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StephN · 01-16-2006, 12:51 PM

Hi Carole -
There was buzz at San Antonio this Dec. about new drugs to block Her1, Her3 and Her4 pathways. By getting a drug that has the potential to interrupt two of those pathways at the same time you have a better chance of overcoming the tumors.
Not everyone who is HER-2 positive realizes that the reason Herceptin can fail is that the cancer will figure out another pathway besides HER2 for its proliferation route. This is also a reason why those of us whose disease is STRONGLY HER-2 positive will normally do better on Herceptin than those who are less positive.

This is a little complicated and gets into the reasons for the testing by FISH that will actually count the copies of HER-2 within a cell.

Now that the researchers know something about WHY Herceptin can fail, they are off on other directions to see where else they can foil the cancer.

My best wishes for a positive outcome for you in this trial. I also entered a trial for hard-to-treat mets in a very early phase over 4 years ago and manged to have a complete response. So, if someone can do it - it may as well be you, yes?!

01-16-2006, 12:51 PM	#12
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Blocking other pathways Hi Carole - There was buzz at San Antonio this Dec. about new drugs to block Her1, Her3 and Her4 pathways. By getting a drug that has the potential to interrupt two of those pathways at the same time you have a better chance of overcoming the tumors. Not everyone who is HER-2 positive realizes that the reason Herceptin can fail is that the cancer will figure out another pathway besides HER2 for its proliferation route. This is also a reason why those of us whose disease is STRONGLY HER-2 positive will normally do better on Herceptin than those who are less positive. This is a little complicated and gets into the reasons for the testing by FISH that will actually count the copies of HER-2 within a cell. Now that the researchers know something about WHY Herceptin can fail, they are off on other directions to see where else they can foil the cancer. My best wishes for a positive outcome for you in this trial. I also entered a trial for hard-to-treat mets in a very early phase over 4 years ago and manged to have a complete response. So, if someone can do it - it may as well be you, yes?!