Length of Herceptin Infusion

[Colleen007]

Hi All,

When I went for my "every 3 week" Herceptin on Friday, instead of a 90 minute infusion I got a 30 minute infusion.

One of the oncologists in the practice had been to the San Antonio conference and said that she learned there that this would now be normal practice. However, I can't seem to find anything that supports that.

Don't get me wrong - I'd rather get done with treatment an hour earlier...I just want to be sure it is safe. I get regular echocardiograms and they have all been normal since I started Herceptin over 3 years ago.

Any thoughts from this group of knowledgeable people would be appreciated.

[webmum]

don't know if this helps as I have had treatment in Italy, but my herceptin was always about 30-40 mins, and only first one was longer...

[Sheila]

Colleen
I have always been 30 minutes except for the first one...which took a couple hours...5 years of 30 minutes both when I got it every 3 weeks and weekly and every 2...same time frame and never a problem!

[Mary Jo]

I had my year of herceptin in '05 - '06 and they were all 30 minutes except for the first one.

Mary Jo

[caya]

Colleen,

After the initial Herceptin infusion I had the 30 minute one, but I felt a bit nauseous. So we switched to 60 minutes for the remainder of the infusions, and this was much better for me.

all the bset
caya

[Snufi]

I will be praying for you Colleen, for a full recovery!

Snuf

[Snufi]

I will be praying for you colleen, for a full recovery! Have faith in Jesus!


Snufi

[MaryAnn-CA]

I just finished my year of Herceptin and was told that the infusion center I go to is now switching from 90mins to 30mins for the every three week Herceptin. Not sure why ... I assumed there must be a new guideline or something. Peace to all. Mary Ann

[jml]

I've been on Herceptin for almost 7 years now. When I was first diagnosed I was being treated at a private practice & was always told Herceptin was a 30min infusion whether the qweekly dose or the q3week dose. Then I moved to a large academic cancer center & their protocol is 90 mins for the q3week dose. I begged, I argued, I told them someone was going to have to pay the additional hour of parking...but to no avail! Protocol is protocol, though I believe 30mins for the q3week infusion is considered "off-label" but not unsafe or ineffective. Hopefully the 30min infusion will be the new SOP! Yay!Cheaper parking!

[Hopeful]

Here is a link to the abstract from San Antonio: http://www.abstracts2view.com/sabcs/view.php?nu=SABCS08L_1336

Hopeful

[Colleen007]

Thanks for all of your input (and thank you, Hopeful, for the link to the abstract). I'm glad I will safely shave an hour off of every Herceptin treatment going forward (and take that extra time for lunch with my husband before the end of the kids school day).