12 weeks of Herceptin vs. 1 year

[Sheryl H]

My oncologist was saying there was a trial where they used just 12 weeks of Herceptin vs. one year. He was going to look into this for me. Have any of you heard about it?

[Hopeful]

The only short term trial I have heard of is the FinnHer trial, where they only used Herceptin for 9 weeks.

Hopeful

[Alice]

My onc and surgeon both were hopeing for a study like this to come out. They are of the opinion that although Herceptin is much less dammaging than chemo, it still can cause dammage. They are also of the opinion that the pharmasutical companies want to keep us on it longer for increased proffit without an increased benefit.

[Sheryl H]

I'm just bumping this up to see if anyone will reply that has heard anything. Thanks.

[Grace]

Dear Sheryl,

I believe in New Zealand that they are planning (or already have proceeded) to provide herceptin to women for a shorter period than one year (based, I believe, on the FinHer trial), which as mentioned earlier was nine weeks. However, I think many of the women affected are complaining that this is based purely on financial rather than medical considerations.

As an aside, I skipped my tenth or eleventh (every three weeks) infusion today, making my next appointment a full month from now while I think through whether I will continue with herceptin. I had an echo two weeks ago that shows a very small pericardial effusion, which has me concerned (but not apparently my cardiologist). And then there's the cough, the shortness of breadth, etc. which get worse, not better. I plan to visit a cardiologist not affiliated with my oncology group on April 26 to get an objective opinion before I make my decision.

I am hoping very much that some of the early trials , FinHer in particular, will release some figures soon so we have better statistics on which to base our decisions. It is difficult to know what to do. So you have my sympathies.

[RhondaH]

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00381901?order=19

Rhonda