Herceptin Trial Question

[tousled1]

Becky,

Thanks for the info. And, no you haven't over-stepped your bounds. As you know, I'm seriously considering a break from Herceptin but haven't made up my mind yet. I finish my rads next Friday and maybe I'll feel differently after that's completed. I'm just at a point where I want to feel like a "normal" person. I initially tried the 3 week Herceptin and had serious problems with it and that's why I went to every week. Through all my other treatments I did really well with very few side effects. It seems that Herceptin and I just do not get along together.

[al from Canada]

The results of the Finnish study are not widely accepted because if you compare the sampling size to that of the HERA trial, there's no comparisons. I remember asking a few high-profile oncs about it at San Antonio and they weren't impressed for that reason.

Al

[Christine MH-UK]

Although there is interest in this trial, my oncologist, who seems to be in the know, said flat out that there would be no follow up until after the 2 yr. arm of the HERA trial reported out. Basically there is too much risk: oncologists don't want to undertake a trial only to have HERA's 2 yr arm raise the bar so much that such a study would be pointless. Personally, I think that Hurley's work with herceptin + cisplatin + taxotere -> AC looks better already (over 80% disease-free survival at three years followup in stage III women), although that, too, is small and I would like to see the AC replaced by FEC in the combo.