HOT OFF THE PRESS! 9 weeks of herceptin as good as 52 weeks (Turkish study)

[Lani]

don't seem to be able to access the whole article yet, but thought you would like to know to be on the alert!

Median followup was only 30 months



J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2012 Aug 10. [Epub ahead of print]
Nine-week trastuzumab treatment versus 52-week trastuzumab treatment for HER2-positive early-stage breast cancer.
Tonyali O, Coskun U, Sener N, Inanc M, Akman T, Oksuzoglu B, Ozdemir NY, Yazilitas D, Benekli M, Uner A, Yamac D, Demirci U, Yildiz R, Karaca H, Unal OU, Bal O, Gumus M, Buyukberber S; Anatolian Society of Medical Oncology (ASMO).
Source
Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 06500, Besevler, Cankaya, Ankara, Turkey, tonyalionder@yahoo.com.
Abstract
PURPOSES:
Trastuzumab is known to be effective for early and advanced stages of breast cancer but optimal duration for early-stage breast cancer (EBC) is not well known. We evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of 9- and 52-week trastuzumab therapy for EBC retrospectively.
METHODS:
In this multicenter study, the medical records of all patients with EBC were analyzed in 8 centers retrospectively. Totally consecutive, 479 female patients who received trastuzumab in the adjuvant treatment were evaluated for disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), efficacy, and toxicity.
RESULTS:
There were 181 (37.8 %) and 298 (62.2 %) patients in the 9- and 52-week trastuzumab groups, respectively. Median follow-up was 30.6 months (5.7-68.9) in the 9-week trastuzumab group and 29.3 months (5.9-59.6) in the 52-week trastuzumab group. Thirty-six month DFS was 90 and 85 % (P = 0.132) in the 9- and 52-week trastuzumab treatment groups, respectively, and 36-month OS was 96 and 97 % in the 9- and 52-week trastuzumab groups, respectively (P = 0.779). Symptomatic cardiotoxicity was observed in 1 (0.6 %) patient in the 9-week trastuzumab group and in 4 (1.3 %) patients in the 52-week trastuzumab group.
CONCLUSIONS:
In this study, similar outcomes were found in the 9- and 52-week trastuzumab treatment groups.
PMID: 22878681

[Rolepaul]

WOW!!! If this holds true, that will help considerably with getting patients into recovery mode. It also means a lot less sick days and less expense to insurance plans. I know they need to look at longer than 6 month as well. It would be great to look at patient information in terms of staging. Excellent news.

[Laurel]

True enough! This is great news for all especially those who dread a year of treatment!

[karen z]

Promising news.

['lizbeth]

http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/120-1256/2593/

[Zingy]

Hi, there's also been a Finnish study on 9 weeks treatment, also found to be as effective but with fewer cardiac issues. The study was discounted when the herceptin regime was first implemented because the group was small. I'm now taking part in a UK trial called Persephone to see if 6 months Herceptin is as effective as 12 months but with less risk to the heart ( especially after cardio toxic chemo). My oncologist says there is good reason to think 6 months is enough to deal with the cancer but is kinder to the heart

[dancetrancer]

Thanks so much for this thread! I have had 6 months of Herceptin. Just found out my EF dropped from 65 at baseline to now 52. I'm strongly considering stopping at 6 months permanently instead of waiting and doing a rechallenge. My tumor was only 3 mm, so treatment was controversial to begin with. If anyone has any additional info on stopping Herceptin early, I'm all ears. Glad to see this new study to help back up the FinHer trial. Wish the 6 month data was already in...thank you to those of you participating in the Persephone trial.