Can I receive dose dense regimen with Herceptin® (trastuzumab)?
Although none of the large randomized trials of trastuzumab in early breast cancer employed the dose-dense regimen, there has been some limited experience showing its feasibility. I should caution that the first part of dose-dense therapy employing AC (Adriamycin® [doxorubicin] and cyclophosphamide) should not be given concurrently with trastuzumab. However, during the dose-dense Taxol® (paclitaxel) part of that treatment, trastuzumab was combined with chemotherapy. The only difference in this approach is that the first dose of paclitaxel is being given only 2 weeks after the last dose of AC in this regimen as opposed to a 3-week gap in the larger experience of other research groups. You should discuss this with your doctor, who should be knowledgeable about these clinical trials and these warnings.
Although none of the large randomized trials of trastuzumab in early breast cancer employed the dose-dense regimen, there has been some limited experience showing its feasibility. The first part of dose-dense therapy employing AC (Adriamycin® [doxorubicin] and cyclophosphamide) should not be given concurrently with trastuzumab. However, during the dose-dense Taxol® (paclitaxel) part of that treatment, trastuzumab was combined with chemotherapy. The only difference in this approach is that the first dose of paclitaxel is being given only 2 weeks after the last dose of AC in this regimen as opposed to a 3-week gap in the larger experience of other research groups. You should discuss this with your doctor, who should be knowledgeable about these clinical trials and these warnings.
