Weekly Taxol for Stage 4
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I got my scan results yesterday. Weekly taxol did not stop progression, so I am on to the next treatment, but I haven't quite decided what that will be. One thing that's high on the list of possibles is Doxil (liposomal adriamiacin). Have any of you had that tx? How did it compare to taxol in terms of severity of side effects?
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I am so excited that my onc moved me to three weeks on and one week off Taxol. My pain is totally gone. She has ordered bone scan, ultrasound of liver and new tms and return in two months. My CA15-3 was up several points, any suggestions why if my pain is gone? Blessings, Kathy
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yay for 3 weeks on one week off. Hope it makes things easier for you. I have treatment no 18 on Tuesday. They haven't mentioned doing anything other than weekly for me but then again they don't use taxol long term for stage 4 in New Zealand anyway usually stop at 12 though they occasionally do 18. My Onc has agreed to carry it on for me as I have few SEs and my cancer is responding. I am getting more fatigued as time goes on so maybe a 3 on 1off is a good idea I may mention it at my next appointment .
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I've done 24 sessions of Taxol (3 weeks on, 1 week off). The side effects do start building up after a while, but they have been relatively easy for the most part. My major complaints were fatigue, some bone aches (might have been the Zometa), hair loss, taste loss, constipation, nail issues and now neuropathy of the fingertips. My blood counts would drop below normal levels but nothing where I'd have to postpone treatment. Taxol has kept my cancer stable but I need a break because of the increasing and more severe side effects. For me, Taxol wasn't a horrific chemo to be on. I need to add though that the one week break each month was great. It was great to have a chance to recover and also to not have to think about chemo for a few extra days.
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#12 taxol completed today. Had tumor makers done today; as they were missed last month; however, today they were down over 10 points from November, so I'm happy. My markers aren't real reliable except to see a trend. They are trending down, thank goodness. What was real weird was my WBC was under the cut off for chemo, but up .2 from last week. Week off next week, yippee.
I just realized and am embarrassed (chemo brain) that there are 2 weekly taxol, one for stage IV - I've been posting on the other forum. I hope that was o.k., no one ever said anything.
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SyrMom I'm sure it doesn't matter what forum you post on but most of the others will be stopping at 12 while the stage 4s carry on.
I had taxol 18 today and still my only SE is fatigue so I love it. the fact that it seems for the time being to be working is great to. In New Zealand they don't routinely do long term taxol for stage 4 and only occasionally do 18 so the chemo nurses thought today was my last visit. When I said no I'm back next week they thought it must be for a different chemo. My Onc wants me to do another 6 weeks and then we will scan again and reassess.
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shazzak - awesome finishing #18 with little s/e ... you will be my inspiration to keep going!! I'm being scanned after #15, no end in sight unless it shows progression. I, too, have fatigue and some weird bone/muscle pains, so I'm especially careful what I do physically, which is about nothing except limited walking as I have a stress fx in my foot!! Pls. keep me posted on your progress.
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I had my 28th and final Taxol treatment early this month. I've been taking it with Avastin (clinical trial) since April '13. Three weeks on, one off. Had great results with minor side effects. My 2 liver mets shrunk from +3cm to below 8mm.
Now 1 doubled in size, 1 stayed the same and a new one showed up. Not so good so.
Scheduling a liver biopsy to see if type has changed, and working on a trip to MD Anderson for second opinion. Will probably have yttrium-90 radiotherapy.
It feels great to be off chemo for a while, but I am spending way too much time imagining my liver tumors doubling and tripleing and quadrapalating. Need to find the switch that turns those thoughts off!
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Jimmiebell, wow..28 sessions of Taxol..I was whining about 24 sessions. I'm so sorry about the progression. I hope that they find the tx that will beat those liver mets back down again. I don't know any way to turn off those worrying thoughts..it's just the way we're wired. Keeping you in my thoughts and wishing you the best.
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Good news is some of the side effects went away immediately. I can feel all my toes and my thinking and speach are much clearer.
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Jimmiebell, wow, 28 sessions, amazing. So sorry about your progression, I sure have been living that up until now & do understand the feeling. Last scan was my first in 18 mo to show a response, so I'm already beginning to worry about the one in Feb coming up.
Please keep us posted on your second opinion and what is recommended for you next. When I went for a second opinion Navelbine was mentioned as a possible chemo following weekly taxol. Don't know my mo opinion, however. Hang in there.
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Anyone have a loss of taste with weekly taxol? I seem to be having that, suddenly. Hope it's temporary.
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Sure do have loss of taste. It seems the only thing I can taste in onions and I am the only one in the family that likes them. Maybe it is just the crunch. It should come back after treatment though.
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Mrsrockytop ... thanks for responding ... darn, eating is one of the few activities I still enjoy. Hope it breaks up as I'm on tx indefin. or until it stops working! Dang! Hope they wouldn't discontinue because of this.
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I am also on Taxol indefinitely. I don't think they discontinue for this. Funny though, it has not slowed down my eating any. lol
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taxol no 20 for me today. I don't get a break between cycles so that's 20 straight weeks of showing up in the chemo room. I reckon I could do my own now I've watched it so many times.
A lot of fatigue here hoping I can drop down to 4 days a week at work instead of 5.
Hope all you other long term taxol girls are doing ok.
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Completed #13 weekly taxol yesterday. Has anyone experienced night sweats on weekly taxol? At first I thought it was having too many covers on, but now think it may be night sweats. Only time I ever had night sweats before was when I was on aromasin inhibitors. Also, does anyone know if taxol has an effect on estrogen? If it does, that would explain it.
Shazzakelly ... wow, 20 straight infusions, amazing. Wonder why you don't get a 1 week break.
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I had huge night sweats on weekly Taxol. Sometimes I even had to change bedding and pajamas. I do not know the anti-estrogenic effect of Taxol, but would not be surprised to find out that it was inhibitatory in addition to its cytoxic role.
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I get the night sweats too. But as my periods have stopped since stating taxol I assumed it was more a menopause thing as I had terrible night sweats when I was on ovary suppression shots a few years ago.
I don't think they have a protocol for long term taxol use in New Zealand it's usually stopped after 12 weeks and very occasionally 18 weeks. I'm the first patient my Onc has taken past that point. I've got scans due in 3 weeks and if we contine taxol after this I think I will insist on the break between cycles. I'm sick of being absolutely exhausted all the time.
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Thanks for the feedback, ladies. Makes me feel better I'm not the only one. I'm postmenopausal & never had 1 hot flash until I was on the aromasin inhibitors; but did have major night sweats both during menopause and on the aromasin inhibitors. Faslodex also gave me night sweats.
Shazza - yours most likely is the menopausal thing as very common. Blainejenni - were you postmenopausal when you took taxol?
The protoccol here for weekly taxol is 3 weeks on and 1 week off; read recently why the break is needed, but of course, can't remember. If I run across it again will let you know.
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ShazzaKelly, I can't imagine do 20 sessions without any breaks. I just complete my 24 cycle a couple of weeks ago and started on Aromasin. My onc felt I needed a break with the buildup of side effects. I was getting neuropathy really bad and she didn't want it to become permanent. I did the 3 weeks on and 1 week off cycle. Doing that many sessions without a break would have me jumping off a building. I hope you get a break soon..us long term ladies.
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I did about 44 treatments with no breaks. When I did go to a 3 on/1 off schedule, my TMs started creeping up, so MO moved me to Faslodex. I was 6 years post-menopausal when I started Stage 4 Taxol as I had a total hysterectomy at 45, as part of my original diagnosis. I had suspicious uterine thickening on Tamoxifen, so took it as an excuse to yank the overies and uterus.
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wow Blainejenni you are my new hero. I hope to go a long time on taxol as apart from the fatigue I have no SEs on it.
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shazzykelly - I have just had number 15 taxol and will be stopping at 18 in three weeks. I will continue with Herceptin for as long as it works because my previous TNBC has changed to HER2+ I am in NZ as well but have been told no more than 18 weeks taxol. Are you in private or public? I have been doing well with side effects and only just started getting tied. I only work 3 days a week not sure how you manage 5 days!! I also have had bad night sweats that wake me up most nights I am hoping they will stop when the taxol does.
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Wow, ladies. If you can do it, so can I!! Amazing.
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Blainejenni & ShazzaKelly .... have either of you had difficulty with neuropathy from taxol? What have you done/do to offset or address it? I'm presently taking B6 and L Glutamine, seems to keep it mostly at bay, have mild symptoms so far, but don't want it to get any worse. Any suggestions for the memory? Mine is shot and getting worse.
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To be honest with you, daily Ritalin is the key to my cognitive functioning. If you have good blood pressure, shake it out of your MO or primary care physician. It makes a huge difference to quality of life.
I took 300 mg of Neurontin throughout the Taxol, and only have a small amount of neuropathy in my fingers. I can't take the cold anymore - it hurts my fingers. I tried to stop taking it now that I'm on Faslodex, but the nerve pain came right back, so I'm staying on the pills.
I am so grateful to Taxol. I had a rib cage full of lesions, and they are all gone now. I have a few lingering issues with my hips, but am so much better off now than I was two years ago. Modern medicine rocks.
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Hi
I'm posting on behalf of my mum who has Stage IV bc with significant liver mets and minor bone and lung mets. She was initially diagnosed with Stage III bc in 2000. She had a lumpectomy and some lymph nodes removed, followed by chemo, radiation therapy and 5 yrs tamoxifen and was cancer free until recurrence in liver in 2012.
Her more recent treatment started with hormone therapy (Femara i think) followed by 15 months of CMF chemo, then 3 months of Aromasin and started Taxol last week.
Two days after receiving the Taxol she was in terrible pain with the bone and muscle aches and was completely out of action for 3 days. The pain was that bad that she is having second thoughts about continuing the treatment. She also has fatigue, nausea and neuropathy but these are nothing compared to the bone pain.
I was hoping for some advice on how others have dealt with the bone/muscle pain? For those that have had this problem, could it be managed with a higher dose of pain relief drugs or would Abraxane be a better option at this point? Did the pain get better or worse with each subsequent treatment?
She's due to see the oncologist and get her second Taxol treatment on Friday.. I want to be ready with questions for the doctor on her behalf (mum speaks little English and isn't familiar with cancer treatment options).
Before she gives up on the Taxol, I've suggested that we ask dr for the maximum pain relief options for this week's chemo, so that at least she can test it out and see whether the pain can be managed and then decide whether she wants to continue with the treatment or not.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. These forums and the people on here are an amazing resource, particularly when everything else seems so bleak.
xx
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Rose11 ... it's common & a known side effect of taxol to have bone/muscle pain 3-4 days out from the infusion. It can be severe and can change over time. Usually it's when the premeds wear off; for instance I get benadryl and decadron (steroid) and zofran (antinausea) in the premeds. My infusion is on Monday and by Wed. evening or Thurs. is when the pain starts setting in. Defin. let her MO know and they can address this issue with meds, etc. All chemos have side effects and this one tends to be more manageable from what others tell me (this is my first iv chemo since dx). Fatigue goes with all chemo as it's killing off cancer and healthy cells and reducing wbc & rbc (white and red blood cells), etc. Neuropathy should also be reported; there are a variety of meds. I take B6 and L Glutamine vitamins, but better to ask to MO what they recommend. The nausea can defin. be controlled too. Good luck and let us know how she/you are doing.
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thekiwikid. Hi I'm at Auckland Public. As I have had no real side effects apart from fatigue and my last scan after 12 weeks showed good improvement in my lungs they decided to carry on. They fully expect side effects to set in and only book me one cycle at a time. At each clinic we just agree to try one more and so it goes on. I think it will be reassessed again after my next scans.
SyrMom no I don't take anything to combat side effects like neuropathy I just don't have them lucky I guess. But after Xeloda nearly killed me I think I'm due a SE free chemo.
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