Risk of Recurrent Disease in HER2-Positive Patients

[Barbara2]

I agree with Jean's thoughts here:
Do you remember 2yrs. ago when I talked to you about a tune up approach with herceptin. I really believe that after 5 yrs. on AI and surgery behind us, etc. we may need a booster of Herceptin. Are there any trials of herceptin going on like this? I only know of one trial of herceptin for DCIS at this time.

In 2003 I posted a question (this board had a different name at that time) asking if anyone knew of a treatment or anything available to breast cancer patients that could be taken after adjuvent therapy, in an effort to keep the cancer from recurring. I received a reply from someone who said she did not know of anything of that sort and hadn't known of anyone who had even thought about such an approach; that most people are so glad when treatment is over, they are not wanting to ask for anything more; that once your treatment is over, that is it, and you hope and pray for a good outcome.

When I saw Dr. Pegram in 2007, I asked him if "Herceptin maintainance" had ever been considered, and he said no, and that in my case, I had a year of herceptin and that should be enough; that trials were underway using fewer doses of herceptin.

I am hopeful that in the near (?) future a "tune-up" approach to staying NED will be in the works. Because cancer sometimes has a way of returning, perhaps tune-ups of some kind could keep that from happening.