For those on Herceptin indefinately

[Sherryg683]

For those of you that are taking Herceptin indefinately, are you doing the every 3 weeks infusions or weekly. I have been doing the weekly now for almost 2 years. My oncologist asked me last time, it I still wanted to continue this or move to the 3 week infusions. I asked him what he thought and he said he could not give me a definate answer as to which was best but that he has seen a slight bit of difference in reoccurance in those that were on the 3 week schedule. I would like to be able to only go in every 3 weeks, but don't want to fix something that's not broken. I'm sort of superstitous about it. If I switched and then reoccured, I'd blame myself for changing. For those of you who are doing well with the Herceptin long term, what is your scheduling? I've got to make a decision...sherryg

[Lee]

I'm going every 3 wks, and I've been NED for about 18 months now. My onc said that the research backs up that there is really no difference between every week and every 3 week infusions.

It is very nice not to have to show up there every week! Plus, they have my infusions down to just 1/2 hour, so on days when I'm not getting blood work or seeing my onc, I'm in and out of there pretty quickly.

best wishes on your decision

[Sandy in Silicon Valley]

Hi, Sherry -

I've been on Herceptin for 4.5 years now, and will be on it until either my left ventricle ejaction fraction indicates weakening of an important heart muscle, due to a common Herceptin side effect, or until my oncologist and I come to believe that my bc mets have acquired resistence to the drug, and it appears no longer to be working.

Initially, when I was on Taxotere weekly, I also got my Herceptin infusions weekly. However, after 6 rounds of Taxotere, I switched to every-3-week infusions of Herceptin. It has not seemed to make a difference in what has been very, very slowwww progression of one lung met. Everything else, neck down, has been stable after two 6-month courses of Xeloda (plus ongoing Herceptin).

When I've gone on vacations, I've even put off getting my Herceptin infusion for an extra week or 10 days, without any noticeable change in my next torso CT scan!

Good luck and success making your decision. For me, it was easy - just didn't want to spend that much time tethered to an IV catheter/ tube/ pole/ room! But each time we have a say in switching any treatment, it's a weighty decision. And my feeling is that everything that happens with bc recurrence is pretty much a crap shoot, with the current state of the "science"/ art of deciding treatment protocols, combined with the fairly unpredictable behavior of cancer cells and our immune systems' recognition of them.

(((hugs)))
Sandy in Silicon Valley

[chrisy]

I know what you mean, not wanting to change a course that seems to be working just GREAT! I think of it as why change your lucky socks!

I believe the data shows that 3 wks is just as effective as weekly, this is what I was told by my 2 oncologists. Could be anecdotal cases your doctor has seen.

After 6 months of weekly T/C/H, I went to the every 3 week schedule for Herceptin, and was on this for 2 years. For me, it was like being on vacation, and in fact I DID take a 3 week vacation last year! It as also quite easy to manipulate the schedule if it "interfered" with something I wanted to do - several times I would get a 1 or 2 week dose to accomodate my travel plans.


I'd say, go with what you feel is right.