Late Herceptin early stage and concern for later Herceptin resistence

[RobinP]

Hi,

As most of you know, I am going to see my local oncologist next Wednesday for late Herceptin. My "breast oncologist" from Dana Farber has refused to recommend Herceptin to me now so I must stand on my own in convincing my local oncologist of my need for Herceptin. I know the concern of later drug resistence will come up with him as he has discussed this with me previously. Therefore, I will need to be convincing that later drug resistence is not an issue for me not being able to recieve late Herceptin. Of course, this is not an issue for not giving Herceptin to newly diagnosed stage 1 her2 breast cancer which I will remind my oncologist.

Does anyone on these board, particularly the metastatic population, have knowledge about Herceptin resistence? Given the fact that Herceptin in early stage disease is stopped after, according to the HERA trail one-two years, we do not know how long DFS will continue thereafter. Should a relapse reoccur some time after Herceptin is stopped would there be any drug resistence developed by having previously sensitized Her2 cells to Herceptin? Speciifically, has anyone in the metastatic populatioin been on Herceptin and taken off of the drug for a length of time and then placed back on Herceptin only to find drug resistence development during the time lapse of not using Herceptin?
Greatly appreciate your responses,
Robin

PS I am three years out from treatment. My initial tumor was 5cm DCIS with 4mm of invasive Her2; sentinel node positive only by micromets. and is considered negative by traditional staging guidelines. Tx. at diagnosis in 2002 was CMF and masectomy, sentinel node.