More good news for my type of cancer

On my way to my infusion yesterday I again saw the gal that has recurred that I talked about previously in the 'Life Slaps You In The Face' post. This time I had a chance to say hello to her and gave her a hug. After she left I had to hold back tears and I didn't realize how difficult it is to actually know someone and see them (I will be seeing her weekly) and know that their prognosis is not good. Shit it's scary it is so damned scary. I will not be dwelling on recurrence I don't think but it really brings to light that it certainly could happen. So I search the message boards and blogs for good news to counteract the fear that sometimes wells up and overcomes me. I also know that this happens to most everyone as they near the end of their treatments. While you are going through treatment you are battling the disease weekly with infusions. Once those are done it may feel as if you are no longer doing anything to fight. That is not true of course because the treatments have done their work but it is a true fear that we survivors have.

I hesitate to even put this in writing because the last thing that I want is for my family to worry about my emotional health but I need to use this board to get it out and so I am. Please don't worry about me but allow me to vent.



These two posts were on the cancer blog that I frequent and certainly do back up what my oncologist tells me in regards to my prognosis. I have HER 2 cancer and am taking both Herceptin and Tamoxifen.

One of my last year's flower bed flowers

Another attack on HER2 comes in form of vaccine
Posted Jan 6th 2007 10:00AM by Jacki DonaldsonFiled under: Breast Cancer, Drug, Research, Daily news
There are sometimes silver linings to the darkest of cancer clouds. I know -- because I have the dark cloud of HER2 positive breast cancer hanging over my head. HER2 positive means the tumor removed from my breast was aggressive. It aggressively over-expressed a protein that accelerates tumor growth. And it led to a poor prognosis -- that might be considered a good one too.You see, research on the whole HER2 issue is turning up some pretty powerful potions. Like Herceptin -- the drug that miraculously cuts recurrence upwards of 50 percent for positive women like me. I was a lucky recipient of this drug. And the pharmacist who mixed the drug for all 17 of my infusions tells me it's really a good thing I have this HER2 problem -- because the drugs created to attack the problem may just cure me of my disease.So in an odd turnabout -- from bad luck to good fortune -- I am not so sad my tumor was aggressive. It means there are bonus treatments for me. And if my cancer comes back and Herceptin no longer works, there is another drug called Tykerb. And now the Army is leading its own breast cancer vaccination study. The focus -- HER2.Early study results from Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. suggest a 50 percent reduction in disease recurrence for HER2 positive women who receive a vaccination of AE37.AE37 targets HER2 and boosts the body's immune system so it can battle the protein before it stimulates growth. It's similar to Herceptin, but the activity of AE37 stimulates a patient's own immune system to recognize the cancer target rather than interacting with the target directly.Should the Food and Drug Administration decide to support this study, it will proceed to Phase 3 testing, which includes a much larger pool of participants.

A star fish Brent found while in Isla last year






Tamoxifen reduces the risk of developing cancer for years following treatment
Posted Jan 4th 2007 2:00PM by Kristina CollinsFiled under: Breast Cancer, Drug, Prevention, Cancer Pre-vivors
Results presented at the 2006 annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, says that it appears Nolvadex (tamoxifen) reduces the risk of developing cancer years following completion of preventative therapy among women who are at high risk of developing breast cancer.
Data from a clinical trial, including 7,145 women who were at high risk for developing breast cancer, was reevaluated at 10 years follow up. They found that breast cancer was reduced by 29 percent among women treated with tamoxifen compared to those taking the placebo. The preventative effect on breast cancer, specifically hormone-positive breast cancer, was actually improved at 10 years compared to the five-year follow-up.
The researchers concluded that women who are at high risk of developing breast cancer continue to benefit from tamoxifen, even five years following completion of treatment.
Talk to you doctor if fall in the high risk group for breast cancer. There are individual risks and benefits for tamoxifen and it may prevent physicians from recommending its use in certain women.

So having gotten that off of my chest......on a lighter note...David look whose sleeping on our couch!

And this is the dog who has her own bedroom with her own full size people bed. Now apparently she has her own couch as well!

Wonder who has the run of the house in this family...could it be the dogs.......used to be you kids guess you have been replaced....haha.