HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - HERA 4 year results article with...when results of 2 yrs of herceptin may come out!!

Becky · 03-01-2011, 02:11 PM

Well - if it is dramatically better, they may let those on it continue and those who are done go back to the cancer center and get more (depending on how far out you are from the last Herceptin). What I mean by that is if you are already a couple of years out from your last Herceptin, it probably won't do any good to return for more. They will probably have a rule.

For example, when Herceptin was first available, at first they allowed women less than 6 months from their last chemotherapy to return and get Herceptin. This is how I got my Herceptin (being about 3.5 months from my last chemo). By the time I got my echo and started (at about 4+ months out), they already changed the protocol to women 1 year or less from the last chemo. No sooner than that, they changed it once again to 2 years or less from the last chemo. Some women on this board even got Herceptin at 2.5 years out but that was about it.

So, if results are dramatic, there will be rules about more (which is important to note if insurance pays for your Herceptin).

03-01-2011, 02:11 PM	#5
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	Re: HERA 4 year results article with...when results of 2 yrs of herceptin may come o Well - if it is dramatically better, they may let those on it continue and those who are done go back to the cancer center and get more (depending on how far out you are from the last Herceptin). What I mean by that is if you are already a couple of years out from your last Herceptin, it probably won't do any good to return for more. They will probably have a rule. For example, when Herceptin was first available, at first they allowed women less than 6 months from their last chemotherapy to return and get Herceptin. This is how I got my Herceptin (being about 3.5 months from my last chemo). By the time I got my echo and started (at about 4+ months out), they already changed the protocol to women 1 year or less from the last chemo. No sooner than that, they changed it once again to 2 years or less from the last chemo. Some women on this board even got Herceptin at 2.5 years out but that was about it. So, if results are dramatic, there will be rules about more (which is important to note if insurance pays for your Herceptin). __________________ Kind regards Becky Found lump via BSE Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45 1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side) 2 micromets to sentinel node Stage 2A left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg lumpectomies 9/7/04 4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol Used Leukine instead of Neulasta 35 rads on right side only 4/05 started Tamoxifen Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations Oophorectomy 8/05 Started Arimidex 9/05 Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06 Arimidex Only Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia NED 18 years! Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"