Mark D. Pegram MD associate professor of medicine and director of the Women's Cancer Program University of California Los Angeles provided an update on herceptin-containing combinations for the treatment of breast cancer at the Second Annual "Future of Breast Cancer: An International Breast Cancer Congress."

Dr. Pegram and his team completed two phase II clinical trials each involving 62 patients to assess the safety and efficacy of a TCH regimen consisting of docetaxel (Taxotere) a platinum salt and trastuzumab (Herceptin) in women with breast cancer. In one trial they used the combination of docetaxel carboplatin and trastuzumab and in the other they used cisplatin instead of carboplatin.

Dr. Pegram's update and insights with respect to TCH regimes appear consistent with the findings summarized in San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2002 Abstract 35.

Abstract 35: Robert et al. conducted a phase III trial examining paclitaxel and trastuzumab versus paclitaxel carboplatin and trastuzumab as first-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer. The overall response rate for the triplet was 52% compared with 32% for the doublet. The median time to progression was also significantly longer for patients who received the triplet (13 versus 7 months). Adverse events were similar in both groups except for greater incidence of myelosuppression with the triplet regimen.