Re: Funding affects breast cancer drug trial results/Ruth

March 1, 2007

Hello,

I am stunned with this report about the study in Herceptin because I'd

been taking herceptin thru IV for months now. This worries me if this

type of medecine won't work for case like me and that may cause

reoccurence at the same time for 50 percent?

Let me have someone outhere who is finished taking this drugs if how it

works to your body for survival on BC. I should be finish with this

drugs around June, so anyone outhere and also who is taking aremidex?

love to all, Tonia S

> > > >

> > > > Industry-funded clinical trials of breast cancer medicines

> > report more

> > > > favorable results than research conducted independently, a new

> > study

> > > > reports. Some 84 percent of company-supported drug studies

> > published in

> > > > 10 major medical journals in 2003 reported positive results

> > about the

> > > > breast cancer drugs they investigated, according to an analysis

> > by Dr.

> > > > Peppercorn, a cancer physician and researcher at

> > University of

> > > > North Carolina-Chapel Hill's School of Medicine.

> > > > Non-industry supported studies were far less likely to be

upbeat,

> > > > publishing favorable results just 54 percent of the time. The

> > > analysis is

> > > > to be published online next Monday in CANCER, the journal of the

> > > American

> > > > Cancer Society. It is the latest to raise questions about the

> > role

> > > > pharmaceutical companies play in funding and shaping research

> > used to

> > > > decide whether drugs are safe and effective.

> > > > But the connection between positive drug studies and industry

> > > funding has

> > > > raised concerns in recent years as the industry's role has

> > grown. A

> > > > Harvard School of Public Health paper published in 2005

> > estimated that

> > > > drug companies finance up to 70 percent of all clinical trials

> > done in

> > > > the United States.

> > > > Drug companies invested $15.5 billion in clinical trials during

> > 2006,

> > > > according to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of

> > America,

> > > > the industry's lobby and advocacy group. " The pharmaceutical

> > industry is

> > > > not only a major player, it is the major player, " said

> > Peppercorn. " We

> > > > need to pay attention to this because we need to know if

> > important

> > > > questions are not being asked. "

> > > > Peppercorn said drug companies may be less inclined to publish

> > when

> > > > studies are negative. Or it could be that pharmaceutical

> > companies are

> > > > " flat out better " at identifying medicines most likely to

perform

> > > well in

> > > > clinical trials.

> > > > A new national clinical trials registry, administered by the

> > federal

> > > > government, will track results from all registered trials,

> > published or

> > > > not. That data will eventually make it easier to know whether

> > > > industry-backed trials actually produce better results, or

> > whether drug

> > > > companies are burying their bad results by not publishing.

> > > > Herceptin, the only U.S.-approved treatment for a certain type

of

> > > > aggressive breast cancer, was developed primarily through

> > research paid

> > > > for by its manufacturer, Genentech. GlaxoKline, which is

> > > seeking FDA

> > > > approval for Tykerb, an experimental drug that targets the same

> > > > aggressive form of breast cancer, also has invested heavily in

> > trials.

> > > >

March 1, 2007

Hold on Tonia and take a deep breath. I have never read any where

that Herceptin can cause a relapse in 50% of those who use it. The

trials covered in the NEJM clain a relative disease free survival rate

with Herceptin and AC Chemo for early stage BC of 50% which translates

into an absolute rate of 5.5% What this means is that there are a

large number of Her2 positive women (an absolute rate of 94.5%) who

will receive no benefit from Herceptin. Infortunately there is no

way, at present, to know who will benefit and who will not. The same

holds true of many other BC therapies. It is important to do your own

research and find out what treatments may be best for you taking into

consideration your individual circumstances. Example. An oncologist

suggested that I take AC Chemo. Turns out it would have only

increased my disease free survival by 3% which means there was a 97%

chance that it would not help me. Given those numbers, the possible

heart complications with AC and family history I declined. Basically

it is a numbers game, a crap shoot. There just are no guarantees. We

do our research and do the best we can in deciding what is best for

us. These decisions are highly individual. Look under files there is

an article By Ralph Moss Phd on how the statistics were derived in the

Herceptin studies.

Ruth

PS I am Her2+

> > > > >

> > > > > Industry-funded clinical trials of breast cancer medicines

> > > report more

> > > > > favorable results than research conducted independently, a new

> > > study

> > > > > reports. Some 84 percent of company-supported drug studies

> > > published in

> > > > > 10 major medical journals in 2003 reported positive results

> > > about the

> > > > > breast cancer drugs they investigated, according to an analysis

> > > by Dr.

> > > > > Peppercorn, a cancer physician and researcher at

> > > University of

> > > > > North Carolina-Chapel Hill's School of Medicine.

> > > > > Non-industry supported studies were far less likely to be

> upbeat,

> > > > > publishing favorable results just 54 percent of the time. The

> > > > analysis is

> > > > > to be published online next Monday in CANCER, the journal of the

> > > > American

> > > > > Cancer Society. It is the latest to raise questions about the

> > > role

> > > > > pharmaceutical companies play in funding and shaping research

> > > used to

> > > > > decide whether drugs are safe and effective.

> > > > > But the connection between positive drug studies and industry

> > > > funding has

> > > > > raised concerns in recent years as the industry's role has

> > > grown. A

> > > > > Harvard School of Public Health paper published in 2005

> > > estimated that

> > > > > drug companies finance up to 70 percent of all clinical trials

> > > done in

> > > > > the United States.

> > > > > Drug companies invested $15.5 billion in clinical trials during

> > > 2006,

> > > > > according to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of

> > > America,

> > > > > the industry's lobby and advocacy group. " The pharmaceutical

> > > industry is

> > > > > not only a major player, it is the major player, " said

> > > Peppercorn. " We

> > > > > need to pay attention to this because we need to know if

> > > important

> > > > > questions are not being asked. "

> > > > > Peppercorn said drug companies may be less inclined to publish

> > > when

> > > > > studies are negative. Or it could be that pharmaceutical

> > > companies are

> > > > > " flat out better " at identifying medicines most likely to

> perform

> > > > well in

> > > > > clinical trials.

> > > > > A new national clinical trials registry, administered by the

> > > federal

> > > > > government, will track results from all registered trials,

> > > published or

> > > > > not. That data will eventually make it easier to know whether

> > > > > industry-backed trials actually produce better results, or

> > > whether drug

> > > > > companies are burying their bad results by not publishing.

> > > > > Herceptin, the only U.S.-approved treatment for a certain type

> of

> > > > > aggressive breast cancer, was developed primarily through

> > > research paid

> > > > > for by its manufacturer, Genentech. GlaxoKline, which is

> > > > seeking FDA

> > > > > approval for Tykerb, an experimental drug that targets the same

> > > > > aggressive form of breast cancer, also has invested heavily in

> > > trials.

> > > > >

March 1, 2007

I agree with Ruth that everything to do with this disease is a crap shoot. None

of us know, even with stats, what will happen. I am HER - yet my treatment of

chemo was supposed to give a 75% chance of no recurrence... well, guess what, 13

months later, I had a recurrence.. The stats are if you are going to get it back

it usually appears within the first 2 years. Live and learn and keep learning..

Only thing we can do is educate ourselves and do what is best for ourselves.

Be well

Michele

ruthiema36 ruthiema36@...> wrote: