They are talking about stage IV
OK, ok, let's get a Grip here! These stats are on Stage IV patients who have progressive disease. You need to find stats from women on adjuvent Herceptin who never progress. Might be tough as the chapter is still being written, but there are updates published from time to time. There will be far fewer incidents of brain mets for these women, I am confident.
The following snippet from one of the above-referenced studies is ACTUALLY GOOD NEWS:
Trastuzumab is highly effective (has worked well for a number of us on this board) for the treatment of liver and lung metastasis in HER2 overexpressing patients, while it is apparently ineffective for treating or preventing BM. Since one third of HER2 overexpressing patients with MBC developed BM despite effective trastuzumab treatment, new treatment strategies and closer surveillance may be warranted for these patients.
I recall finding some of these studies when I was looking (at all hours of the night when the Decadron was keeping me awake!) for info on how I should proceed/what to expect when I got my brain mets dx this past January. I am also hormone neg/neg and high grade.
The best news is that we have some new drugs that should be on the market by next year that will cross the blood-brain barrier and shut down met-causing cells running around in our grey matter.
I am waiting to take those myself!!
Last edited by StephN; 10-10-2005 at 12:58 PM..
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