Necessity of target therapy in her2 positive breast cancer

[Khushighose]

My mother, 57 yrs, has been diagnosed with her2 positive breast carcinoma.Her mastectomy in the left breast is done and now she is undergoing chemotherapy treatment and then followed by radiation. We can't opt for target therapy for her2 positive status due to it's huge cost. Is it mandatory to have target therapy?

[sumeet_shah Administrator]

I can understand. Targeted treatment is very costly. We do face such situations regularly. I have only one thing to say - You must definitely try to take it. If somehow it’s not fitting in budget, please don’t sell anything and take it. First line - please ask your Medical Oncologist to tell you if any schemes available, where you can get it cheaper. Certain brands are much cheaper compared to others. On an average, with the help of your Medical Oncologist, you can manage to get one injection for less than 20k. Also, try to see if you can get help of a Medical Social Worker; they might be able to arrange a few cycles for you. Try government hospitals, you may get some help. See you ration card, if it comes under Ayushman scheme, try for that.

Last but not the least, approach your local corporator or MLA for help, at least if they can sponsor a few cycles. Surprisingly, everyone expects doctors to do charity and most doctors do also (I can vouch for it, and to add here, there is no profession in India, which can match the amount of charity that many doctors do), But no one wants to approach a the local corporators for help even if they have voted for those corporators. They have access to huge amounts of money. They are in a tremendous position to easily help, the question is, whether they want to.

If nothing just works out and Finance is still a very big issue, then I guess drop targeted therapy.

[bhargavgir]

Please take targeted therapy together with chemo therapy. There are many local brands available which are cheaper as compared to Roche. Traztuzumab inj 440ml can cost an average of 23k compared to Roche which costs around 75k. If you can afford go for Roche else atleast go for local indian brand.

Personnel experience. Do not take risk or skip if HER2 is positive.

[Nav_Onco]

Hello, sorry to hear about the diagnosis. Targeted therapy could be beneficial.

Compared to most Trastuzumab prices for 440mg that range from 50-60k, Intas has launched an economical version, Eleftha at <20k. You could consider and enquire about it.

I am not aware of the distribution channel.

Source of MRP:

netmeds.com/generics/trastu...

indiamart.com/proddetail/el...