text_1: Study Finds More Isn't Better for Roche Breast Cancer Drug
text_2: This Bloomberg story reports study findings that show the targeted breast cancer drug Herceptin may be as effective with a six-month treatment period as it is with the currently recommended 12-month treatment period. The results, slated to be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology, could mean fewer adverse events and significant cost savings for patients. The story also makes clear that this finding is not robust enough to change treatment guidelines yet and that other outcomes, such as quality of life improvement are still being analyzed. Herceptin has been a hugely successful drug, both for patients with a particular type of breast cancer (tumors with HER-2 receptors, which occur in about 20% of all breast cancers) and for the drug’s maker, Roche. Approved 20 years ago, doctors are still learning how best to manage the benefits and harms of the treatment. This study looks at one way of refining treatment — by shortening the duration, saving on costs, and reducing cardiac toxicity events.