Zometa Trials

10-05-2005, 06:53 AM

Hi:

I am a Stage IIB, ERPR - and Her2 positive patient who has been accepted into the Pilot Study to Evaluate the Efect of Zoledronic Acid (Zometa) on Occult Malignant Bone Marrow Cells in Patients with High Risk Early Stage Beast Cancer.

I feel torn as whether to participate in the Trial as I recall that the large study in Finland showed that Hormone negative patients had poorer outcomes when they received Bisphosphonates in early stages. I know the smaller English study showed positive results but it did not break patients down by Hormone or Her2 status.

Do any of you have more current information on the positive or negative affects of Bisphosphonates in early Her2 breast cancers? I need to make up my mind shortly. Thanks.

Julie2 · 10-05-2005, 09:55 AM

Hi,

Just want to find out where is the trial you participating in? I know that UCSF has a trial going on and they will do the bone marrow biapsy to decide whether one is eligible for the trial. I am also thinking whether to participate or not. How long are from your chemo?

thanks,
Julie

StephN · 10-05-2005, 12:18 PM

Hi ladies -
My med onc put me on Zometa about 3.5 years ago when it was just new - replacing the drug Pamidronate, which had a long infusion time.
This was after I had reached NED with serious liver mets and starting into my leg bones.
We used this with Herceptin as more of a preventative and to strengthen my bones left weak by so much chemo over the previous couple of years. He seemed to think it was a good thing to do then and I am still on it but only every 12 weeks now instead of every 3 weeks.
Long term use of this drug has not seemed to have any adverse effect on me, and I am sure my bones are in much better shape.

Since the three favorite places for breast cancer to reappear are the BONES, lungs and brain, it seems like a good idea, especially for women who are post menopausal or showing bone loss at an earlier age. Also, chemo does deplete your bones and I was on Fosamax for this at that time.
My cancer is Her2+++ and hormones neg.

10-05-2005, 07:59 PM

Julie:

I finished my AC and Taxol May 26, 2004. I started Herceptin off label in June of 2004 and I am in my second year of Herceptin which will go until June 2006. The Trial that I qualified for is the one you mentioned at the University of California at San Francisco. I live in Payson, Arizona so I would need to fly to San Francisco every month for 24 months. I do worry about the Finnish study. Thanks for responding to my post.

Barb

Gina · 10-06-2005, 10:09 AM

side of the pros and cons for ER-PR-Her-2+++...

I don't think this is a good idea if you are hormonal negative. We need more studies, of course, but if annecdotal evidence means anything, in cases I have personally known or worked with, it is my "gut" that the zometa made things worse for the ER-/PR- folks who took it that I knew..but that is just annecdotal.

FYI,

Gina