The study excludes patients who have been treated with a taxane-based regimen. The primary objective of the trial is to determine the safety profile of combined Taxotere and Herceptin and overall response rates. The study will also determine how many patients are alive and disease-free at one year after the start of treatment. The multicenter trial plans to recruit 30 patients. Other investigative sites participating in this Loyola trial include Edward Hospital Cancer Center in Naperville and West Suburban Hospital Medical Center in Oak Park.
Breast cancer is an abnormal cell growth originating in glandular tissue.
These cancer cells invade surrounding tissue and spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph node system. Common areas to which breast cancer spreads include bone, lungs, liver, brain, skin and lymph nodes. Although many women are initially treated successfully, a significant percentage of breast cancer patients will eventually develop recurrent disease.