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[Rhwright12]

Hi! I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at the end of June. Had my 6th and last Perjetta last Thursday. Will continue with Herceptin and Zometa till next July. My question is does anyone know how long to stay on Herceptin? Any advice or arguments for 1 vs 2 years?

[daf10]

Welcome to the group I believe you will find the comfort, support and information that you might need to help you continue on with your journey

[missa13]

Hi Rhwright12 ! Glad you found us. I'm tagging a few users who have stated they are on Herceptin in case they would like to chime in: Hidden Misshelley Yael12-Pia

[Hidden]

Hi Rhwright12, I echo Missa13 in being glad that you found us. I don't know long to stay on Herceptin and not sure that anyone has an answer to that question (not even the scientists). I have been on Herceptin since 2007. I know that the Cleopatra clinical trial protocol called for a combination of Perjeta (which was the experimental drug in that clinical trial before it was FDA approval) and Herceptin and Taxotere (docetaxol). Perjeta was FDA approved in 2013, and I have never taken that drug. If a patient was doing well on this three-part combo, they could sometimes drop Taxotere, which is a chemotherapy drug that affects all cells of the body, as opposed to the other two drugs in the protocol, which target only specific cells. If a patient was doing really well, perhaps they could drop Perjeta, too. But not sure about that. Not sure how to tag the others. Joan

[Rhwright12]

Hi Joan37!

That actually was the answer I was looking for. I'm glad you've been on it for almost 10 years and are still doing well. I had the Perjetta and Herceptin and Zometa for bone mets. I was just wondering if anyone had been on the Herceptin for awhile. I think their planning on taking me off for awhile after July. I'm 45 and since there's no results for 20 years on Herceptin they're taking me off to put me on at some later date. Personally I'm chicken and wouldn't mind being the Guinea pig to test how long I could stay on it! Lol

Thanks for the feedback! 😀💕

[amytrvn in reply to Rhwright12]

I have been on Perjeta/Herceptin regimen for over a year now and my oncologist plans on keeping me on it until basically it stops working, which is fine by me. I'm also too chicken to stop. My side effects from it are basically terribly itchy arms, but can live with that. Anyway, that's my two cents

[Rhwright12 in reply to amytrvn]

Thanks for your two cents! Nice to talk to people that understand!

[Fpmeehan]

I've been on it for over two years and just went off a few months ago because my tumor marker numbers have been below ten and my PET scan shows no signs of mets.

[Rhwright12 in reply to Fpmeehan]

Congrats on the good report! Hoping this Herceptin keeps mine in check also...

[Fpmeehan in reply to Rhwright12]

Me, too. It's saved 40,000 breast cancer patients a year. Have you seen the movie, "Living Proof"? It's about the development of Herceptin by Dr. Slaman at UCLA. Harry Connick, Jr. stars in it.

[Rhwright12 in reply to Fpmeehan]

I need to watch that. I heard its on Netflix. Maybe I'll do that today. Too much snow here to do much else! 😀☃❄️

[odyssey01]

Hi, I have been on perjrta and herceptin for over 2 years. I will stay on both as long as it works.