getting a little discouraged with the 4 week statistics re SVR

[wtgb]

I am feeling a little discouraged at all this mention of success with SVR if you are cleared by 4 weeks.  At 8 weeks I was <25 but DET and week 10 I was the same and did not clear until week 12.  Is there any one who has participated in the boceprevire trial,genotype 1a who has cleared at 12 weeks and remained clear after the trial???  Any advice would be helpful.  Hang in there for all who are in a trial presently.  Someone gave me some great advice.  "just say you will do it for today"- don't look too much ahead, one day at a time.

[DebiS99]

I was  at the point you are now when I was in the Boceprevir trial. There were a few others that didn't clear until wk12. At the 4wk post labs,   myself and all other in group were still ND. I just had my 12wk post labs done last week . I must say, I am a little nervous, although I do have a pretty good feeling about the outcome. Unfortunatley, going through tx can be a series of worrisome hurdles. This is the beauty of this forum. You are doing great
Debi

[wtgb]

Thanks- this is great information to have.

[spectda]

According to this study you have an 89% chance of svr and a 5% chance of a relapse. Those are very good odds!

• Rapid virologic response (RVR) at week 4 and early virologic response (EVR) at week 12 were highly predictive of sustained response with the boceprevir combinations, as is the case for standard pegylated interferon/ribavirin therapy.

• RVR was a better predictor of SVR in the lead-in arms compared with the arms that started all drugs at the same time.

• Percentages of patients achieving SVR according to early response status were as follows:

• No lead-in, 28 weeks: RVR 74%; EVR 69%;
• Lead-in, 28 weeks: RVR 82%; EVR 68%;
• No lead-in, 48 weeks: RVR 82%; EVR 83%;
• Lead-in, 48 weeks: RVR 92%; 89%;
• Standard therapy: RVR 100%; EVR 86%.

• The rate of viral breakthrough decreased with both the 28-week and 48-week lead-in boceprevir regimens:

• No lead-in, 28 weeks: 7%;
• Lead-in, 28 weeks: 4%;
• No lead-in, 48 weeks: 11%;
• Lead-in, 48 weeks: 5%;
• Standard therapy: 0%.

[spectda]

You are considered evr in the boceprevir world.

[spectda]

Of patients in the boceprevir P/R lead-in arms who achieved a rapid virologic response (RVR), 94 percent in the 48-week regimen and 82 percent in the 28-week regimen achieved SVR. RVR is defined as undetectable virus (HCV RNA) in plasma at 4 weeks after the addition of boceprevir. In the lead-in arms, 64 percent of patients achieved RVR. Fewer patients in the lead-in arms discontinued treatment due to viral breakthrough.

[spectda]

I am doing pretty good, I am on my 7th week. should get week 6 results by next week. I think you have a great chance at svr, it's very difficult to be patient though and not let it wind you up.-Dave

[can-do-man]

Quite of few of us had a scare that way in a boceprevir trial, mine turned out to be a lab error. Hang in there, you will make it.

cando

[wtgb]

OK- Looking at it that way helps.  How are you doing?  Hope things are tolerable for you and you are getting good results!!  I think you started just a few weeks behind me. I am coming up to my 18 week check.  Good luck-hope you are feeling well.

[GreatBird]

You're welcome. Feel free to PM me any time. I'm not here as much as I was when I was treating.

[spectda]

from what I have read the time regarding the boceprevir. four weeks from the addition of boceprevir is considered RVR (you would be 8 weeks into into tx at that point)-Dave

[wtgb]

Thank you!

[wtgb]

Thank you very much for your reply.  Congratulations on your results, this is behind you now and I hope to be where you are next year. Our results seem very similiar in the first part of the trial.  I just realized I am 1B not 1A (not a huge difference-I'm told).  Your post is very encouraging and if I experience the same blip that you did later in the trial, I know from you that it can still be OK.  Stay healthy and thank you!

[WriteItDown]

Remember, success with SVR when you clear at 4 weeks is like 90 - 95%... so clearing by week 12 does NOT mean you can't attain SVR... it just means your odds are not as high. Plenty of people clear who are UND at week 12. It's a crap shoot -- so just try to stay positive and be glad you cleared!

[GreatBird]

I was in a boceprevir trial and had a very small drop during the 4 week lead-in period (less than a log). As soon as they introduced the blue pills (are they still blue?) I went <25 DET (wk 6 test) and stayed there for another anxiety-ridden test, finally showing UND at week 10. Then I had a blip (another <25 DET) at week 24. That was truly nerve wracking. I'll never know if it really was the virus or a testing anomaly. But I finished and stayed clear 6 months post and am SVR.

As near as I can tell, I was switched off the boceprevir and onto a placebo at week 28 and continued for 48 weeks on peg/riba.

Hang in there. It *is* one day at a time. Treatment is nerve wracking, but try not to obsess on things. That only makes it worse.

BTW--I was 1b, although (curiously) when they genotyped me for the trial all they came up with was 1. I have absolutely no idea why or what that means. But it's gone now!!