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Becky · 08-27-2010, 07:39 PM

I will say that I know the cure can kill you, or rather, can cause short and long term problems. The big thing about getting minimal treatment (less chemo rounds or just herceptin or Tykerb) is that right now, there is no data. In fact, there is no data for standard chemo but, lets say, 6 months of Herceptin versus 12 months that are given now.

That said, you are a newly diagnosed node negative woman with a 1cm tumor. You need treatment. There is a trial where you get 6 rounds of TCH and Herceptin to equal 6 months. Standard treatment is 6 rounds TCH and Herceptin out a year. Goal of trial - is 6 months of Herceptin as good as 12 months. You know about what being Her2+ means and you are scared. You know how that year of Herceptin has changed the odds of a Her2+ patient. What would you do? I would not do the trial (that's just me talking but again - I was node positive). I would do what is known to work with a Her2 pathology. I might do a trial where I might get 18 months of Herceptin and the control arm where you get 12 but I wouldn't be brave enough to do less.

I certainly would not be brave enough to do Herceptin alone although this trial with the elderly will certainly give results we all need to see.

Secondly, about less than a year of Herceptin, doctors and scientists do have data (both from the Herceptin trials and their practices). Some women, as we know, need to stop Herceptin due to a decline in cardiac function therefore, there is a plethora of women out there who could only do say 4 months or 7 months before they just couldn't take anymore. There are probably thousands of these women that they could interview. Are they doing well and how less well are they doing versus similarly staged women who took the full year. So, as far as is less just as good or not, there is data there. Someone just has to pull it all together and do some mathematics.

At least this elder study will give data if Herceptin alone (or with an antihormonal if one is also hormone positive) will give results we need that will help with decison making down the road.

08-27-2010, 07:39 PM	#16
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	Re: Early stage treatment discussion I will say that I know the cure can kill you, or rather, can cause short and long term problems. The big thing about getting minimal treatment (less chemo rounds or just herceptin or Tykerb) is that right now, there is no data. In fact, there is no data for standard chemo but, lets say, 6 months of Herceptin versus 12 months that are given now. That said, you are a newly diagnosed node negative woman with a 1cm tumor. You need treatment. There is a trial where you get 6 rounds of TCH and Herceptin to equal 6 months. Standard treatment is 6 rounds TCH and Herceptin out a year. Goal of trial - is 6 months of Herceptin as good as 12 months. You know about what being Her2+ means and you are scared. You know how that year of Herceptin has changed the odds of a Her2+ patient. What would you do? I would not do the trial (that's just me talking but again - I was node positive). I would do what is known to work with a Her2 pathology. I might do a trial where I might get 18 months of Herceptin and the control arm where you get 12 but I wouldn't be brave enough to do less. I certainly would not be brave enough to do Herceptin alone although this trial with the elderly will certainly give results we all need to see. Secondly, about less than a year of Herceptin, doctors and scientists do have data (both from the Herceptin trials and their practices). Some women, as we know, need to stop Herceptin due to a decline in cardiac function therefore, there is a plethora of women out there who could only do say 4 months or 7 months before they just couldn't take anymore. There are probably thousands of these women that they could interview. Are they doing well and how less well are they doing versus similarly staged women who took the full year. So, as far as is less just as good or not, there is data there. Someone just has to pull it all together and do some mathematics. At least this elder study will give data if Herceptin alone (or with an antihormonal if one is also hormone positive) will give results we need that will help with decison making down the road. __________________ 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" Last edited by Becky; 08-27-2010 at 07:43 PM..