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HER2 positive stage 1 or 2 diagnosis: What questions to ask?

Posted by maureenmckean @maureenmckean, Feb 4 7:09am

My good friend who is 54 was diagnosed with HER2 positive breast cancer. They think stage 1 (size of a grape they said) although the contrast mri saw something else next to it that they took 12 biopsies of that. I am taking her to see the oncologist tomorrow and hopefully she will find out the pathology report and if she will have chemo or surgery first. What questions should we be asking?
She is an occupational therapist at a preschool. Will she be able to work at all?

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raebaby | @raebaby | Feb 12 12:35pm

I didn't move herceptin, I moved vinca.

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Feb 13 2:36pm
In reply to @kris43today "I'm sorry to hear the news of your friend. I've recently been diagnosed with IDC and..." + (show)
@kris43today

I'm sorry to hear the news of your friend. I've recently been diagnosed with IDC and one thing that has been a life saver is Mayo recaps everything discussed in our appointments in our portal notes. Maybe you can ask your friend about this. The doctors cover everything including what steps are underway at the moment.

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Welcome, @kris43today. I look forward to getting to know more about your journey. You said you were recently diagnosed with IDC. Have you started treatment yet? How are you doing?

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kris43today | @kris43today | Feb 13 3:35pm
In reply to @colleenyoung "Welcome, @kris43today. I look forward to getting to know more about your journey. You said you..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

Welcome, @kris43today. I look forward to getting to know more about your journey. You said you were recently diagnosed with IDC. Have you started treatment yet? How are you doing?

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Yes, Ive completed 2 of 12 rounds of Taxol with heceptin and perjeta combined on week one. Im still adjusting to all the meds and the life changes. Im 45 and a mother of 2 teenage boys.

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1 reply
katgob | @katgob | Feb 14 11:37pm

My biopsy did not have HER2+, but when I had my breast removed the tumor itself was HER2+. I also had had a genetic test and had the Brca2 mutation. I had small breasts, so I had chemo first and my 5 cm tumor shrunk one half. Then i had the surgery. I did not have radiation, but i did have 16 rounds of Perjeta and Herceptin infusions.
DCIS. All the details are important to know the treatment. I got my genetic test a couple days before my chemo. I then went from one does every 3 weeks 4 times, to one a week for 12 weeks, then 4 to be done every 3 weeks. Complications caused me to end the set of 4 after just one infusion. Pancytopenia is where all your blood numbers drop.
What i know is i always asked questions, used Zofran to keep nausea away and senna as a laxative.
I was treated during Covid so no visitors. I liked that.

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Feb 15 11:45am
In reply to @kris43today "Yes, Ive completed 2 of 12 rounds of Taxol with heceptin and perjeta combined on week..." + (show)
@kris43today

Yes, Ive completed 2 of 12 rounds of Taxol with heceptin and perjeta combined on week one. Im still adjusting to all the meds and the life changes. Im 45 and a mother of 2 teenage boys.

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Kris, you might appreciate the sharing in this discussion:
- Family dynamics challenging when a parent has cancer: Want to connect
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/group-focused-on-families-and-parent-with-cancer/

How are your boys handling your having cancer? What life changes have been challenging? I'm sure members have been there too and can offer tips.

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