How long does Herceptin treatment take?
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Treatment with Herceptin generally lasts for 1 year unless side effects become unmanageable. Herceptin is only given as an intravenous (IV) infusion.
Is 6 months Herceptin enough?
Early Results Suggest 6 Months of Herceptin as Effective as Treatment for 1 Year. First results from the PERSEPHONE trial suggest that giving Herceptin for 6 months after surgery and chemotherapy offers the same decrease in recurrence risk as giving it for 1 year.
How long does it take Herceptin to work?
The first dose of Herceptin takes about 90 minutes. After that, it only takes about 30 minutes to get other doses of Herceptin.
Why do I have to take Herceptin for a year?
Since 2005, the standard of care has been to give Herceptin for 1 year after surgery and chemotherapy to reduce the risk of recurrence (the cancer coming back) of early-stage, HER2-positive breast cancer. Like most cancer treatments, Herceptin can cause side effects, including possible heart damage.
How do you feel after Herceptin?
For breast cancer treatment, the more common* mild side effects of Herceptin can include:
- headache.
- diarrhea.
- nausea.
- infection (skin, urinary tract, or upper respiratory)
- insomnia (trouble sleeping)
- cough.
- rash.
- fluid retention (swelling)
Does Herceptin lower your immunity?
Does trastuzumab (Herceptin) lower your immune system? Having trastuzumab (Herceptin) could mean you’re more at risk of getting coronavirus or becoming very ill if you get it. The risk is likely to be higher if you’re having it with chemotherapy. However, being fully vaccinated against Covid-19 reduces the risk.
Does Herceptin cause hair loss?
Answer: No, hair loss is not a common side effect of trastuzumab. If you are receiving trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy, you may experience hair loss due to the chemotherapy.
Does Herceptin make you feel tired?
Fatigue (lack of energy) is also a common side effect of Herceptin. Fatigue can contribute to depression in some people. Getting diagnosed with cancer can cause a variety of emotions. For some people, it can lead to depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions.
Will hair grow back while on Herceptin?
Your hair may thin but you’re unlikely to lose all your hair. This usually starts after your first or second cycle of treatment. It is almost always temporary and your hair will grow back when you finish your treatment.