Jennny Quantrell 

I am 57 and live in North Yorkshire with my partner. I have a doctorate in business strategy and worked with Chief Executives and top teams. I am a keen golfer. I am a great supporter of complementary therapies and supplements. 

I had breast cancer in 2004, had a lump removed and then a mastectomy in Harrogate District Hospital It was node positive, Grade 3 ER negative, HER2 positive I had FEC chemotherapy in Harrogate and radiotherapy in Leeds. I have lymphoedema in my right arm. 

During FEC chemotherapy I had an “episode” where I was unconscious for 36 hours. I had an MRI scan and was diagnosed with a brain tumour. This problem has disappeared when I had an MRI scan two weeks later. A neurologist later identified the episode as Reversible Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome – thought to be a rare reaction to chemotherapy. The MRI scan also identified an “incidental finding” – a 3 mm aneurysm arising from the left middle cerebral artery.

I had a recurrence of cancer in 2005. This recurrence is in my lymphatic system and is evident on my chest wall. I started Herceptin and had Taxotere,. After some time Herceptin alone wasn’t controlling my condition and I had Photodynamic Therapy Treatment – a skin cancer treatment. My condition also spread to my right lymph nodes.

In Nov. 2007 I started the Lapatinib and Capecitebene trial. Within a couple of weeks there was a dramatic improvement in my condition. In December 2007 I had a severe reaction to Capecitebene, this was identified as DPD deficiency. I continued on the trial (without Capecitebene) until June 2008 when Lapatinib was no longer effective.

I started Capecitebene again – this time at a 75% dose and my condition improved. I finished Capecitebene in Jan 2009. Three months later my condition had deteriorated.

In March 2009 I had three small lumps removed from right chest and started Carboplatin in April 2009.

I am at present exploring the hormone status of my breast cancer, which has changed since my original diagnosis, and what this means for future treatment.

I am one of the original members of the Breast Cancer Care Service Users Research Panel and am part of the Trials Steering Committee for the HER – PCI trial.