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Hi Judy,
My partner, Rachel, is receiving herceptin off-protocol and her oncologist (bless him!) made noises a few months ago about stopping at 6 months. He didn't have much of a reason for this, other than that this has been the "standard" length of time for chemotherapies for bc in the past.
So I wrote up a detailed memo to him arguing in favor of at least a year and it looks like he's now going to do this. Feel free to email me if you want a copy of the memo I wrote and I'll send it on.
Also, a number of research leaders I got in touch with (including Matthew Ellis at Washington U. and Karen Gelmon in British Columbia who's involved with the Canadian HERA trial) said, basically, that they can't support off-protocol use but IF you're going to do it, you should mirror one of the existing protocols. This argues in favor of at least a year as well. Clifford Hudis, of Sloan Kettering in New York was also quoted (in a LBBC teleconference in January) as saying the same thing).
All the best,
Jeff
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