Has anyone switched from Herceptin/Perjeta to Kadcyla after breast cancer treatm...

I didn’t have a complete reaction to the chemo - a very small tumor left with only 5% cancer cells still alive. My Oncologist said the new gold standard was to go the Kadcyla route. I couldn’t start it until I completed radiation due to trace cancer cells in 1 lymph node - I was in a gray area for radiation, but went ahead and did it back in September. Monday will by my 7th Kadcyla treatment. Since Kadcyla is Herceptin, with a little chemo thrown in, Monday will be my 19th Herceptin, which would have been my last infusion. But with the switch, it’s not. It’s hard to not get discouraged, but I’m just marking Monday as half way instead. So far, I haven’t felt much difference with the Kadcyla infusions than I did with the Herceptin-only ones. Definitely nothing bad like the actual chemo treatments. I know it sucks and seems like it’s never ending, but Hang in there!

Thanks for the encouragement! I keep telling my doctors that I'm not a quitter. I had my second radiation treatment of 16 today. I actually have my first Kadcyla infusion before the end of the radiation treatments. My oncologist said Kadcyla falls between targeted therapy with Herceptin/Perjeta and chemo in terms of side effects. It's never easy with me. I had shingles at the beginning of chemo, then mouth sores kept me from eating much at all for about a month. Friday, I have gallbladder surgery...my late husband always said I was EXTRA!

Hopefully it won’t be bad! My first couple of treatments were the worst. After that, nothing more than what I had with Herceptin only. I usually “clean out” and am a little tired the day after, then have some dry eye issues the remainder of the time. Wishing you all the best. And tell your husband you’re just EXTRA tough!!

Treatment changes can feel overwhelming, especially when dealing with the physical and emotional challenges that come with cancer care. Many patients in the HER2+ community have experience with switches in targeted therapy, and each person's treatment path can be quite different based on their specific situation. The feelings about treatment changes are completely understandable - sharing experiences and questions here often helps others who may be going through similar transitions find valuable insights and support from the community.