I am wondering if anyone has taken part in any of the above trials - I know there have been a few around the country including The Christie in Manchester. T-DM1 is Herceptin plus an additional cytotoxic molecule and is a new treatment for when Herceptin has stopped working. Any information on side effects etc would be helpful.
Hi Tools29
In addition to the support and shared experiences you will soon have here, our helpliners may be able to put you in touch with one of our ‘one to one’ supporters who may be having this treatment too, please feel free to call on 0808 800 6000 weekdays 9-5 and Sat 10-2. Our team can talk to you about other support from BCC you may find of interest and they offer a very good listening ear so please don’t hesitate to call.
Take care
Lucy
Tools, this is somethng my Oncologist at Charing X Hospital has mentioned. TDM 1 is a drug that has already been approved by the FDA in the US and is now available for use there (it’s brand name is Kadcyla). The manufacturer is hoping that it will be licensed for use in Europe by the end of 2013.
The drug works by using Herceptin as a vehicle to carry a very toxic chemo directly to the cancer cell. The advantage of that is that the chemo doesn’t reach healthy cells, so doesn’t have any nasty SE’s (other than those associated with Herceptin). It was developed because many Her2 cancers do not respond to normal Herceptin, or become resistant to it.
Are you going to take part in this trial? If so, I would be very interested to learn how you get on.
Hi Tools29
Did you start on the TDM1 trial? If so, how are you getting on?
After some argy bargy with my local hospital I am now on the trial and had my first infusion last week. There are three other women at my hospital on the trial (who all started a couple of months ago). The research nurse told me that two of them have been more or less side effect free but that one had flu-like symptoms including a high temperature. Much to my surprise, as I’ve tolerated my 16 doses of herceptin quite well, I too had a couple of days of the flu-like stuff.
Too soon to say how it’s going for me (still breathless due to lung mets) but fingers crossed. I’d be really interested to hear of anyone else’s experiences.
Della
Hi, I have just started this trial, had my first lot last week.
Karen