Can Some ER+ BC Forego Chemotherapy?

[Hopeful]

(http://<font%20face=/)<A href="http://</p><p%20style="margin:0px"><font%20face="Arial"><font%20size="2"><font%20face="Arial"><font color="#800080">[url="http://www.communityoncology.net/journal/articles/0308487.pdf#search=%22%22Her2%20positive%22%20%22n ode%20negative%22%20%22no%20chemotherapy%22%22"]http://www.communityoncology.net/journal/articles/0308487.pdf#search=%22%22Her2%20positive%22%20%22n ode%20negative%22%20%22no%20chemotherapy%22%22</font>" target=_blank>
[url="http://www.communityoncology.net/journal/articles/0308487.pdf#search=%22%22Her2%20positive%22%20%22n ode%20negative%22%20%22no%20chemotherapy%22%22"] (http://www.communityoncology.net/journal/articles/0308487.pdf#search=%22%22Her2%20positive%22%20%22n ode%20negative%22%20%22no%20chemotherapy%22%22)
http://www.communityoncology.net/journal/articles/0308487.pdf#search=%22%22Her2%20positive%22%20%22n ode%20negative%22%20%22no%20chemotherapy%22%22 (http://www.communityoncology.net/journal/articles/0308487.pdf#search=%22%22Her2%20positive%22%20%22n ode%20negative%22%20%22no%20chemotherapy%22%22)

[AlaskaAngel]

I don't know the TOPO II status of my tumor and came along too late to benefit, but I believe there are plenty of HER2's for whom chemo is not only useless but detrimental. Thanks for the article, Hopeful.

AlaskaAngel

[Hopeful]

AlaskaAngel,

I believe the tide is turning, but ever so slowly. The fault isn't entirely with the medical establishment. There are many patients who stand to derive marginal benefit from chemo who nonetheless demand it from their doctors. It's like Dr. Hudis says in the article, the belief is the more toxic the therapy, the better it works. This is why the study they wrote was about "less chemo" instead of "no chemo." There is a pervasive distrust associatied with endocrine therapy as the primary systemic therapy that will not easily dissipate.

Hopeful