Experimental or not

[John21]

Hi everyone,

Does any one know if the combination of Taxol, Carboplatin and Herceptin treatment is classified experimental or I guess approved? Having insurance probelems. They cover Herceptin alone, but not as a combo treatment. WHat gets me is that she would of took it alone afterwards anyhow!

[Stephanie]

My mom was on taxol/carbo/herceptin. It was not considered experimental, but she's stage IV, so maybe it's considered experimental if there are no mets?

[Sandy H]

I am stage 3b, IBC, and I took the same combo a few times. You can see in my signature. It was not experimental for me. I only had skin mets. You may need to keep after them to pay. Your doctor should be able to help or a social worker at the hospital. hugs, Sandy

[chrisy]

I took that exact same combo

[Lolly]

John, I know several who have had that exact combo also. Here's a link to FDA approved drugs, along with the year in which they were approved. All three of these are FDA approved, and so the insurance should not be able to dictate to your onc how to administer those drugs, whether alone OR in combo.

FDA Approved Drugs
http://dtp.nci.nih.gov/timeline/noflash/FDA.htm

[Bev]

Hi, Make a complaint to your state insurance board, in writing. Have your onc write a paragraph why this is the optimum treatment. They'll come around. BB

[Sherryg683]

John, who in the world is your insurance with. Herceptin alone is what they approve? Herceptin is being used in many combinations now, they need to come up to date with what they approve...sherryg683

[John21]

Thanks all. Just needed some reassuring. We have good insurance. I maybe just think they are trying loopholes. As you know, it is not cheap for this stuff. We are still working with our company. Just does not make any sense.

[Joe]

The HER2 Support Group is planning to host a teleconference in February on legal and insurance issues. Look for the announcement soon.

Joe

[jhandley]

Hi John
Initial studies showed this combo increased time to progession compared to taxol/herceptin (17 mnths vs.9 mnths) however my onc told me last week that latest trial results show that it did not have an impact on overall survival time. I wanted to include it in my treatment but didnt get it as herceptin is/was only approved in Australia with taxol.
jackie

[Lani]

taxol is made from the bark of a rare yew tree

carboplatin from platinum salts I believe

and we all know how expensive Herceptin is

I think insurance companies cringe at paying for any of these three individually--so they really squirm when all three are prescribed.

Many insurance contracts say there must be published guidelines from a recognized oncology association advocating a treatment--I don't know how/if they get away with this and if they can do it with a combination rather than an individual drug.

We are all hoping for individualized treatment of cancer--yet insurance companies seem to be getting in the way of progress by wishing to only pay for "cookbook medicine" ie, you get the same one from Column A and one from Column B even if there is a reason for "substitutions"eg kidney or liver failure, heart disease, etc.

Best of luck in your fight!!!

[Lolly]

John, they're apparently trying to split hairs; Herceptin is FDA approved in combo with certain chemo's, although not the exact combo your onc is proposing.
Here's Genentech's press release on FDA approval for Herceptin/chemotherapy combo's:
http://www.gene.com/gene/news/press-releases/display.do?method=detail&id=10207

and here's a link to a report on a clinical trial using the Taxol, Carboplatin and Herceptin combo:
http://www.ufscc.ufl.edu/Patient/cancernews.aspx?section=cancernews&id=37452

So given that this combo is in clinical trials and not FDA approved, they may be able to deny it.

[Alice]

Hi John,

I had that combo as a clinical trial. The only reason it was concidered a trial was I was not stage 4. Keep fighting for your insurance. It was a tough combo but it was worth it.
Good luck, Alice