Forum Discussion
Perjeta for early stage HER2+
Hi there, I'm 35 and recently started neoadjuvant chemotherapy for early stage HER2+ breast cancer (spread to lymph nodes). My oncologist has mentioned that there is an additional drug called Pe...
Hi @GalMcB,
I had HER2+ cancer stage 2, grade 3 ER+ PR+ and was advised by my oncologist to have perjeta. It was a difficult decision to make because it was about $11,000 out of pocket and I wasn’t given much information as to whether it would be better to have it or not. You can find reports on the PBS website as to why it hasn’t been listed for early breast cancer.
In the end my mum wanted me to throw everything at the cancer and paid for the perjeta. The combination of AC chemo, taxol, herceptin, perjeta and zoladex worked in my case. By the time I came to surgery there was no cancer left. I had a complete response. During the follow up appointment with my surgeon I did ask him whether the perjeta was worth it and he said yes. But who knows?
My health fund didn’t cover it, but you can phone them and find out.
I had HER2+ cancer stage 2, grade 3 ER+ PR+ and was advised by my oncologist to have perjeta. It was a difficult decision to make because it was about $11,000 out of pocket and I wasn’t given much information as to whether it would be better to have it or not. You can find reports on the PBS website as to why it hasn’t been listed for early breast cancer.
In the end my mum wanted me to throw everything at the cancer and paid for the perjeta. The combination of AC chemo, taxol, herceptin, perjeta and zoladex worked in my case. By the time I came to surgery there was no cancer left. I had a complete response. During the follow up appointment with my surgeon I did ask him whether the perjeta was worth it and he said yes. But who knows?
My health fund didn’t cover it, but you can phone them and find out.