median survival time thirty six months

her2+ breast cancer in the 90's had a poor prognosis, especially those with stage iv a the onset

Median survival time: Thirty six months. That’s what the book said.

The book was written / compiled / put together by star surgical oncologist Dr. David McCready.

He was Laura’s oncologist. Our friend, a nurse in the university health network said that any nurse with breast cancer would make sure that Dr. McCready was their surgeon.

His book was published only a few years before Laura’s diagnosis.

Happily for us, by that time, it was out of date.

Trastuzumab, or Herceptin as it’s know as, is a monoclonal antibody that binds to specific receptors on cancer cells. It was discovered in the 1990’s. Clinical trials of up to 900 people were conducted in 1996. By 1998 it received breakthrough FDA approval in the United States. By 2005 five trials of over ten thousand breast cancer patients were conducted.

Six years later, Laura was ill

By that time? It had become the gold standard for Her2+ breast cancer treatment - even in metastatic - stage 4 patients.

Without it? The median survival time was thi…