More on Herceptin

[Joe]

From this issue of the New England Journal of Medicine

Regards
Joe

[Christine MH-UK]

Dr. Gabriel Hortobagyi (p. 1735, second column, 1st paragraph) My comments are in the brackets [].

"On the basis of these results [from the trials on herceptin with and after chemo], our care of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer must change today. Certainly, patients with lymph-node-positive, HER2-positive breast cancer should receive trastuzumab [herceptin] as part of optimal adjuvant systemic therapy [i.e. with taxane chemotherapy], unless the antibody is clearly contrainidcated. Patients with negative lymph nodes, whose estimated risk of recurrence after optimal chemotherapy and endocrine therapy comfortably exceeds the risk of the cardiac toxic effects of trastuzumab, should also be offered the antibody. Since most Her2-positive tumors have other adverse prognostic factors, this risk-benefit scenario is likely to apply to many patients with node-negative breast cancer."

[bettyahoy@aol.com]

My DaughterI took two doses of herceptin and now has a heart problem. Anyone out there that has this too?

[Christine MH-UK]

Hi Betty,

I am sorry to hear about your daughter. Your daughter should have had a MUGA scan before receiving herceptin to make sure that her heart wasn't too weak and I am hoping that this was the case. I am a bit surprised that she developed heart problems because in the trials the main problems were found in older women. Herceptin-based heart problems are more reversible than heart problems caused by chemo drugs, so with any luck they should go away over time.

Best wishes,

Christine

[Sheila]

Betty
Your daughter's heart may have been weakened from chemo...especially if she had Adriamycin....have her get rechecked...she may still be able to get it....I have been on it for 2 years & I am older (ouch)...53, & have never had a problem.
Hugs
Sheila

[Unregistered]

Hi Betty,
u should immediately see a cardiologist and ask him abt Coreg and Lisinipirol.

[sassy]

"Since most Her2-positive tumors have other adverse prognostic factors,"

What "other' adverse prognostic factors do they refer to?

Any thoughts Joe?

Sassy
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[Toubev]

I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in June as a result of herceptin. I had been on it for barely 7 mos. I had no monitoring at all of the heart since before getting chemo which I know is the fault of my onc. I was told that I can no longer get herceptin (I have a new onc.). I was also told there is just a small percentage of us developing heart problems. I am now on Coreg, Inspra & Altace to hopefully improve my heart function. Even tho I feel great, my heart function is very poor.