[Joanne S]

Your signature does not indicate when you finished Taxol treatments (actually you had Taxotere), but it indicates you just finished or are about to finish Herceptin 12/07. Many patient have a combination of Taxol with Herceptin. Perhaps you stopped having Taxotere several months ago, and I also assume you did not have heart problems during your one year of Herceptin infusions. If that's the case, I wouldn't be too concerned.

My interpretation is:
-Of all those with heart problems, 50% of heart problems were found by the end of Taxol Therapy,
-Of all those with heart problems, 40% of heart problems were found after the end of Taxol Therapy, but within one year after completing Taxol.

It's a little confusing with the title indicating "Herceptin therapy was stopped", and then the bullet indicates "shortly after completion of Herceptin"


What should I know if Herceptin is stopped due to heart problems?

• In one study of patients receiving adjuvant therapy for breast cancer, 16% had to stop Herceptin because of a significant weakening of heart muscle or decreased heart function
• In the 2 adjuvant clinical trials, among the 32 patients with significant heart problems:
  • One died of significantly weakened heart muscle
  • All others were on heart medication at their last checkup
  • Approximately half of the surviving patients had heart function that returned to normal while on ongoing heart medications
• With those treated with Herceptin® in the clinical trials, most heart problems were seen during or shortly after the completion of Herceptin therapy:
  • Approximately half were known by the end of paclitaxel therapy
  • Approximately 90% were known by 1 year after completing paclitaxel
• If Herceptin is stopped for a decrease in heart function, you should continue to be closely monitored for further decreases in heart function
• For patients with Herceptin-related decrease in heart function, the safety of continuing or restarting Herceptin therapy has not been studied