How to know whether chemo is working or not

[Ch_balaji]

My mom completed 4 AC chemos .How to know weather chemo worked or not.she is HER2+, node neg.she is about to have next chemo cycles other week.what are the tests to be performed to know the progress of the treatment.i came know about CTC test how much it costs in India(Hyderabad).

[Poorni123]

Hi Balaji.

Sorry to know about your mom.I think you can Google and compare the rates of different labs.In Hyderabad Vijaya Diagnostics is well known. What is the stage of the cancer?Did her oncologist ask for the tests? Praying for her speedy recovery.

[Ch_balaji in reply to Poorni123]

Stage 2A with no lymphnode involvement and no lymphovascular invasion.and I want to know any specific test for HER2+ after the chemo

[Poorni123 in reply to Ch_balaji]

I think Dr Sumeet is the best person to answer that.Ask your mom to be strong mentally , to fight this out. Wish her speedy recovery.

[Sidduram]

Hi Balaji,

With HER2±, your mom should have been given HERCEPTIN a wonder drug, which is also known as targeted therapy, after 3 chemos combined with HERCEPTIN the disease in your mom would have drastically reduced, just a mammogram will show the results, if she had undergone surgery after 3 chemos than a histopathology biopsy will confirm the success of the chemos.

My wife was also HER2+, Initial mass was 4.5cm 4stage, after 3 chemos with HERCEPTIN the mass was only 0.01cm,chemos do give results.

Wishing your mom a speedy recovery, keep her in good spirits and confidence level high, she will overcome the cancer

[Ch_balaji in reply to Sidduram]

She had surgery first and completed 4cycles of AC now she is about to start paclitaxel chemo.now i want to know the whether the chemo working or not.she had Stage 2A with no lymphnode involvement and no lymphovascular invasion.

[MsLockYourPosts TeamBCI in reply to Ch_balaji]

No lymphnode involvement or lymphovascular invasion is great news. You would have to ask her doctor whether in her case there is a test that would tell you how well the treatment is working, and at what point the test should be done if there is one.