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Becky · 01-17-2007, 01:13 PM

That's true Rhonda and it will soon be a moot point when Tykerb is FDA approved. However, when this trial started AC or EC was a standard of care (or FAC, FEC etc) for early Her2+ bc, so they wanted women who received ASCO's recommendation of standard of care.

It is the only way to really qualify results. This is evident in the HERA trial (receiving Herceptin after chemo vs during the taxane portion of chemo). The HERA results so far show Herceptin works just as well as if given with a taxane BUT... the HERA trial allowed any type of chemo (including CMF which doesn't work very well in Her2+ women) and they allowed node negative women (which the other trials did not). And the other trials all used the same kind of chemo - so the results are apples to apples.

01-17-2007, 01:13 PM	#5
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	That's true Rhonda and it will soon be a moot point when Tykerb is FDA approved. However, when this trial started AC or EC was a standard of care (or FAC, FEC etc) for early Her2+ bc, so they wanted women who received ASCO's recommendation of standard of care. It is the only way to really qualify results. This is evident in the HERA trial (receiving Herceptin after chemo vs during the taxane portion of chemo). The HERA results so far show Herceptin works just as well as if given with a taxane BUT... the HERA trial allowed any type of chemo (including CMF which doesn't work very well in Her2+ women) and they allowed node negative women (which the other trials did not). And the other trials all used the same kind of chemo - so the results are apples to apples. __________________ Kind regards Becky Found lump via BSE Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45 1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side) 2 micromets to sentinel node Stage 2A left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg lumpectomies 9/7/04 4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol Used Leukine instead of Neulasta 35 rads on right side only 4/05 started Tamoxifen Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations Oophorectomy 8/05 Started Arimidex 9/05 Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06 Arimidex Only Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia NED 18 years! Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"