HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - for those with ER+her2+ breast cancer, an important article

Jean · 01-21-2009, 11:47 AM

Hi Hopeful,
Just to clear up my previous post...I posted...

"what Dr. Slamon has been saying the past few years. I have been a bit concerned with the treatment of herceptin alone (maybe the future will be that) but for now the studies have been showing that herceptin works best along with chemo."

I DID not state that herceptin is enhanced by chemo, just that the combination is proving to show better results....please see link below.

Sorry if what I posted was misunderstood.

http://medicineworld.org/cancer/lead...st-cancer.html

The above article details the information of survival benefits to those who are have been treated with herceptin and chemo.

Patients in the clinical trials who received trastuzumab in combination with standard combination chemotherapy had a 52 percent decrease in disease recurrence compared to patients treated with chemotherapy alone. This difference is highly statistically significant. "This is a major advance for many thousands of women with breast cancer," said NCI Director Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D. "These results are one more example that we are at a major turning point in the use of targeted therapies to eliminate suffering and death from cancer," he added.

As I posted earlier this combination is proving to show improved results....herceptin in combination with chemo. Lately there have been early stage patients who are in a spin about herceptin/and/chemo if they should have the treatment. These are such difficult decisons during a very difficult time when most are shattered just hearing they have bc....let alone the fear of chemo. I believe it is important for them to understand that at the present time we only know what is offering the best benefits. Sorry if my post was confusing to anyone.

All Good Wishes,
jean

01-21-2009, 11:47 AM	#13
Jean Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 3,154	Hi Hopeful, Just to clear up my previous post...I posted... "what Dr. Slamon has been saying the past few years. I have been a bit concerned with the treatment of herceptin alone (maybe the future will be that) but for now the studies have been showing that herceptin works best along with chemo." I DID not state that herceptin is enhanced by chemo, just that the combination is proving to show better results....please see link below. Sorry if what I posted was misunderstood. http://medicineworld.org/cancer/lead...st-cancer.html The above article details the information of survival benefits to those who are have been treated with herceptin and chemo. Patients in the clinical trials who received trastuzumab in combination with standard combination chemotherapy had a 52 percent decrease in disease recurrence compared to patients treated with chemotherapy alone. This difference is highly statistically significant. "This is a major advance for many thousands of women with breast cancer," said NCI Director Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D. "These results are one more example that we are at a major turning point in the use of targeted therapies to eliminate suffering and death from cancer," he added. As I posted earlier this combination is proving to show improved results....herceptin in combination with chemo. Lately there have been early stage patients who are in a spin about herceptin/and/chemo if they should have the treatment. These are such difficult decisons during a very difficult time when most are shattered just hearing they have bc....let alone the fear of chemo. I believe it is important for them to understand that at the present time we only know what is offering the best benefits. Sorry if my post was confusing to anyone. All Good Wishes, jean __________________ Stage 1, Grade 1, 3/30/05 Lumpectomy 4/15/05 - 6MM IDC Node Neg. (Sentinel node) ER+ 90% / PR-, Her2+++ by FISH Ki-67 40% Arimidex 5/05 Radiation 32 trt, 5/30/05 Oncotype DX test 4/17/06, 31% high risk TOPO 11 neg. 4/06 Stopped Arimidex 5/06 TCH 5/06, 6 treatments Herceptin 5/06 - for 1 yr. 9/06 Completed chemo Started Femara Sept. 2006 Last edited by Jean; 01-21-2009 at 11:57 AM..