Research on hormone treatment used with Herceptin

[Unregistered]

Can anyone point me to clinical studies that show hormone treatments such as Tamoxifan or Faslodex are NOT synergistic with Herceptin? Several of the oncs we've consulted for my mom have said that hormone treatments work counter to Herceptin, since the hormone treatment slows down the cancer, and Herceptin targets fast growing cells.

However, my mom's new onc wants her to go on Faslodex/Herceptin, which I know many people have used with great success. I've found research that says hormone treatments ARE synergistic with Herceptin, but I was wondering if there had been studies that say the opposite, or if the oncs have just been offering their theories.

I even consulted Johns Hopkins University, and they said oncs in general are split in opinion on this, and the decision was really up to us. So I wanted to have as much literature on both sides as possible so we can make a decision.

Thanks in advance!

Stephanie, mom to Marie

[Unregistered]

I don't know about studies but I have been successfully treated with various anti-estrogens with Herceptin for almost 3 years--for bone and lung mets. I have had radiation rx. twice but otherwise have not yet had chemo for recurrance.
Kathy

[Diane H]

Actually I do not think that herceptin targets fast growing cells like chemo does, it prevents cancer cells from overexpressing HER2 which causes them to grow faster. So works in a different way. But I have heard that ER+ PR- will do better on some sort of aromatase inhibitor as opposed to tamoxifen. You have to be post menopausal for those.

[Rozebud]

Al from Canada has posted before some studies that imply that herceptin and tamoxifen are antigonistic but AIs and herceptin are synergistic. (That said, I was on tamoxifen and herceptin together as most of my herceptin treatment I was still premenopausal.)