Chemotherapy for Stage IV
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Started the Xtandi trial yesterday.
It's an oral drug. 4 pills a day. Hope it does something!!!!0 -
Good luck Karen hope it works magic....
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Can you tell us more about the trial?
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Here's a link to the trial...
http://www.biotechnologyevents.com/node/71810 -
I'll have to read about the trial Karen mentioned. I got a call from onc nurse yesterday. TM's continue to rise. Message from onc is that I will have my scheduled Abraxane next week (finishing 8th month on it), then my week off. When I return on 9/16, onc wants to meet with me to change treatment plan. I don't know what the next treatment plan will be. Not sure if he'll want PET scan either. I hate the fact that yet another chemo has stopped being effective. The million dollar question, what's next? Jean
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Padiddle, I'm right there with you. Onc stopped taxol this week because of neuropathy problems and I will meet with him next week to figure out what's next. I was on taxol longer than anything else and will miss it. Had low dose 3 weeks out of 4 and it was pretty easy to take. Plus I didn't lose my hair. Drats! I did have a ct scan on Wednesday and he will be meeting with the tumor board this week. He keeps saying there's plenty in the arsenal. I hope he's right!!
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I'm with ya too Glenna! I don't have neuropathy pain, but am constantly tingling in hands and feet. Femara was the longest run I've had but that stopped working. As far as the chemo drugs, I think Abraxane has been my longest one (eight months). I'll be watching next week to see what's next for you. I have to wait two weeks before I know. Best to you!
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Padiddle - neurontin (sp) helped with my tingles and buzzes.
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I do take neurontin. That's what started my conversation with my onc about the neuropathy .... I asked if I could up the neurontin. Damn .... I really wanted to stay on taxol. So, padiddle, it's okay to up the neurontin .... It does help!!
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My CT scan showed NO progression as well as a clean liver!!! I will start my new chemo next Wednesday. I'll get CMF (cytoxan, methotrexate and 5 FU), two weeks on, 4 weeks off. I had these drugs in 1987 along with adriamycin and vincristine. I'm happy about having the 4 weeks off. The low dose taxol was 3 weeks on, 1 week off since December, so I'll feel like I'm on vacation!!
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Glenna, Congratulations on your CT scan results!! I hope your new chemo cocktail is good to you. Good Luck!
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Great news Glenna! Hope you ease into your new routine well. Four weeks off sounds wonderful! Jean
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Delighted to hear your news, Glenna. I hope that you find the new chemo easy. xx
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Glenna - waving pom poms for you!!! What wonderful news.
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Wow, Glenna! That's the best news EVA!
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I am looking for a treatment center that someone can give me personal recommendations for that facility. I am in the panhandle of Florida and do not have the confidence in my oncologist after a couple of slight incidences.
My recurrence to stage IV was within the past month. I have had one treatment of Doxil. We are having trouble getting my platelets up so I can have treatments but my gut feeling is to go somewhere ellse or I will die.
Thanks for any info.
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Dear all, I am sorry to say that Seagrover died this week. Although I was also a Facebook friend of hers it was not clear what exactly went wrong for her to die so soon after her Stage IV diagnosis.
I have asked the mods to add her to the list of those lost.
regards Jenn (diagnosed initially at the same time as Seagrover)
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Jenn: Sorry to read your post but thank you for letting us know. May she rest in peace. Jean
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thanks for letting us know, that seems really quickly!!
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This is my first post. I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in January 2011. The cancer spread to my peritoneal cavity and the omentum. Dec. 2013 the cancer had spread to my liver and I was give 2 months to live. Thankfully I was put on carboplatin and the mets shrunk right away. I attribute the shrinkage to all the prayers from all the good people I know. I am on Ixempra now, I have had one round and will have another on July 11th. When I was first diagnosed the cancer in my breast was about the size of a dime, now it is huge, I also have cancer nodes that have come through the skin on my breast, there are quite a lot of them. I was wondering if anyone has had this happen. I have intermittent pain in my breast now.
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hi everyone, just gonna jump in with a question. My recurrence came just under 3 yrs ago. Now metastatic..have blown through 6 chemos in the almost 3 yrs. now will be changing to taxotere by itself. Any suggestions for side effects? I was told I won't feel good the week I get it, but ok the other 2. So I was thinking about not working that week. I have my own business, so I can do that. Does that sound about right....one week bad, the other 2 just fine ? Thanks for your input
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susan3 - I took Taxotere and it was very hard on me. I had it on a Thursday and by Saturday around noon I started to fade, could not think straight, could not walk without holding on to things due to being way off balance, could not stand to eat, had diarrhea, always got dehydrated so had to go back for fluids a week after treatment and get a Neulasta shot due to very low counts, always ran a low grade temp for about 9 or 10 days. I was in bed for most of the first week then I could be up for a couple of hours then had to lay down for a couple. I only had about 9 or 10 halfway decent days out of the 21. I was also told I was highly sensitive to it, so I am sure you will have no problem. It did work for me for a year and a half. My onco made me take breaks after 6 treatments for about 2 to 3 months and then back on it. After a year and a half things were very slowly progressing and then stabilized. He would have kept me on it for a maintenance type chemo if it had not been so hard on me so I had to move on. There is a Taxotere site here and can give you more information if you have time to read the back posts, not many post on it anymore but you can look to see what others have posted, lots of people had no problems. I did lose my hair but that was a minor thing to me. I am now on Doxil and can not find much on this drug and will know in a couple of months if it is working. Good luck, hope side effects are minimal. Do not think that what I had will happen to you, everyone is different but wanted to let you know how it affected me, you may have no problems or a few of the side effects I mentioned. If I can be of anymore help please let me know.
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thanks Jeanie...I appreciate the help. What you said is pretty much what they told me to expect. I will get treatment on Wednesday and they said I would feel better by Monday. And that yes, u go from constipation from the zophran to diarrhea . We will see what happens:). I was on doxil...don't remember it being horrible..the only one of the 6 that was a pain for me was xeloda so far .
Take care
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Hi Padiddle,
I just started Abraxane on Tuesday and is there any advice you can give about side effects? I also wanted to let you and those of you who have never been on Afinitor that it worked very well for me and significantly shrank my lymph node mets, kept my bone mets stable, and cleared away my liver met. I ended up having to switch to Xeloda after 10 months on Afinitor because it eventually quit working and made my liver labs and blood sugar rise. I do recommend Afinitor though. If you have any comments or helpful tips about Abraxane, I'd love to hear them. I am getting weekly infusions for 8 weeks, then he said he would reduce to 3 on/1 off.
Take care ,
Liz
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Hi, Liz, CalicoCat here. I just had my 7th weekly infusion of Abraxane. My tumor markers droopped significantly after 5 treatments. I'll be getting a CT in September to see what's happening.
The only side effect I've had from Abraxane is fatique and my cheeks and upper chest are very red the next day (no pain). The nurse told me one can become very sun sensitive with Abraxane and advised me to use sun blocker and to cover up.
When I was on straight Taxol in 2007, I got really bad bone pain in my legs, but that hasn't happened with Abraxane. I guess it's a much lower dose.
Take care!
Calico
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hi, my mom just be diagnosed stage IV breast cancer and had a mastectomy. She will begin her chemo therapy next week. I'm so worry about her treatment and hopefully we will on the right path.
Our main doctor doesnt advise us to use Herceptin. He mentioned that the herceptin does not make much effect on stage IV patient. Is that true? The differences may be prolong her life span of 1 or 2 months. And she is going to start with FEC chemo therapy next week which is not recommended to mix with herceptin.
May i know any of you had herceptin treatment before? And how is the result? I mean for stage IV patient. Praying for all patients.
I love my mom! I hope i can do anything to prolong her life span and she is only 56 yrs old. God bless!
Thanks!
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If your Mom is HER2+, then Herceptin could make a huge difference for her. There are ladies on this list who have been living for YEARS with HER2+ stage 4 by taking Herceptin.
I do not know how the health care system in Malaysia works. Can you get a second opinion? Or ask your doctor to explain himself, because what he is stating contravenes standard of care here in the States.
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Newly Stage IV. I start Carbo/Gemzar on Tuesday and am ready. Fatigue and nauseousness will be two big SE's for me and we will see what else. I already have a cough and shortness of breath, which is why I am ready to start.
Its a lot to take in.
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. Mets to tumors on the brain were zapped with stereotactic radio surgery a month ago. Since then, Pet scan revealed cancer progressed to left hip and lower lumbar spine and the liver spot grew to 4 1/2 cn. had my first Navelbine chemo two days ago and no side effects, though I may be constipated and so will take collace. Feel okay except for fatigue. I'm 84 years young, have been very active and now I walk slowly with a cane. My memory has worsened but it may be my age. How can I tell which symptons are my advancing age and which are the cancers?
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Becca 57 and anyone else,
Hi ladies, I may be at a crossroads and it may be time to change meds...need your experience and your input...please.
Here's the history:
I had Stage II BC in 2002. Was diagnosed Stage IV nine years later with mets to sternum and lungs.
Xeloda worked for approx. a year to reduce tumors greatly, then cancer growth
Tamoxifen worked for 10 mo or so and got me to NED, then had some cancer activity.
Afinitor and Aromasin combo worked for approx 15 mo and got me to NED again. My tumor markers kept rising but scans were still clear. So my onc and I (after much discussion) decided to leave me on Afinitor and Aromasin because it may still be working and just add Faslodex to the mix. I've had 5 Faslodex injections total (3 months on Faslodex) Now, my tumor markers are rising again. They rose a lot this last month...almost 30 points. I've heard Faslodex can take a long time before it lowers TMs. My onc even said it can take a while. He said I should do 2 more injections and then a scan. If we see cancer growth, he feels I should do IV chemo (most likely Doxil) next. I've pushed off IV chemo for 3 1/2 years now and really am not anxious to start it. I did all that with my Stage II cancer long ago. But, I know eventually, it is probably what I will have to do.
I've also heard of ladies who have tried all the hormonals first before switching to IV chemo. I've only been on Tamoxifen, Aromasin, and Faslodex. My onc feels like if this current one isn't working, it probably is time to switch to a chemo.
What is your experience? Have any of you had success with Faslodex and how long before it worked? I don't want to give up on a treatment too early. Anyone had Faslodex NOT work? How long did you try? Did any of you go through MORE hormonals before going to IV chemo? Or, do you think it is better to switch gears if the cancer is growing and hit it with chemo for a while? Any of your experiences will help me.
Also, anyone on Doxil? What do you think? What is it like?
I'm hoping and praying that with a little extra time the Faslodex will work, but would love to hear your thoughts just in case!
Thank you all so much!
Julie
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