I apologise in advance if any of you on the trial have already seen this elsewhere.
I know all of us who were on the Tact2 Trial have been awaiting news/results, I emailed asking when we could expect the first results. Here is the reply:-
How lovely to hear from you.
The TACT2 Trial closed to recruitment in December 2008 which means it reaches 5 years of “follow up” in December this year. Rest assured we are busy working away to analyse results. I am afraid it takes this long to get accurate results for such a large (4000+ patients) trial. You may remember that there were two parts to the trial – 4 cycles of accelerated epirubicin versus standard epiribucin chemo followed by 4 cycles of standard CMF or Xeloda chemo. The results of Part 1 (accelerated epirubicin V Standard epirubicin) were presented at a Breast Cancer conference in December last year. The short version of the presentation is that there appears to be little or no difference in survival between the two arms of the trial i.e. the experimental arm of accelerated was no better and no worse than standard epirubicin. We are currently (as I write this) analysing the results of Part 2 (CMF v Xeloda chemo). We are aiming to release these results at the same conference (San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (www.sabcs.org ) in December along with a paper detailing results, in a respected medical journal. We will also inform all the doctors participating in the trial of the overall results who will then disseminate the information to their own patients. From the Trials Unit, we do not mandate how the results should be distributed, although we usually prepare a brief newsletter which clinicians may choose to use if they wish.
I hope this is helpful. I am eagerly awaiting results too, as I have been working on the trial for approximately 6 years myself!
Best Wishes
Jane Banerji
There is a lot more detail if you google!
Hope all are keeping well and enjoying life.
Mal
Hi Maltomin ,
Thanks for shareing this, very interesting, like everyone else on the TACT2 Trial i have been eagerly awaiting for some of the results to come in, I was on arm 4 of TACT2 ,accelerated Epi + Xeloda , i found the accelerated chemo quite tough going at the time as didnt get that good “week” , it seemed as soon as we were just starting to pick up again it was time to be wacked back down again with the next dose, It looks now as if there wasnt realy any difference between the accellerated vrs standard Epi , so good to know, i shall look forward to the rest of the results comeing out soon.
Hope you are keeping well , and also anyone else who was on the TACT2 Trial.
Thanks again
Linda x 
Hi Linda
Like you, I was a bit ‘miffed’ that it didn’t show any benefit to the accelerated Epi, as like you, I found it really hard. No down time at all.
But, as long as we’re OK???
x
Yes definately that’s the main thing isnt it, am still doing fine and have had no relapse with that cancer so all is good. Im not sure if i told you but i did get a new primary (opposite side ) last yr but it was a completely different cancer and not at all connected to my first BC. Have just recently finished Herceptin ,and will be having some more surgery (mammoplasty) in early Sep for asymmetry, then hopefully onwards and upwards .
Hope all is going well for you too,
Big Hugs to ya , Linda x
Gosh Linda, I’m really sorry to hear that. You’ve had more than your fair share so get your op out of the way and then onward and upward (as you say). You didn’t need chemo again did you?
Yes I’m keeping well. A couple of scares over the past few years and a few side effects from the femara (which I’m staying on for another 5 years), but nothing really.
Keep well.
Mal x
Hi ladies, thanks Mal I have googled the trial a few times and was waiting for something to pop up. Hi too Linda, sorry to hear you have had further bc and neede more treatment, my best wishes for the planned surgery and your future health.
Having been on the 28 week chemo marathon of arm one on ordinary epi, I am relieved to hear that my treatment plan was as good. Did either of you have doubts about the trial having it picked by computer? I thought I would just see what I got and decide from that. However, I had not taken into account that I was supersticious and would be then unable to ignore what fate had chosen for me. I should have realised from the start but then do we ever know enough to choose something so vital for ourselves? I was told that any research trial has to be at least as good as the current regime, so this meant all 4 arms were considered good choices.How lovely if everyone who gave something of themselves on this trial to help others that follow us, came out trumps. It will be interesting to see what the next part of the research shows. Best wishes to all love Lily x
Hi Lily
I too, was totally naive when it came to making the decision about the trial. Like you, I saw that it had to be at least as good as the current regime, so was hoping (quietly) for the shortest with acc. epi + xeloda. It was only after the event I began to wonder, specifically about xeloda, which had only previously been used at stage iv. Initially, when first dx, I knew absolutely nothing about BC and simply believed what I was told. But, and I’m sure you’re the same, I just needed to know details. Knowledge is power… and I remember Paula43 who was on the same arm. My help came from my son, who’s a pharmacist, and he explained how xeloda converts in the body. (Don’t ask me to explain. I’m not that technical) but it made sense.
Whether or not it was the right decision, and whatever the overall results are, I’m comfortable with my decision (not happy but comfortable). Just hope it benefits future patients. When first dx, we’re not in the best frame of mind to make life changing decisions and we rely on the guidance of the ‘experts’, our oncs. I have total confidence in mine and I’m still here 5 years on and enjoying life (although with a different frame of mind. Took early retirement from school, and driving my OH mad 'cos I won’t put anything off until tomorrow…it has to be NOW).
Take care
x
Hi Mal, I think we are on very similar time scales with bc and there were a lot of other people on posts for each arm of the trial. I know my onc was very enthusiastic about the incoming data on epi as one of several key drugs to include. E/cmf was not the standard treatment in my area with everyone being given FEC so this site was my lifeline to chat to others in the same boat. My friend on FEc used to have 100mls of epi every time I had 1000 and I used to hope that it wasn’t just due to our different sizes!!! I am still teaching and working full time, a bit early for me to retire but one day 
I am just coming to the end of my 5 years of tablets and have been told I wills top then. I have been discharged by the surgical team and see the onc team on my next 6 month appointment and have been told if all is well, I will just go back into the routine mammo system. Sounds a bit scary to stop tablets but I am sure they will talk it through and explain the pros and cons. Did they say why you are continuing with femara? I was told mine was based on no nodes and the general dx. Xeloda is the same drug as flurououracil (5FU) i believe but in a different form, strange how that makes it different. Take care Lily x