The Length of Herceptin Treatment ?

[Bitten Schiedel]

Dear all

I have been reading all the very interesting and touching messages at this site today. And I am very "glad" to hear how you all handle this in such a positive and survival way - I am so amazed !!!

I am now trying to give my (my mothers) short story, because I am so much seeking answers - wisdom of others experiences - about herceptin treatment.

My mom was operated for breast cancer in August 2005, and in December 2005 we had the very bad message that it had spread to both lungs with metastases - the aggresive form of breast cancer, but also HER2 positive. She was immediately put into treatment of 9 times taxotere together with 9 times herceptin every 3 week. Here in July 2006 she just ended the treatment of taxotere, and the scanning showed that no shadows now were to be seen in the lungs. YES - the treatment has helped - until now. I am so happy. She now have been offered ½ year further of herceptin until december 2006.

My mom and I are of course happy that the treatment has helped until now, but we are as well anxious about, what is going to happen after december 2006. I have tried to look at the different home pages about the herception treatment, and I do not think I find any information on the experiences with the length of herceptin? We are anxious what happens when my mom stops this treatment? Is it better to continue the treatment with herceptin, and for how long?

We are from Denmark, and here we do not pay for the treatment at the hospital (it is payed through very hich taxes), but that also means that we have no impact on the decisions made about the treatment. If we get the knowledge that it is better to keep on with the herceptin treatment (apart from a ½ year after end chemotherapy), we must have to find out how to get it and how to proceed with it?

Is anyone able to respond on my worries and questions. Either you have information on sites or places that I can contact in our further search for answers on our questions, or you have yourself personal experiences. I would appreciate so much to hear from some of you concerning this matter.

Thanks alot !!!

A very worried daughter

Bitten Schiedel