HER2-positive breast cancer patients prefer faster subcutaneous administration of Herceptin to IV

Results from the PrefHer (Patient Preference for Subcutaneous (SC) versus Intravenous (IV) Herceptin) trial show that 92% of early HER2-positive breast cancer patients favored quicker SC administration of Swiss drug major Roche’s (ROG: SIX) Herceptin (trastuzumab) compared to the standard IV infusion. The data were presented at the St Gallen Breast Cancer Conference in Switzerland.

The primary reasons for preferring SC administration given by patients in the trial were less pain/discomfort and time saving. Herceptin SC was preferred by 92% of patients (95% CI 87–95%; p<0.0001), with 7% preferring IV administration (95% CI 4–11%) and 2% with no preference (95% CI 1–4%). Of the patients who preferred SC, overall preferences were ‘very strong’ in 74%, ‘fairly strong’ in 21% and ‘not very strong’ in 6%. AEs were reported in 69% of patients (63% grade 1, 34% grade 2, 6% grade 3, no grade 4/5, 3% SAEs) with no new safety signals.

Professor Lesley Fallowfield, director of the Sussex Health Outcomes Research & Education in Cancer, University of Sussex, said: “Time is precious to women with breast cancer, far too precious to be waiting around in busy chemotherapy centers. If subcutaneous delivery of Herceptin were to replace intravenous administration in the NHS then patients would spend less time in hospital and more time getting on with their lives. The results of this important study examining patient preferences are unequivocal. Women found subcutaneous delivery swifter, more comfortable and more convenient than IV. If this method is adopted in the NHS then the quality of life of women with HER 2-positive breast cancer could be dramatically improved."