What is that prescribed for - is it an extra treatment (preventative) after chemotherapy and what are the side effects.
2007-03-27 03:52:52 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
My sister-in-law founght and won for her right to have herceptin last year bless her.
She completed the chemo and radiotherapy and then started on the herceptin. The problem is that once you have had such an extensive course of chemo, your body has to take time to recover from it and sometimes you can get a secondary cancer not long after you have been treated for the original cancer.
The herceptin is to try and prevent a secondary cancer whilst you are unable to have chemo for a while.
You also have to be compatible with herceptin to be able to take it but the hospital will test for that.
Take care x
2007-03-31 03:31:14 · answer #1 · answered by Kerrybobs 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Herceptin is used to treat metastatic breast cancer in conjunction with other chemotherapy drugs. Benefits have been noted when patients continued to receive Herceptin even after their chemotherapy ended. Some of the common side effects are: nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, infections, increased cough, shortness of breath, rash, increased cough, headache, fatigue, low white and red blood cells, and muscle pain.
Use of Herceptin can also result in reduced heart function and congestive heart failure.
2007-03-27 04:05:57 · answer #2 · answered by Dawn T 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My mum had the most severe form of breast cancer first time at 71 - she had an op to remove lump and tomoxafin for 10 years. Then she had a lump on the scar at 81 so another op and radiotherapy [left scar tissue in her right lung] she carried on with tomoxafin for another 10 years. Then she had a lump on the scar again at 91 in 2001 - this time she had a mastectomy and they gave her 1yr to 18mths to live and she was given something called atrimidex [I think] for 3 years only. She died of bronchial pneumonia on 19th February this year at 97! From the first day she was told she had breast cancer at 71 she started drinking Alovera juice every day until she was 91. She was very positive, never had access to herceptin. I believe LDN has also been shown to have benefits for various cancer sufferers - it's an alternative. Search www.e-med for prescription and Dr Bihari LDN to get the low down on this cheap alternative tincture at £15 a month. Good Luck
2007-03-27 04:28:10 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
in order to get herceptin you have to be her2 positive my mother just had her first treatment 3 weeks ago and her hair is already falling out sick to her stomach but not really bad white blood count down to low for her to get next treatment they will give you meds to get them back up you only take it every 3 weeks it not for all cancer patients
2007-03-28 01:52:29 · answer #4 · answered by mountainchowpurple 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Herceptin has now been approved as a preventative chemo too, if you are Her2+, along with being a chemo for mets. I did it for preventative.
2007-03-27 09:54:29 · answer #5 · answered by BriteHope 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i' on tamoxifen after having breast cancer. have asked about herceptin but the national health can't provide for because it cost's a lot of money i think either every get's it or no one should have it we are all human after all. i know money talk's but at the end of the day we are all the same!
2007-03-27 09:55:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
hi use the link below its reliable information and hopefully will answer your query:_
http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Treatments/Biologicaltherapies/Monoclonalantibodies/Trastuzumab.
good luck .
2007-03-27 04:06:19 · answer #7 · answered by dick19532003 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋