Weekly versus 3 week Herceptin dose studies

IRENE FROM TAMPA · 07-15-2006, 12:11 PM

My onc. decided to keep me on weekly Herceptin - her thinking, that it would not be such a big hit of the drug at one time, thus less strain for the heart.It made sense to me. Since then, whatever treatment I am on, we break it down into weekly treatments and it keeps something constant.

That was her theory so I thought it made sense and we kept it that way.

Like I mentioned, this was her opinion and nothing has come out to say it is true so whatever works, keep doing it.

Good luck

Sandy H · 07-15-2006, 01:16 PM

My oncologist says he feels the weekly is more balanced and works better as well as easier on the heart. He did say if I wanted to go every 3 weeks he would be o.k. with it or if I had to travel a long way to get to the clinic . He did not mention any studies to back up what he told me and usually he will say, "according to such and such study its this way". I opt to stay weekly because its not that inconvenient for me to go in every Friday morning. hugs. Sandy

whatsup · 07-15-2006, 01:35 PM

THANKS everyone! I had not thought of contacting Genetech, I will do that. My nurse who has been an angel was very, very firm that she didn't seem like the 3 week dose was happening for me w/out a study to show the same or better results.

Like most of us, I REALLY want some distance from the hospital. It's not that everyone isn't great and wonderful - they are! I mentally would really, really like the break. However, it does not seem like that will be my situ . . .

I've pulled heaven and earth to keep my job during tx - which means ALOT of very early am appts and getting up very early to get to work to work my normal hours in addition to going to the docs all the time. I was off for 6 months, but went back to work very soon after surgery and my first post-surgery chemo. I worked through all the other post-surgery chemos and rads. So, it's a toll physically on me to manage all of these appts with work!

I think the solution is going to have to be Sat infusions as I requested immediately but was denied that. The nurse seemed more open to that now.

Chelee · 07-15-2006, 04:32 PM

I know this was "Whatsup's" thread...but I had a question about this same thing. Seems most of you all made good points about the weekly herceptin.
Plus I noticed some of you said your oncologist all felt the results were better with weekly. I did ask my 1st oncologist about this when I first started herceptin...and I have also asked my current onc doc. They both said the same thing...the felt weekly is better.

I decided to stay on my weekly herceptin. It only takes me 7 minutes to get to my cancer center...and if I do rads...I will HAVE to be there anyway. Its just Mondays will be a longer day for me with the herceptin and Rads.

The infusion nurses were sure pushing me to go for the every 3 weeks? Humm?

Chelee · 07-15-2006, 04:33 PM

I know this was "Whatsup's" thread...but I had a question about this same thing. Seems most of you all made good points about the weekly herceptin.
Plus I noticed some of you said your oncologist all felt the results were better with weekly. I did ask my 1st oncologist about this when I first started herceptin...and I have also asked my current onc doc. They both said the same thing...the felt weekly is better.

I decided to stay on my weekly herceptin. It only takes me 7 minutes to get to my cancer center...and if I do rads...I will HAVE to be there anyway. Its just Mondays will be a longer day for me with the herceptin and Rads.

The infusion nurses were sure pushing me to go for the every 3 weeks? Humm?

Chelee

janet/FL · 07-15-2006, 05:44 PM

My oncologist gave me the choice of weekly or everythree weeks of Herceptin followoing the weekly Taxotere/Herceptin (that I demanded as he was going to go every three weeks) My new oncologist is the one that gave me the choice with the Herceptin saying, I think, that the studies done in Europe were every three weeks and in US every week with no differnece. Now, Kim, lets see what the Genetech says!
Janet

mts · 07-17-2006, 09:17 AM

I started with every three weeks but I felt that the large dose was making me feel a bit nauseated. I tolerated the queeziness for almost 6 months until I finally said to my onc that I could not stand it! He said no problem- every week is fine. I am MUCH better regarding the side effects. I have also had the Herceptin every two weeks for a few months when I was on vacation... that seemed to work fine. I understand that weekly is better for more advanced cancers. Yet, there are ladies on this site who do have advanced cancer and take the Herceptin every 3 weeks. In the end, I think the dose is just as well either way you go. The only difference are the side effects...

Maria (MTS)

panicked911 · 07-17-2006, 10:50 AM

herceptain stays in the body for three months after the last dose - every onc in NY I have seen says it makes no difference 1x vs. 1 every three for adjuvent. However - on the studies that were done with radiation , herceptain was given weekely and it showed that the rad treatment for hers + was more effective with the herceptain hence since the study was done with 1x per weeks oncs folo the 1x per qweek protocol during rads.
I switched to 1 every three 3 weeks after rads werwe ovwer ( radition stays in your body fopr 3 weeks) and the side effects were worse. I still refuse to switch back becuase the process takes so much of the day to adminster the Iv. will deal with the 5 more rather than the 15 more. Hope this helps

Susanne

RhondaH · 07-17-2006, 11:33 AM

http://www.gene.com/gene/news/press-...1&categoryid=4

Rhonda

heblaj01 · 07-17-2006, 11:55 AM

I would like to mention the remarkable repeated succes by Gina in regressing 4 times her liver mets over 4 years of interrupted & resumed Herceptin treatments at various doses escalated when necessary depending on the size or number of the mets.
She is attributing this repeated succes to the fact that the relatively high number of high initial loading doses increased the chances of suppressing more HER receptors.
If this is true then the every 3 week IV which is usually a higher dose than the weekly infusion may carry a small advantage in spite of the fact that over time the average dose is the same in the two regimen.
Of course all this is pure speculation not proven fact.

whatsup · 07-17-2006, 03:58 PM

Hi there:

I talked to Genentech today. They could only share little with the patient - basically that Herceptin is ONLY fda approved for mestatic BC patients and only for 1 week doses. SO, no info there. They said that only additional info on current studies would be given to my health care provider who would need to call directly.

SO, my brother did an amazing search for me and it really looks like 3 weeks is FINE. I will not push though and ask my onc what her sincere opinion is on this. I don't think the nurses are comfortable with the 3 week dose yet, so I can't ask for something that is out of my domain. Also, I'm a major stage III'r - doing GREAT, but they may be taking more precaution with me becuz of that. I don't know.

Thanks ALOT for your help. Looks like this is a question for almost all her2nue+ patients.

Kim