Q3week Herceptin-30mins or 90mins?

[jessica]

Just wondering...for those of you on maintenance Herceptin & on the q3week regimen, how long does your infusion take?
The reason I ask is because I just got back from my treatment (my 3rd q3week dose) & they insisted on running the infusion over 90mins. I'm confused & slightly ticked off b/c I only anticipated being there for a 30min infusion.I was there so late tonite I missed my niece in her costume before she went Trick-or-Treating! I've been dealing w/this for 3 1/2 yrs, was on maintenance Herceptin previously for a year until a recurrent spot popped up in my liver, but now I'm NED again (Thank God!).
I've always understood that after the 90min loading dose, subsequent infusion time would be 30 mins, regardless of dosage (qweek or q3week). I recently switched oncs, so this is a different group than when I was on maintenance Herceptin before. Can anyone help clarify? I've checked the Herceptin/
Genentech site & all it says is:
"The recommended initial loading dose is 4 mg/kg Trastuzumab administered as a 90-minute infusion. The recommended weekly maintenance dose is 2 mg/kg Trastuzumab and can be administered as a 30-minute infusion if the initial loading dose was well tolerated."

Oh, here's another bit of info I found on the website that might contribute to all the lethargy & weight gain so many of us have experienced:
Other Serious Adverse Events: The following other serious adverse events occurred in at least one of the 958 patients treated with HERCEPTIN in clinical studies:
Endocrine: hypothyroidism
Thanks in advance! Keep the Faith!

[Becky]

Jessica


The Genetech protocol you quoted (with a loading dose of 4mg/kg) is for the weekly treatment. The 3q treatment loading dose is 8mg/kg. I started Herceptin weekly and after the loading dose (which was 90 minutes) , my infusions took 30 minutes. However, I switched to the 3q and it is a 90 minute infusion.

I think you will find this normal protocol for the every 3 week infusion.

Warm regards

Becky

[RhondaH]

and it is 90 min. Hope this helps.

Rhonda Hoffman

[Yorkiegirl]

I take Herceptin weekly and I get the dose in 45 minutes.


Vicki

[StephN]

I first began weekly Herceptin and it ran over 30 minutes. My first 3 week loading dose was ONE HOUR. I have worked down to 45 minutes and keet it there every 3 weeks.

It does say on the label on the bag 90 minutes, but one of the nurses got my onc to put a note in my chart that it is one hour or less. I have even had the 3-week dose in 30 minutes and that made me feel a little feverish so I don't do that now.

Hi,
I've read and my understanding is 90 minutes for infusion-- I have it every 3 weeks. I may be mistaken but I think that the slower rate is safer all around including the possiblity of increasing chances of cardiac side effects when given at a faster clip. I could be wrong but I think I read that somewhere. I always make sure that the infusion rate is at least 75-90 mintes-- I watch it to make sure.
perhaps I'm overly cautious !!
Carol