New research with Tamoxifen and Herceptin

[RobinP]

Even though I am her2+ without hormonal receptors, I still think the work by Dr. DiGiovanna concerning the use of Tamoxifen in synegy with Herceptin is extremely interesting:

"Dr. DiGiovanna's hypothesis is that a combination of drugs that inhibit both the estrogen reception (ER) and the HER2 receptor proteins should be more effective and have fewer side effects than conventional chemotherapy. He has shown that cultures of breast cancer cells that have both ER and HER2 receptors grow much more slowly when treated with either Herceptin (specific for HER2) or tamoxifen (specific for ER). However, when both Herceptin and tamoxifen are added together, growth of the cancer cells stops altogether. Moving from cell culture into the treatment of mice with breast cancer, he has shown that either drug alone slowed the growth of breast tumors, but the combination inhibited growth best. He is now analyzing the tumors from the animals to determine the reason for the increased inhibition with the two-drug regimen. This research will provide a biological foundation for the treatment of women with ER- and HER2-positive breast cancer with a combination of HER2 and ER inhibitor drugs."

[Rupali]

where did you get this extract from.

Its very interseting and I would like to read in detail as I am on both Tamoxifen and Herceptin.

[suzan w]

I thought I read somewhere that tamoxifen and herceptin created cross messages to the cells and that rendered them both less effective...??? I am doing herceptin and arimidex.

[RobinP]

Try website
http://www.acsevents.org/site/c.kuLY...nna_MD_PhD.htm

[Becky]

Actually, Tamoxifen alone is a poor choice but not necessarily in combination with Herceptin. However, I believe that Herceptin and Arimidex is the best choice to avoid steric inhibition (meaning that you are trying to cover too many sites on the surface of a cancer cell with large macro molecules (ie: Herceptin and Tamoxifen). I think (and I only mean I think) that covering the Her 2 receptors with herceptin and then preventing estrogen formation with an AI is a better way to go. You also have to know that I am ER+ but PR neg and tamoxifen does not work well with people with that kind of pathology but AIs work excellent for that type of pathology (got my ovaries removed to utilize this technology). So for me, I am confident of the Arimidex/Herceptin regime I am on.


Please bear in mind this is only my opinion.

Best regards

Becky