Important for HERA (Non Herceptin Group)

[*_Christine MH_*]

HERA presentation (http://asco.org/ac/1,1003,_12-002514-00_18-0034-00_19-00934-00_21-001,00.asp)

In section 8 of this presentation, the good doctor says "Patients in Observation Arm will be offered trastuzumab (guidelines in preparation)."

[Guest]

Guidelines. Thanks, Christine MH, Please post these when announced. I'm interested in the total doses of herceptin in these guidelins. :)

[Merridith]

I spoke to my clinical trial nurse who is in contact with one of the HERA trial doctors attending the conference.

She told me that the control arm will be offered herceptin after certain protocols are set up and government protocols met. (i.e. The ethics cttee has to OK & one other govt body). These steps should hopefully done in a few months.

The controls will be offered 1 year herceptin, OR the option to participate in a blind randomized 2-arm trial where you could either get 1 year herceptin or 2 years herceptin. Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Which should I want? Right now I am thinking - 1 year sounds plenty to me. Any suggestions? (I am stage I/no nodes)

The other burning question that they are asking themselves is: What about those that weren't on the trial - 1,2,3 years out? Should they be offered late-in-the-day herceptin too? No verdict on this question yet.

Regards,
Merridith