thought this might make your day,week, year--the day may be approaching that some, at

[Lani]

first, and hopefully all finally, her2+ bc patients can be treated without chemo, just with targeted agents

April 3rd in Orlando FL at the 2011 Annual AACR meeting Martine Piccart-Gebhart will give the following presentation:

Room W209, Orange County Convention Center
Cure of HER2-Positive Breast Cancer without Chemotherapy at the Doorstep

CME-Designated Session

Martine J. Piccart-Gebhart, Institut Jules Bordet, Brussels, Belgium
There are two features that make HER2-positive breast cancer rather unique: 1) oncogene addiction and 2) the fact that HER2 overexpression is probably immunogenic. Dual HER2 blockade using either trastuzumab and pertuzumab or trastuzumab and lapatinib has recently generated impressive clinical results in two neoadjuvant randomized trials, NEOSPHERE (n=417 pts) and NEOALTTO (n=450 pts), with a doubling of the pathologic complete response rate. These two trials also show impressive antitumor activity with the antiHER2 agents alone (e.g., not combined with a taxane) and demonstrate the clinical relevance of the inactivation of a single oncogene in some patients. In the meantime, there is growing evidence that the immune system plays an important role in the antitumor effect of antiHER2 monoclonal antibodies. With better tools to identify patients able to generate a robust antiHER2 immune response and the availability of dual HER2 targeting, it becomes possible to design new treatment approaches without chemotherapy for select women with HER2-positive breast cancer.

[Trish]

It would indeed be wonderful if in future HER2+ sisters could avoid chemo.Bring it on,
Trish

[Lien]

That would be great! I didn't get Herceptin in 2004 partly because "my tumor was too small to warrant chemo". I'm fine, though, so perhaps I didn't need it.

I have problems with my immune system though. I had a botched root canal procedure done by my previous dentist and developed allergies/intolerance to most dental materials. This caused lots of medical problems, ranging from chronic fatigue syndrome to dizzy spells, mouth sores, abcessed teeth, skin problems etc. And then I developed BC.

Once I had all the fillings, and rootcanals replaced my health improved and hopefully my risk of recurrence plummeted.

Jacqueline

[schoolteacher]

This is very encouraging. I had thought about seeing if I could get Metformin. The last time I had my HER2 Level checked it was 35. Trying to keep my immue system strong with vitamin D.

Amelia

[Hopeful]

If I understand this correctly, I would think it also bodes well for the development of Her2+ vaccines.

Hopeful

[1rarebird]

I suspect that even with the additional cost for including a dual blockade drug like Tykerb or Lapatinib to Herceptin, it will be cost effective when the cost of a taxane is no longer needed. This sounds like it could be a winner for Her2+ patients as well for the insurance companies who would no longer be paying for the taxane.
--bird

[tricia keegan]

Thanks Lani, roll on the day!!!

[Ceesun]

WOW!! Ceesun