Well this chemo cycle they took out Herceptin because I had a severe reaction to it. How did I feel about it, not happy. Why am I distraught because I am Her 2 Neu Positive and my rate is 8.2 which is very high.
What is HER2?
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, so it is important to find out your cancer's HER2 status. This can help your doctor choose which treatments may be right for you.
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. ( I have 8.2 Her2 genes per cell)
HER2+ breast cancer is aggressive, so it is important to find out your cancer's HER2 status. This can help your doctor choose which treatments may be right for you.
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
The One Good Thing
Inheriting the HER2 gene
Your tumor's 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. Ask your doctor for more information about the relationship between genes and breast cancer.
Even though I didn't have Herceptin I had side effects this week from my chemo drugs Taxotere and Cytoxan. I had a rash on my hands. I developed neuropathy in my hands and feet. It has lessened slighty now. My nausea was very severe and my mouth stayed full of saliva. The worst part was the heart burn it felt like my food was coming up my esophagus and choking me. My throat felt tight. Of course the night sweats. When I called the Doctor on call he said I was experiencing all of the typical side effects of Taxotere and to take a benadryl. The Doctor oncal said if the rashes start to spread come in and see the Doctor the next day. This is all so insane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh and I had Diarrhea from Constipation to Diarrhea!!!
What is neuropathy?
Neuropathy is a condition that occurs after peripheral nerve damage. Neuropathy may affect a single nerve or several. A common type of neuropathy that occurs in people who have cancer is called peripheral neuropathy.
The nervous system is divided into central and peripheral parts:
The brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system.
The peripheral nervous system includes the nerves that leave the brain and the nerve that come off the spinal cord and go to the internal organs, limbs and skin.
Diseases, injuries and toxins, such as chemotherapy, can cause neuropathy in cancer survivors. The damage may lead to changes in sensation or muscle function and can be mild or severe. Cancer survivors may experience this condition as tingling or numbness in certain areas of the body, especially the hands and feet. These sensations range from mild to painful.
Neuropathy can be an upsetting, and sometimes scary, condition for survivors. If you begin to notice symptoms, talk to your health care team immediately.
What causes neuropathy?
Neuropathy is a common disorder, affecting about 1 to 2 percent of Americans.
Some causes of peripheral neuropathy include:
Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) – the most common cause of neuropathy in the industrialized world
Infections (such as leprosy, syphilis, HIV and some forms of hepatitis)
Nutritional deficiency (particularly of thiamine)
Inherited disorders of metabolism and other diseases passed down through families
Alcohol
Pesticides
Drugs used in cancer treatment, particularly the platinum compounds, the taxanes, the vinca alkaloids and thalidomide
Hypothyroidism
Renal failure
Extreme stress (such as the stress of living with a chronic illness)
Radiation therapy (effects may be delayed for many years)
Some cancer tumors are associated with neuropathy as a remote effect.
What are the symptoms of neuropathy?
The types and severity of neuropathy symptoms vary greatly. Determining the amount of peripheral nerve injury just by the amount of symptoms produced is difficult. Peripheral neuropathy can affect the nerves which allow you to tell the position of your hands or feet, the nerves that allow you to sense hot or cold, or the nerves that carry pain sensation. For peripheral neuropathy, symptoms are almost always greatest at night.
Common signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include:
Numbness, especially of hands or feet
Pain or cramping, especially of the hands, feet or calf muscles
Sensitivity to touch or temperature
Loss of reflexes
Muscle wasting in the hands and feet
Weakness, especially in the feet or hands
Clumsiness
Loss of balance, particularly in the dark ( I feel down the steps)
Dizziness, especially when getting up from a bed or a chair
Sexual dysfunction
Which cancer survivors are at risk?
Neuropathy can affect almost any cancer survivor, but the following are high risk conditions either from the cancer or from the treatment received.
Cancer types
Lung
Breast
Ovarian
Prostate
Myeloma
Lymphoma and Hodgkin’s disease
Testicular
Having one or more of the following characteristics may increase the chances of developing neuropathy.
Advanced age
A family history of neuropathy (familial, diabetes)
Malnourishment
Excessive use of alcohol
Having a pre-existing medical condition such as diabetes or thyroid dysfunction
Some medications, including chemotherapy medications, also increase risk. Discuss your medication-related risk with your health care team.Chemotherapy medications that increase your neuropathy risk include:
Platinum compounds
Taxanes
Vinca alkaloids
Thalidomide
Velcade
Cytosine arabinoside
Misonidazole
Interferon
Can a survivor experience neuropathy during, immediately after and/or years after treatment?
Neuropathy related to cancer may develop in the course of treatment (such as with vinca alkaloids) or shortly after (common with Platinum compounds). Neuropathy may be delayed in onset, and often continues after the treatment has been completed. Nerve injury from radiation therapy may be quite delayed, with symptoms occurring in some instances years after treatment.
Peripheral neuropathy symptoms are often ignored by both patients and health care professionals and frequently are not recognized as being related to peripheral nerve damage. For lung cancer, neuropathy may be the earliest sign of the cancer. If you have symptoms of neuropahthy, it is important to discuss with the health care team.
Can neuropathy be cured?
The peripheral nerves have a great ability to heal. Even though it may take months, most patients recover. However, in some situations, symptoms of neuropathy may lessen, but not completely go away. Nerve injury caused by radiation often does not recover well. Neuropathy caused by platinum chemotherapy is also difficult to cure — recovery may take 18 months to five years or longer. During recovery of platinum-induced neuropathy, patients may suffer increased symptoms. Unfortunately, some patients with neuropathy from chemotherapy never recover.
Even if your neuropathy cannot be cured, you may benefit from treatments to relieve your symptoms and from rehabilitation designed to help you maintain your physical abilities.
What are the treatments for neuropathy?
The treatment for peripheral neuropathy depends on the cause. If the neuropathy is related to nutritional deficiences, supplements can help. If relted to a medical condition such as diabetes or thyroid dysfunction, treating this can sometimes reverse the neuropathic symptoms. For neuropathy related to chemotherapy, most treatments are supportive, designed to improve symptoms and function.
If neuropathy occurs during treatment, and you continue to receive the chemotherapty, the neuropathy can worsen.
Recovery can be helped by:
Adequate nutrition (foods rich in thiamine, protein and antioxidants)
Controlling and correcting contributing conditions such as diabetes or hypothyroidism
Pain medications
Physical and occupational therapy
Medications being researched in clinical trials show promise in helping peripheral nerves to heal and in preventing the neuropathy associated with chemotherapy from occurring or being as severe.
How will a cancer survivor’s life change if s/he has neuropathy?
Pain and other symptoms of neuropathy can be mild or severe. Each survivor’s experience will be different. However, with appropriate treatment, the effects of neuropathy can be limited. Medications, lifestyle changes, rehabilitation and other treatments can be used.
Neuropathy can make standing for long periods or walking without assistance difficult.
Balance can be affected, increasing the risk of falling.
Activities like buttoning and tying laces or ties can be difficult.
Survivors may be sensitive to heat or cold. Survivors with this sensitivity should avoid extreme temperatures if possible and use protective clothing and hats when needed.
Neuropathy may cause a lack of pain sensation. Survivors should pay careful attention to the skin on their hands and feet because they could receive a wound or a break in the skin and not feel it.
If neuropathy affects your ability to feel the foot pedals of your car, you should not drive unless your car is adapted for hand controls. Neuropathy can slow your reaction time in moving your foot from the accelerator to the break pedal and may cause an accident. Losing your ability to drive is upsetting. You may feel you are losing your independence. However, consider the increased risk to your safety and to the safety of others on the road. Talk to your health care team about your symptoms.
Neuropathy can be painful. Sometimes usual activities, such as putting your shoes on, or placing the covers over your feet at night can cause pain. There are treatments which can lessen the pain. It is important to talk with your health care team about potential treatments.
Physical and occupational therapists can provide suggestions and special equipment to make daily tasks safe and easier to manage. The suggestions may include night lights, grab bars and other home safety measures to help reduce the risk of falling. Therapists can assist survivors with physical exercises that can help them maintain physical abilities.
Pain from neuropathy can greatly affect your daily activities and quality of life. For some, the pain and changes required to manage it can lead to physical and mental stress. Watch for signs of depression and talk to your health care team or a mental health care professional about managing your feelings
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