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Old 05-08-2004, 12:51 PM   #2
Lolly
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Hi Janet,
Herceptin is currently only approved for use by patients with metastatic disease, that is cancer that has spread to sites beyond the breast such as distant lymph nodes, organs, etc. There are trials underway that are recruiting patients with earlier stage disease but who had positive lymph nodes found in the biopsy. You don't say if you had any positive lymph nodes, which would be a factor in considering whether you should push for Herceptin. There are women who post to this site who have convinced their oncologists(or found a doctor who was receptive to their concerns) to give them Herceptin off protocol for non-metastatic disease, as they had positive nodes and consider themselves at high risk for recurrence, but there is no evidence at this point that Herceptin will prevent such a recurrence. Thus, the clinical trials, which you could consider joining.
I posted a link below to the HER2 News page, which will in turn provide links to clinical trial info, a neat site which helps answer questions about your pathology report, and more on what it means to be Her2 positive. Although it's not a club you would choose to join voluntarily, since you're here, Welcome! You've found lots of good company!
Love, Lolly

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