Herceptin trial control group

[Joan Janzen]

Does anyone know what is happening to the members of the control group? The ones who weren't on Herceptin in the recent trial. Are they being offered it now even though they are sometimes 2 years+ away from chemo?

[Merridithp]

I am on the control group of the HERA trial.

Everyone has been offered the following options:

1. Take one year of Herceptin (it doesn't matter how far out you are)
2. Be randomized to a new trial of either 1 year or 2 years of Herceptin
3. Stay on as a control.

So far EVERYone in the Vancouver trial that was a control has elected the one year of Herceptin. No one has picked the new randomization trial for a chance at 2 years herceptin.

Regards,
Merridith

[jojo]

Hi Merridith,

The fact that no one has seleted the 2 years of Herceptin kinda surprises me. What is the reason?

And I hope that your trial is being effective. Keep us posted.

[lor]

I am in the control group. I was offered Herceptin and of course took it. I will get it for at least a year.

[Merridith]

Hi JoJo:

I was surprised that no one chose the two year course either and asked the nurse about it.

The people who were in the HERA trial were early stage breast cancer. Most people felt that one year of further treatment was plenty. People want to get on with their lives.

Also, for the contols, a significant number of us are 2+ years out of chemo. (I was the last person enrolled in our trial as a control and I am 1.75 years out) There is a burning question as to whether herceptin will do much good if you are so far out from chemo/diagnosis. Just statistically, without further treatment, if you have had no mets show up your chances of making it are much higher than at initial diagnosis. Based on stats alone, for someone who has survived this long without failure, the best extrapolation/estimate potential benefit of taking Herceptin is about 5%. And that assumes that you belong to the 5% population that might benefit from this course of treatment.

I think that is why no one opted for two years. The estimated potential benefit is too low based on the most optimistic guesswork.

Regards,
Merridith

[lor]

Merrideth,

This is a little off of the subject, but I was wondering if you could give me some info. I am in one the trials in the US and we seem to follow whatever the HERA trial does. I am currently on weekly Herceptin and would like to get it every three weeks. Has anyone in the HERA trial recieved it every three weeks and also while receiving radiation treatments?

Thank you so much in advance!
Lori