The Lancet questions if herceptin is indeed the "cure" for breast cancer: << ...As Victor Montori and colleagues advised in last week's JAMA, such analyses may “show implausibly large treatment effects”. They recommend that “clinicians should view the results of such trials with scepticism”. The two NEJM reports use different dosing regimens, making comparisons and conclusions additionally more difficult. It is especially hard to tease apart the results because one of the papers combines results from two trials sponsored by Genentech. Although the “joint analysis was developed and analysed” by both trial teams, it is not made clear whether this synthesis was planned in advance of the start of both trials...>>
Also not enough evidence has been presented in Lancet Editor's opinion about cardiovascular side effects: <<...Comparisons are further hampered by the omission of crucial overall and disease-free survival data, as well as information on cardiotoxicity. However, it is clear that Herceptin can precipitate severe heart failure in some patients. The best that can be said about Herceptin's efficacy and safety for the treatment of early breast cancer is that the available evidence is insufficient to make reliable judgments...>>
(The Lancet 2005; 366:1673 DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)67670-2)
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