Herceptin

"Herceptin is a targeted therapy approved for the treatment of people with certain HER2+ cancers. HER2+ cancer cells have more HER2 receptors (a particular protein found on the surface of cells) than normal cells. HER2+ cancer is considered aggressive because it grows and spreads quickly."

"Herceptin is approved for the treatment of early-stage breast cancer that is Human Epidermal growth factorReceptor 2-positive (HER2+) and has spread into the lymph nodes, or is HER2+ and has not spread into the lymph nodes. If it has not spread into the lymph nodes, the cancer needs to be estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor (ER/PR)-negative or have 1 high risk feature.* Herceptin can be used in several different ways:

• As part of a treatment course including the chemotherapy drugs Adriamycin® (doxorubicin), Cytoxan®(cyclophosphamide), and either Taxol® (paclitaxel) or Taxotere® (docetaxel). This treatment course is known as "AC→TH"
• With the chemotherapy drugs Taxotere and Paraplatin® (carboplatin). This treatment course is known as "TCH"
• Alone after treatment with multiple other therapies, including an anthracycline (Adriamycin)-based therapy (a type of chemotherapy)"

I had the TCH treatment followed by tri-weekly infusions of Herceptin for "maintenance." It came to a total of 18 treatments. 6 with chemo and 12 following chemo by itself. Getting just the Herceptin was quite easy. It took time, since I have to wait, like all doctor offices(!), then I have to get my port accessed, then some saline, and lastly, the Herceptin. It's so much quicker than when I had to get chemo and I've been doing it for so long that it's really just a breeze. The only side effect I had was being pretty tired the day off and the day after. But again, after chemo that was nothing!

I had my last Herceptin infusion on Friday, October 4th. I have a scan in November and if everything is clear then I get to have the port taken out!