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Taxotere
Actually, the authors acknowledge that they picked both vinorelbine (navelbine) and docetaxel (taxotere) because herceptin is known to greatly amplify the effect of these drugs. The 50% is the benefit provided by the herceptin, although it is not clear if there was any difference between vinorelbine or taxotere in this regard. Overall, taxotere seemed to work better. From what I have read, taxol is not as synergistic with herceptin.
The length of followup (three years) was good, but the number is small (232). Still, statistically, there was less than a one percent chance that adding the herceptin had not made a difference.
I think it is a good option for patients who can't get herceptin-based chemo by other means.
The weird thing is that the British papers hardly noticed this study, even though there is a massive problem here with her2+++ patients not being able to get herceptin at all.
You are right, RobinP, that scientists generally do think that sequential chemo matters a great deal for her2+ patients, but the Finns did control for that.
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