubicin:
Late damage to the heart starts about a year or more after chemotherapy. Doxorubicin mainly affects the heart muscles. It weakens the heart muscles and makes the pumping of blood more difficult for the heart. When severe, it leads to a condition called congestive heart failure (CHF). Individuals with CHF complain of a number of symptoms
a gradually worsening difficulty in strenuous work, leading to tiredness or breathing trouble when climbing stairs or walking
a cough that worsens at night
swelling of the feet
difficulty in breathing at rest
If severe, CHF can cause severe disability and even death
TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE!!!
Someone took part in previous clinical trials to show that Taxotere, Cytoxan and Herceptin were good to use for breast cancer because they are all FDA Approved. Someone took an educated chance so that my heart would have a better chance of not being damaged by a two chemicals at one time. Someone gave me a chance to have a better quality of life after my cancer. SO I HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING!!!
My chemotherapy is after other treatments ( mine being surgery) so it is called adjuvant chemotherapy. Given after surgery or radiation, the goal of adjuvant therapy is to eliminate any cancer cells that might linger in your body after earlier treatments.
I will be receiving my chemotherapy regardless of which one I choose Intravenous (IV). Chemotherapy is injected into a vein, using a needle inserted through your skin. This allows rapid distribution of the chemotherapy throughout your entire body.
So after some prayer, research, talking to friends and crying ( a lot) I decided to go with the clinical trial. Often times I wish that when I have a difficult decision to make GOD would just tell me what to do. We do receive signs and sometimes believe it or not the answer is so obvious but we have to have a rational mind to see it. This should have been a no brainer but it was difficult to see at first because of all of the negative things you hear associated with the chemotherapy drugs. It's like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire!!! Get rid of cancer but get a host of other things, lmao! A lot of information has come at me at once from all aspects of my life so truthfully I was just overwhelmed and tired. However I am fine with the decision I made.
I agreed to do the clinical trial based on four main factors:
Heart Damage
Herceptin can cause weakening of the heart muscle, resulting in congestive heart failure. Heart damage is more common when Herceptin is used in combination with the chemotherapeutic drugs anthracycline and cyclophosphamide (AC). In a suggested that taking Herceptin with a chemotherapy regimen without an anthracycline in it (the TCH ) is nearly as effective as taking Herceptin with an anthracycline (the AC-TH). But the TCH regimen has less risk of heart problems. So Iam going with the clinical trial that uses Taxotere, Cytoxan and Herceptin (TCH)
Herceptin Heart Damage Is Reversible
Herceptin Heart Damage Reversible
Ivanhoe Newswire Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2006; 12:00 AM
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A drug used to aggressively treat breast cancer -- Herceptin -- has been recently linked with cardiac toxicity. The good news is heart damage caused by Herceptin can be reversed.
According to new research, 28 percent of metastatic breast cancer patients treated with Herceptin have had heart related damage -- a higher number than what's been previously reported in clinical trials.
Approximately 30 percent of patients with metastatic breast cancer produce an excess amount of a growth protein called HER2-positive, making the cancer that much more aggressive. Herceptin, or trastuzumab, is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits any tumor growth by latching onto these proteins.
Researchers testing Herceptin in previous clinical trials concluded between 10 percent and 26 percent of patients experienced cardiac toxicity. Before this study no one had looked at what happened to patients treated in a clinic, outside of an organized trial, after using Herceptin for one year, according to lead author Franciso J. Esteva, M.D., Ph.D, associate professor in the department of Medical Oncology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
The study, led by Dr. Esteva, followed 173 patients with metastatic breast cancer. After a year of Herceptin use, patients were given a baseline cardiac assessment along with the regular cardiac check ups. After about 32 months, researchers discovered 46, or 28 percent, of the patients experienced a cardiac event.
All but three patients improved cardiac function after discontinuing Herceptin as well as using cardiac treatments like beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors.
Dr. Esteva reports, "If the cardiac side effects of Herceptin treatment can be managed, the drug is safe to use."
SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Oncology, published online Aug. 14, 2006
Adriamycin (Doxorubicin) Causes Heart Problems
Doxorubicin may cause heart damage:
It is well recognized that doxorubicin may cause damage to the heart in some individuals. While other anthracyclines (like epirubucun and mitoxantrone) may also cause heart damage, the chances are more common with doxorubicin. Doxorubicin causes both early and late heart damage (also called 'cardiotoxicity'). The early damage occurs immediately after drug administration or within 1 to 2 days. There are minor effects that are picked up on the electrocardiogram (EKG) and in most cases resolve without casing any major problems. It is the late-starting damage that is important and more serious.
Late cardiac damage with doxorubicin:
Late damage to the heart starts about a year or more after chemotherapy. Doxorubicin mainly affects the heart muscles. It weakens the heart muscles and makes the pumping of blood more difficult for the heart. When severe, it leads to a condition called congestive heart failure (CHF). Individuals with CHF complain of a number of symptoms
a gradually worsening difficulty in strenuous work, leading to tiredness or breathing trouble when climbing stairs or walking
a cough that worsens at night
swelling of the feet
difficulty in breathing at rest
If severe, CHF can cause severe disability and even death
TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE!!!
Someone took part in previous clinical trials to show that Taxotere, Cytoxan and Herceptin were good to use for breast cancer because they are all FDA Approved. Someone took an educated chance so that my heart would have a better chance of not being damaged by a two chemicals at one time. Someone gave me a chance to have a better quality of life after my cancer. SO I HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING!!!
Post #29-Where do we go from here!!!
After finding out the results of the pathology report, I was happy. Then of course the other shoe dropped. There has been a standard for chemotherapy in most breast cancer treatments and that is Adriamycin and cyclophosphamide(cytoxan) (AC).
The side effects of Adriamycin include:
an allergic reaction (including difficulty breathing; closing of the throat;
swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
decreased bone marrow function and blood problems (extreme fatigue; easy bruising or bleeding;
black, bloody or tarry stools; or fever, chills, or signs of infection);
congestive heart failure (difficulty breathing, fluid retention, chest pain);
irregular heartbeats;
tissue or vein reactions near the site of administration;
liver damage (abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin or eyes);
severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite;
inflamation and sores inside the mouth, throat, or intestines;
fever, chills, or other signs of infection;
numbness, tingling, or difficult movement of a body part;
seizures;
or increased levels of uric acid in the body (joint pain and stiffness).
The side effects of Cytoxan include:
Information on adverse reactions associated with the use of CYTOXAN (cyclophosphamide) is arranged according to body system affected or type of reaction. The adverse reactions are listed in order of decreasing incidence. The most serious adverse reactions are described in the WARNINGS section.
Reproductive System
See WARNINGS for information on impairment of fertility.
Digestive System
Nausea and vomiting commonly occur with cyclophosphamide therapy. Anorexia and, less frequently, abdominal discomfort or pain and diarrhea may occur. There are isolated reports of hemorrhagic colitis, oral mucosal ulceration and jaundice occurring during therapy. These adverse drug effects generally remit when cyclophosphamide treatment is stopped.
Skin and Its Structures
Alopecia occurs commonly in patients treated with cyclophosphamide. The hair can be expected to grow back after treatment with the drug or even during continued drug treatment, though it may be different in texture or color. Skin rash occurs occasionally in patients receiving the drug. Pigmentation of the skin and changes in nails can occur. Very rare reports of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis have been received during postmarketing surveillance; due to the nature of spontaneous adverse event reporting, a definitive causal relationship to cyclophosphamide has not been established.
Hematopoietic System
Leukopenia occurs in patients treated with cyclophosphamide, is related to the dose of drug, and can be used as a dosage guide. Leukopenia of less than 2000 cells/mm3 develops commonly in patients treated with an initial loading dose of the drug, and less frequently in patients maintained on smaller doses. The degree of neutropenia is particularly important because it correlates with a reduction in resistance to infections. Fever without documented infection has been reported in neutropenic patients.
Thrombocytopenia or anemia develop occasionally in patients treated with CYTOXAN. These hematologic effects usually can be reversed by reducing the drug dose or by interrupting treatment. Recovery from leukopenia usually begins in 7 to 10 days after cessation of therapy.
Urinary System
See WARNINGS for information on cystitis and urinary bladder fibrosis.
Hemorrhagic ureteritis and renal tubular necrosis have been reported to occur in patients treated with cyclophosphamide. Such lesions usually resolve following cessation of therapy.
Infections
See WARNINGS for information on reduced host resistance to infections.
Carcinogenesis
See WARNINGS for information on carcinogenesis.
Respiratory System
Interstitial pneumonitis has been reported as part of the postmarketing experience. Interstitial pulmonary fibrosis has been reported in patients receiving high doses of cyclophosphamide over a prolonged period.
Other
Anaphylactic reactions have been reported; death has also been reported in association with this event. Possible cross-sensitivity with other alkylating agents has been reported. SIADH (syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion) has been reported with the use of cyclophosphamide. Malaise and asthenia have been reported as part of the postmarketing experience
DAMN I GET RID OF THE CANCER TO GET ALL THIS, LOL However, there is a twist for me... of course. Due to the fact that Iam Her-2 positive I need to take a drug called HERCEPTIN for a year in addition to my chemotherapy.
Herceptin's side effects include:
Common Herceptin Side Effects
Herceptin has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials, in which the side effects of a group of people taking the drug are documented. In these studies, the most common side effects of Herceptin included:
Pain -- in up to 47 percent of people
Weakness -- up to 42 percent
Fever -- up to 36 percent
Nausea -- up to 33 percent
Chills -- up to 32 percent
Headaches -- up to 26 percent
Coughing -- up to 26 percent.
Other common side effects (occurring in 2 to 25 percent of people) included:
Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
Back pain
Infections
Accidental injuries
Vomiting
Loss of appetite
Anemia
Bone or joint pain
Insomnia (see Herceptin and Insomnia)
Dizziness
Unusual sensations, such as burning or tingling
An irritated or runny nose
A sore throat
Sinus infections
Acne
Herpes infections
Urinary tract infections (bladder infections or UTIs).
Serious Herceptin Side Effects
Some side effects with Herceptin, while occurring infrequently, are potentially serious and should be reported immediately to your healthcare provider. These include, but are not limited to:
Depression (see Herceptin and Depression)
Signs of congestive heart failure, including difficulty breathing and swelling or water retention (see Cardiotoxicity and Herceptin)
Signs of an allergic reaction, including an unexplained rash, hives, itching, and unexplained swelling.
So we see two commonalities here Herceptin and Adriamycin both have the potential to cause heart damage. So because of this my Dr. wants me to participate in a clinical trial using Taxotere and Cytoxan both FDA approved as chemotherapy drugs for breast cancer along with herceptin. Taxotere is less harmul to the heart. Herceptin has been proven to be quite effective when used after chemotherapy in reducing breast cancer reoccurences. The test would be to see if it would improve chances even more if Herceptin was taken during chemotherapy and afterwards. Some test have already been done and it appears that Herceptin enhances the chemotherapy drugs. So the question is what road to take ???????????????????????????????????????????????
The side effects of Adriamycin include:
an allergic reaction (including difficulty breathing; closing of the throat;
swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
decreased bone marrow function and blood problems (extreme fatigue; easy bruising or bleeding;
black, bloody or tarry stools; or fever, chills, or signs of infection);
congestive heart failure (difficulty breathing, fluid retention, chest pain);
irregular heartbeats;
tissue or vein reactions near the site of administration;
liver damage (abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin or eyes);
severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite;
inflamation and sores inside the mouth, throat, or intestines;
fever, chills, or other signs of infection;
numbness, tingling, or difficult movement of a body part;
seizures;
or increased levels of uric acid in the body (joint pain and stiffness).
The side effects of Cytoxan include:
Information on adverse reactions associated with the use of CYTOXAN (cyclophosphamide) is arranged according to body system affected or type of reaction. The adverse reactions are listed in order of decreasing incidence. The most serious adverse reactions are described in the WARNINGS section.
Reproductive System
See WARNINGS for information on impairment of fertility.
Digestive System
Nausea and vomiting commonly occur with cyclophosphamide therapy. Anorexia and, less frequently, abdominal discomfort or pain and diarrhea may occur. There are isolated reports of hemorrhagic colitis, oral mucosal ulceration and jaundice occurring during therapy. These adverse drug effects generally remit when cyclophosphamide treatment is stopped.
Skin and Its Structures
Alopecia occurs commonly in patients treated with cyclophosphamide. The hair can be expected to grow back after treatment with the drug or even during continued drug treatment, though it may be different in texture or color. Skin rash occurs occasionally in patients receiving the drug. Pigmentation of the skin and changes in nails can occur. Very rare reports of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis have been received during postmarketing surveillance; due to the nature of spontaneous adverse event reporting, a definitive causal relationship to cyclophosphamide has not been established.
Hematopoietic System
Leukopenia occurs in patients treated with cyclophosphamide, is related to the dose of drug, and can be used as a dosage guide. Leukopenia of less than 2000 cells/mm3 develops commonly in patients treated with an initial loading dose of the drug, and less frequently in patients maintained on smaller doses. The degree of neutropenia is particularly important because it correlates with a reduction in resistance to infections. Fever without documented infection has been reported in neutropenic patients.
Thrombocytopenia or anemia develop occasionally in patients treated with CYTOXAN. These hematologic effects usually can be reversed by reducing the drug dose or by interrupting treatment. Recovery from leukopenia usually begins in 7 to 10 days after cessation of therapy.
Urinary System
See WARNINGS for information on cystitis and urinary bladder fibrosis.
Hemorrhagic ureteritis and renal tubular necrosis have been reported to occur in patients treated with cyclophosphamide. Such lesions usually resolve following cessation of therapy.
Infections
See WARNINGS for information on reduced host resistance to infections.
Carcinogenesis
See WARNINGS for information on carcinogenesis.
Respiratory System
Interstitial pneumonitis has been reported as part of the postmarketing experience. Interstitial pulmonary fibrosis has been reported in patients receiving high doses of cyclophosphamide over a prolonged period.
Other
Anaphylactic reactions have been reported; death has also been reported in association with this event. Possible cross-sensitivity with other alkylating agents has been reported. SIADH (syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion) has been reported with the use of cyclophosphamide. Malaise and asthenia have been reported as part of the postmarketing experience
DAMN I GET RID OF THE CANCER TO GET ALL THIS, LOL However, there is a twist for me... of course. Due to the fact that Iam Her-2 positive I need to take a drug called HERCEPTIN for a year in addition to my chemotherapy.
Herceptin's side effects include:
Common Herceptin Side Effects
Herceptin has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials, in which the side effects of a group of people taking the drug are documented. In these studies, the most common side effects of Herceptin included:
Pain -- in up to 47 percent of people
Weakness -- up to 42 percent
Fever -- up to 36 percent
Nausea -- up to 33 percent
Chills -- up to 32 percent
Headaches -- up to 26 percent
Coughing -- up to 26 percent.
Other common side effects (occurring in 2 to 25 percent of people) included:
Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
Back pain
Infections
Accidental injuries
Vomiting
Loss of appetite
Anemia
Bone or joint pain
Insomnia (see Herceptin and Insomnia)
Dizziness
Unusual sensations, such as burning or tingling
An irritated or runny nose
A sore throat
Sinus infections
Acne
Herpes infections
Urinary tract infections (bladder infections or UTIs).
Serious Herceptin Side Effects
Some side effects with Herceptin, while occurring infrequently, are potentially serious and should be reported immediately to your healthcare provider. These include, but are not limited to:
Depression (see Herceptin and Depression)
Signs of congestive heart failure, including difficulty breathing and swelling or water retention (see Cardiotoxicity and Herceptin)
Signs of an allergic reaction, including an unexplained rash, hives, itching, and unexplained swelling.
So we see two commonalities here Herceptin and Adriamycin both have the potential to cause heart damage. So because of this my Dr. wants me to participate in a clinical trial using Taxotere and Cytoxan both FDA approved as chemotherapy drugs for breast cancer along with herceptin. Taxotere is less harmul to the heart. Herceptin has been proven to be quite effective when used after chemotherapy in reducing breast cancer reoccurences. The test would be to see if it would improve chances even more if Herceptin was taken during chemotherapy and afterwards. Some test have already been done and it appears that Herceptin enhances the chemotherapy drugs. So the question is what road to take ???????????????????????????????????????????????
Post #28- Pathology Report
Well the pathology report is in from the mastectomy and axillary lymph dissection. Drum roll please........
23 lymph nodes were taken and only one was filled with cancer, :) Thank GOD!!!!!
My breast cancer staging is as follows. I am:
Stage IIB, T2, N1, M0
Estrogen- negative
Progesterone- negative
Her-2-neu- POSITIVE
Stage IIB describes invasive breast cancer in which:
the tumor is larger than 2 but no larger than 5 centimeters (my tumor was about 4.8 cm) and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes (my cancer only spread to one lymph node)
Note****
Doctors use a staging system to determine how far a cancer has spread. The most common system is the TNM staging system. You may hear the cancer described by three characteristics:
size (T stands for tumor)
lymph node involvement (N stands for node)
whether it has metastasized (M stands for metastasis)
I am a T2, N1, M0
T2
The T (size) category describes the original (primary) tumor:
TX means the tumor can't be measured or found.
T0 means there isn't any evidence of the primary tumor
Tis means the cancer is "in situ" (the tumor has not started growing into the breast tissue).
The numbers T1-T4 describe the size and/or how much the cancer has grown into the breast tissue. The higher the T number, the larger the tumor and/or the more it may have grown into the breast tissue
N1
The N (node involvement) category describes whether or not the cancer has reached nearby lymph nodes:
NX means the nearby lymph nodes can't be measured or found.
N0 means nearby
The numbers N1-N3 describe the size, location, and/or the number of lymph nodes involved. The higher the N number, the more the lymph nodes are involved
M0
MX means metastasis can't be measured or found.
M0 means there are no distant metastases.
M1 means that distant metastases were found.
Estrogen and progesterone testing and why
Estrogen and progesterone- Negative
"Hormone receptors are like ears or antennae on a cell. Estrogen sends signals through the receptors that tell breast cancer cells to grow. Cells with estrogen receptors grow and multiply when estrogen attaches to the receptors.
After a breast cancer is removed, the cancer cells are tested to see if they have hormone receptors. If either estrogen or progesterone receptors are present, a response to hormonal therapy is very possible. The more estrogen or progesterone receptors present on those cells, the more likely that hormonal therapy will work against the particular cancer. If high levels of both estrogen and progesterone receptors are present, an even greater response to hormonal therapy is likely.
The other name for hormonal therapy is "anti-estrogen therapy." The goal of therapy is to starve the breast cancer cells of the hormone they thrive on, which is estrogen.
What percentage of breast cancers have hormone receptors?
About 75% of breast cancers are estrogen-receptor-positive ("ER-positive" or "ER+").
About 65% of ER-positive breast cancers are also progesterone-receptor-positive ("PR-positive" or "PR+").
About 25% of breast cancers are ER-negative ("ER–") and PR-negative ("PR–") or of "unknown" status.
About 10% of breast cancers are ER-positive and PR-negative.
About 5% of breast cancers are ER-negative and PR-positive.
If cells have receptors for both hormones OR receptors for one of the two hormones, the cancer is consider hormone-receptor-positive.
In this context, "positive" means that a significant number of cancer cells have receptors in them. "Negative" means that the cells do not have significant numbers of receptors.
The definition of "significant" varies from one hospital or testing center to another. If 5–10% or more of the cells have hormone receptors, that's usually reported as a positive result. But if a report says "negative" or "borderline," it's still important to look at HOW positive the level is. For example, the laboratory may label a 5% level of being positive for hormone receptors as "negative," but even cancers at that level may have a good response to hormonal therapy.
Sometimes, a report will come back from the laboratory saying that the hormone status is "unknown." This may mean one of several things:
The test was never ordered or done.
The sample of tissue that the laboratory received was too small to get reliable results.
Few estrogen and progesterone receptors were present.
If there are no hormone receptors present, or they cannot be measured or seen, or the status is "unknown," the cancer is called hormone-receptor-negative.
How do the hormones work?
Estrogen and progesterone travel through the bloodstream and find their matching receptor sites on both healthy cells and cancer cells. Receptors are very specialized protein molecules that sit on the outside or inside of the cells in your body. They act like an on–off switch for a particular activity in the cell. If the right substance comes along that fits into the receptor—like a key fitting into a lock—the switch is turned on and a particular activity in the cell begins.
Many breast cancers are hormone-dependent—which means that estrogen and progesterone stimulate their growth by "turning on" hormone receptors in the cancer cells. Without these hormones, the cancer cells are not stimulated to grow. They wither, and eventually they may die.
Estrogen and progesterone play roles in the development of certain breast cancers:
Estrogen is a very important "key" for the estrogen-receptor (ER) sites throughout the body AND on some breast cancer cells
Progesterone receptors (PR) can also be involved in turning on breast cancer cell growth
When a cancer shows few or no estrogen receptors (when it is "ER-negative,") hormonal therapy is usually not effective. But if there ARE progesterone receptors, hormonal therapy may sometimes be helpful anyway. Women whose cancers are PR-positive but ER-negative have about a 10% chance of responding to hormonal therapy. If you have an ER-negative breast cancer, you and your doctor should discuss whether the possible benefits of hormonal therapy are worth exploring for YOU." breastcancer.org
What is HER2?
Her-2 neu- POSITIVE
HER2+ Breast Cancer
Studies show that approximately 25% of breast cancer patients have tumors that are HER2+. HER2 stands for Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2. It is very important to find out your cancer's HER2 status. This is because HER2+ tumors tend to grow and spread more quickly than tumors that are not HER2+. In addition, the treatment of HER2+ breast cancer is different than the treatment of breast cancer that is not HER2+. Women who are uncertain of their cancer's HER2 status should talk to their doctor.
HER2+ breast cancer is aggressive!
How is HER2 positive breast cancer different?
HER2 stands for Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2. Each normal breast cell contains copies of the HER2 gene, which helps normal cells grow. The HER2 gene is found in the DNA of a cell, and this gene contains the information for making the HER2 protein.
The HER2 protein, also called the HER2 receptor, is found on the surface of some normal cells in the body. In normal cells, HER2 proteins help send growth signals from outside the cell to the inside of the cell. These signals tell the cell to grow and divide.
In HER2+ breast cancer, the cancer cells have an abnormally high number of HER2 genes per cell. When this happens, too much HER2 protein appears on the surface of these cancer cells. This is called HER2 protein overexpression. Too much HER2 protein is thought to cause cancer cells to grow and divide more quickly. This is why HER2+ breast cancer is considered aggressive.
Higher risk of breast cancer returning (recurrence)
Women with HER2+ breast cancer:
May be less likely to respond to certain breast cancer treatments
May be more likely to have a recurrence (return) of their cancer
Inheriting the HER2 gene
HER2 status is not hereditary. This means that HER2 status is not passed down from your parents, and you can't pass it on to your children. However, there is a relationship between the genes in a person's DNA and breast cancer in general.
HER2/neu-positive, HER2-overexpressing, and HER2+ breast cancer
HER2/neu is another name for HER2, which stands for Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2. HER2-overexpressing means there is too much HER2 protein/receptor on the surface of the cancer cells. HER2/neu-positive breast cancer and HER2-overexpressing breast cancer are exactly the same as HER2+ breast cancer.
References:
1. Slamon DJ, Godolphin W, Jones LA, etal. Studies of the HER-2/neu Proto-oncogene in human breast and ovarian cancer. Science. 1989; 244:707-712.
2. Slamon DJ, Clark GM, Wong SG, Levin WJ, Ullrich A, McGuire WL. Human breast cancer: correlation of relapse and survival with amplification of the HER-2/neuoncogene. Science. 1987; 235: 177-182.
3. Paik S, Hazan R, Fisher ER, etal. Pathologic findings from the national surgical adjuvant breast and bowel project: prognostic significance of erbB-2 protein overexpression in primary breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 1990; 8:103-112.
4. Pegram M, Slamon D. Biological rationale for HER2/neu(c-erbB2) as a target for monoclonal antibody therapy. Semin Oncol. 2000; 27 (suppl9): 13-19.
Related Materials
23 lymph nodes were taken and only one was filled with cancer, :) Thank GOD!!!!!
My breast cancer staging is as follows. I am:
Stage IIB, T2, N1, M0
Estrogen- negative
Progesterone- negative
Her-2-neu- POSITIVE
Stage IIB describes invasive breast cancer in which:
the tumor is larger than 2 but no larger than 5 centimeters (my tumor was about 4.8 cm) and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes (my cancer only spread to one lymph node)
Note****
Doctors use a staging system to determine how far a cancer has spread. The most common system is the TNM staging system. You may hear the cancer described by three characteristics:
size (T stands for tumor)
lymph node involvement (N stands for node)
whether it has metastasized (M stands for metastasis)
I am a T2, N1, M0
T2
The T (size) category describes the original (primary) tumor:
TX means the tumor can't be measured or found.
T0 means there isn't any evidence of the primary tumor
Tis means the cancer is "in situ" (the tumor has not started growing into the breast tissue).
The numbers T1-T4 describe the size and/or how much the cancer has grown into the breast tissue. The higher the T number, the larger the tumor and/or the more it may have grown into the breast tissue
N1
The N (node involvement) category describes whether or not the cancer has reached nearby lymph nodes:
NX means the nearby lymph nodes can't be measured or found.
N0 means nearby
The numbers N1-N3 describe the size, location, and/or the number of lymph nodes involved. The higher the N number, the more the lymph nodes are involved
M0
MX means metastasis can't be measured or found.
M0 means there are no distant metastases.
M1 means that distant metastases were found.
Estrogen and progesterone testing and why
Estrogen and progesterone- Negative
"Hormone receptors are like ears or antennae on a cell. Estrogen sends signals through the receptors that tell breast cancer cells to grow. Cells with estrogen receptors grow and multiply when estrogen attaches to the receptors.
After a breast cancer is removed, the cancer cells are tested to see if they have hormone receptors. If either estrogen or progesterone receptors are present, a response to hormonal therapy is very possible. The more estrogen or progesterone receptors present on those cells, the more likely that hormonal therapy will work against the particular cancer. If high levels of both estrogen and progesterone receptors are present, an even greater response to hormonal therapy is likely.
The other name for hormonal therapy is "anti-estrogen therapy." The goal of therapy is to starve the breast cancer cells of the hormone they thrive on, which is estrogen.
What percentage of breast cancers have hormone receptors?
About 75% of breast cancers are estrogen-receptor-positive ("ER-positive" or "ER+").
About 65% of ER-positive breast cancers are also progesterone-receptor-positive ("PR-positive" or "PR+").
About 25% of breast cancers are ER-negative ("ER–") and PR-negative ("PR–") or of "unknown" status.
About 10% of breast cancers are ER-positive and PR-negative.
About 5% of breast cancers are ER-negative and PR-positive.
If cells have receptors for both hormones OR receptors for one of the two hormones, the cancer is consider hormone-receptor-positive.
In this context, "positive" means that a significant number of cancer cells have receptors in them. "Negative" means that the cells do not have significant numbers of receptors.
The definition of "significant" varies from one hospital or testing center to another. If 5–10% or more of the cells have hormone receptors, that's usually reported as a positive result. But if a report says "negative" or "borderline," it's still important to look at HOW positive the level is. For example, the laboratory may label a 5% level of being positive for hormone receptors as "negative," but even cancers at that level may have a good response to hormonal therapy.
Sometimes, a report will come back from the laboratory saying that the hormone status is "unknown." This may mean one of several things:
The test was never ordered or done.
The sample of tissue that the laboratory received was too small to get reliable results.
Few estrogen and progesterone receptors were present.
If there are no hormone receptors present, or they cannot be measured or seen, or the status is "unknown," the cancer is called hormone-receptor-negative.
How do the hormones work?
Estrogen and progesterone travel through the bloodstream and find their matching receptor sites on both healthy cells and cancer cells. Receptors are very specialized protein molecules that sit on the outside or inside of the cells in your body. They act like an on–off switch for a particular activity in the cell. If the right substance comes along that fits into the receptor—like a key fitting into a lock—the switch is turned on and a particular activity in the cell begins.
Many breast cancers are hormone-dependent—which means that estrogen and progesterone stimulate their growth by "turning on" hormone receptors in the cancer cells. Without these hormones, the cancer cells are not stimulated to grow. They wither, and eventually they may die.
Estrogen and progesterone play roles in the development of certain breast cancers:
Estrogen is a very important "key" for the estrogen-receptor (ER) sites throughout the body AND on some breast cancer cells
Progesterone receptors (PR) can also be involved in turning on breast cancer cell growth
When a cancer shows few or no estrogen receptors (when it is "ER-negative,") hormonal therapy is usually not effective. But if there ARE progesterone receptors, hormonal therapy may sometimes be helpful anyway. Women whose cancers are PR-positive but ER-negative have about a 10% chance of responding to hormonal therapy. If you have an ER-negative breast cancer, you and your doctor should discuss whether the possible benefits of hormonal therapy are worth exploring for YOU." breastcancer.org
What is HER2?
Her-2 neu- POSITIVE
HER2+ Breast Cancer
Studies show that approximately 25% of breast cancer patients have tumors that are HER2+. HER2 stands for Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2. It is very important to find out your cancer's HER2 status. This is because HER2+ tumors tend to grow and spread more quickly than tumors that are not HER2+. In addition, the treatment of HER2+ breast cancer is different than the treatment of breast cancer that is not HER2+. Women who are uncertain of their cancer's HER2 status should talk to their doctor.
HER2+ breast cancer is aggressive!
How is HER2 positive breast cancer different?
HER2 stands for Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2. Each normal breast cell contains copies of the HER2 gene, which helps normal cells grow. The HER2 gene is found in the DNA of a cell, and this gene contains the information for making the HER2 protein.
The HER2 protein, also called the HER2 receptor, is found on the surface of some normal cells in the body. In normal cells, HER2 proteins help send growth signals from outside the cell to the inside of the cell. These signals tell the cell to grow and divide.
In HER2+ breast cancer, the cancer cells have an abnormally high number of HER2 genes per cell. When this happens, too much HER2 protein appears on the surface of these cancer cells. This is called HER2 protein overexpression. Too much HER2 protein is thought to cause cancer cells to grow and divide more quickly. This is why HER2+ breast cancer is considered aggressive.
Higher risk of breast cancer returning (recurrence)
Women with HER2+ breast cancer:
May be less likely to respond to certain breast cancer treatments
May be more likely to have a recurrence (return) of their cancer
Inheriting the HER2 gene
HER2 status is not hereditary. This means that HER2 status is not passed down from your parents, and you can't pass it on to your children. However, there is a relationship between the genes in a person's DNA and breast cancer in general.
HER2/neu-positive, HER2-overexpressing, and HER2+ breast cancer
HER2/neu is another name for HER2, which stands for Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2. HER2-overexpressing means there is too much HER2 protein/receptor on the surface of the cancer cells. HER2/neu-positive breast cancer and HER2-overexpressing breast cancer are exactly the same as HER2+ breast cancer.
References:
1. Slamon DJ, Godolphin W, Jones LA, etal. Studies of the HER-2/neu Proto-oncogene in human breast and ovarian cancer. Science. 1989; 244:707-712.
2. Slamon DJ, Clark GM, Wong SG, Levin WJ, Ullrich A, McGuire WL. Human breast cancer: correlation of relapse and survival with amplification of the HER-2/neuoncogene. Science. 1987; 235: 177-182.
3. Paik S, Hazan R, Fisher ER, etal. Pathologic findings from the national surgical adjuvant breast and bowel project: prognostic significance of erbB-2 protein overexpression in primary breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 1990; 8:103-112.
4. Pegram M, Slamon D. Biological rationale for HER2/neu(c-erbB2) as a target for monoclonal antibody therapy. Semin Oncol. 2000; 27 (suppl9): 13-19.
Related Materials
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