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Lani · 11-17-2013, 10:45 PM

Didn't have time to read everything in equal detail, but one thought comes to mind…and I have an article for you to bring to your onc!

When they did the early studies of herceptin for Stage IVs some of the researchers @ Genentech published an article showing there was a 40% difference in the speed with which different patients "metabolized" herceptin., some being faster, some slower. The study must be based on a methodology for determining how quickly/slowly any one patient "metabolizes" herceptin.

I once spoke to the then Chief Science Officer of Genentech, now head of UCSF as to why they don't test patients to determine if they are "quick or slow metabolizers" to make certain each patient gets the right amount often enough to maximize the drugs effect (and no more to minimize its side effects and cost)

I would love to ask her again now that she is out of the pharmaceuticals business. Who's to say it would cut down on sales, it might even increase them and patients might even be able to stay on longer when given just the dose they need avoiding cardiotoxicity which causes them to quit.

Will post abstract when I find it.

11-17-2013, 10:45 PM	#4
Lani Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 4,778	Re: Need input Didn't have time to read everything in equal detail, but one thought comes to mind…and I have an article for you to bring to your onc! When they did the early studies of herceptin for Stage IVs some of the researchers @ Genentech published an article showing there was a 40% difference in the speed with which different patients "metabolized" herceptin., some being faster, some slower. The study must be based on a methodology for determining how quickly/slowly any one patient "metabolizes" herceptin. I once spoke to the then Chief Science Officer of Genentech, now head of UCSF as to why they don't test patients to determine if they are "quick or slow metabolizers" to make certain each patient gets the right amount often enough to maximize the drugs effect (and no more to minimize its side effects and cost) I would love to ask her again now that she is out of the pharmaceuticals business. Who's to say it would cut down on sales, it might even increase them and patients might even be able to stay on longer when given just the dose they need avoiding cardiotoxicity which causes them to quit. Will post abstract when I find it.