Gemcitabine / Carboplatin
Comments
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I’m just on gemzar. SEs are doable. Fatigue, lack of appetite, constipation. It takes several days to get my energy back. This is my third round
I have scans in two weeks and tumor markers way up. We discussed carboplatin by itself. Anyone on just that? SEs?
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hi there, I am new here and saw this post you did from last year. It looks like I will be starting this same plan next week. I wanted to see how it went for you and how your SE were? I am stage IV IDC with Mets to my sternum and a few lymph nodes affected. Getting more and more anxious and nervous about starting treatment as it gets closer. Trying to keep my mind busy and occupied.
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Ccherndon, I am on Keytruda, carboplatin and Gemzar. Keytruda is once in 6 weeks, Carbo and Gemzar are supposed to be once in two weeks but my blood counts dropped. So the Onco is holding Carbo and giving me Gemzar every week.
I started in June with all 3. My MRI shows progression in liver Mets but stable bone Mets. Onco wants to continue this for another 3 weeks.
Good luck with Carbo+gem. It is definitely tolerable with slight nausea and fatigue.
Zillsnot4me, are you on this regimen or have you moved on?
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Waiting for scans on Friday.
MO thoughts were mono therapy so should just be carboplatin but there’s a study on adding keytruda for hr+. It’s been successful with TN.
The SEs of gemzar was mainly fatigue. Some nausea until I got the premeds straightened out.
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Gem/Carbo + Keytruda OR Taxol + Keytruda may be my next treatment... can anyone tell me about Gem/Carbo I heard its REALLY hard like harder than taxol.... Thanks....
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Nicole, I responded on the liver mets forum.
I find Keytruda + Gem/Carbo easier than taxol. I am sure someone who have had Keytruda+taxol will add their experience here.
Zillsnot4me , how did your scans look? What did the report say?
Ccherndon, how are you doing on this Keytruda+Gem/Carbo regimen? Please keep us posted.
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Had my follow up visit with the oncologist to review my PET/CT scans an results are amazing. I hadn't expected anywhere close to this. The only active cancer currently left is a small lymph node in my armpit. The mass that is left in my breast shows necrosis and the Mets to my sternum is now scar tissue no active disease there either. So, my oncologist wants to remain on my current treatment for the next 3-6 months and as long as my response holds, as he suspects it will, we will consider doing surgery and then radiation. He doesn't believe I have plateaued on the Gemzar, carboplatin, and keytruda so we will continue these since I've responded well and the side effects have been manageable for me. I am excited, nervous, and just overwhelmed with joy to have this kind of response just 3 mos in. Praying things continue to remain under control. He did warn me that chances are there are still microscopic cancer cells there, that are too small to see on PET scan and that is why we want to continue on chemo for several more months while my body is still receptive to it. The lymph node that is still active shows little, so he is very optimistic that 3-6 months I will be NEAD. Thanks for the encouragement ladies. I'd love to hear about any of you who have had surgery at stage 4. This is all new to me and initially we thought surgery wouldn't be an option, but now with the results and response I've had we feel it best to capitalize on that if we can.
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Ccherndon that’s great news! It is so nice to read such positive stories!
My Onco has stopped Gem/Carbo since they were wiping out my bone marrow. I have been on Keytruda alone since 3 months. I don’t know if it is doing anything for my extensive liver and bone Mets. My next PET scan is on Feb 10th. I had a liver MRI yesterday. Will find out the results tomorrow0 -
Looks like I've joined the G/C party. I had my first infusion on Thursday so I'm on the learning curve for side effects once again. (My latest prior regimen was Piqray + Faslodex + Zometa.) As you can see below, I've had many lines of treatment; I think this is my... ninth? I've had mostly bone mets since 2010-- almost every dang bone-- with a whackamole tournament about every three years to hammer mets that have popped up in bizarre places like my common bile duct, an ovary membrane, and my pericardium-- always lobular.
But my liver biopsy last week showed *ductal* mets. I presented back in 2007 with both lobular and ductal. It took the ductal 15 years to show up again but it did it in a big way. Numerous diffuse, small tumors. My tumor markers quadrupled very quickly.
Today is day three since infusion and I ache like mad all over. My bones hurt, particularly in my spine and hips. In my experience, that's always a good sign that the juice is hitting the spot. Or rather, spots. But golly. Ouch.
Naturally I'm wondering if my hair is gonna go. I *just* got it grown out enough to look something like ME again, three years past weekly Taxol. Am I going to be digging out my wigs soon? Just in time for summer heat? Eeks.
-- lulubee
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Am I the only one taking this combo??
::crickets in here::
Lulubee
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Hi Lulubee, I’ll be joining you in a couple weeks. April 4 is my first infusion. Too bad it’s been so quiet here. My MO says this combo is well tolerated. Not sure if you’d agree?
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Hi Rosie and Lulubee,
I just started Gemzar/Carbo on March 7. I had to delay my second infusion, March 14, due to low blood counts. So far, the neutropenia, nausea, itchy body, and chills have been the worst. But again, I’ve only had one infusion. I’ll be headed to the lab today for a possible UTI. I must say, I tolerated Xeloda (previous line) much better than G/C. But G/C has been much more tolerable than Taxotere/Cytoxan. I’ve noticed a thinning of my hair but nothing major. I hope you both have good results with this treatment!
Take care ~ K
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My MO added Phesgo (the newish Herceptin/Perjeta injection) to my cocktail, so now it's impossible to figure out which drug is causing side effects. But I seem to have tolerated the first treatment of my second round a bit better than the first one. I'm very fatigued but the anti nausea meds she gave me are working well and also help me sleep during the active steroid phase.
The first infusion dramatically knocked down my neutrophils so I was given a Neulasta pack, which brought my levels up nicely.
So far, my tumor markers are not moving in the right direction. I wonder if this is one of those treatments that take a few cycles to work. Makes me nervous!
~ lulubee
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I have just started Carboplatin along with Herceptin & Perjeta.
After 2 years of success, Enhertu finally failed for me. So, trying this.
Wondering what SEs to expect; so far, on Day 3, nothing.
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Well, there are a handful of us here now, so maybe we can revive this thread.
I got my fourth infusion today (second infusion of second cycle). My Day 8 infusion is Gemzar + anti-nausea only, plus a Neulasta on-body injector. It's much easier on me than the Day 1 infusion, which is Gem/Carbo + Phesgo (Herceptin + Perjeta injection) + dexamethasone + two IV anti-emetics. That one is gonna slow my roll for several days, I'm learning.
I'm surprised I still have my hair. I keep expecting to find a wad of it in my brush but so far it's hanging in there. Anyone know what to expect here??~ Lulubee
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emaw, welcome!
My main SE's so far have been insistent fatigue for a few days after my Day 1 infusion. I wind up taking a nap most days whether I meant to or not. I'm always thirsty. I take a prescribed anti-nausea pill at bedtime on post-infusion days 1-4 and days 8-11, and those knock me out and help me sleep which is especially helpful when steroids are on board. I've had an episode of fleeting chills, shakes, and low-grade fever, but when I consider the timing I suspect it may have coincided with when the dexamethasone left the building, so to speak. Steroid withdrawal is always rough for me.
I'm super sleepy after infusions, but then I'm always groggy after any port draw also. My body is working so hard every day to make blood cells, even without a blood draw.
Hope you find the combo tolerable and effective.
~ Lulubee
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Lulubee, Thanks for the info on what your post-infusion days are like. I start on Monday and am a little nervous. My MO told me that I wouldn’t lose my hair but it may thin some.
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Had my first infusions today. I found out that my MO is ordering both drugs on Day 1 and Day 8, but lowered the dose total for Carbo. Not too concerned about that, just hoping my blood can pass the levels needed next week. My time on Ibrance had many low levels and weeks on hold. I’m feeling ok, we’ll see what develops
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Hi All. I will be starting Gemcitabine/Carboplatin on Monday. This is my first IV chemo after being on oral chemo for over six years. I am a little anxious but I am ready... here we go!
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Hi Intolight! Six years on oral chemo; that's amazing! I've had seven cycles of Gem/Carbo, and so far, so good. It brought CA 15-3 from 1100+ to 36 since April, and my lung met symptoms are greatly improved. I have a PALB2 mutation, and the combo is known to be quite effective. Unfortunately, the mutation wasn't discovered until January. I can't help but wonder what would have been if I had been treated with Gem/Carbo a few years ago when it was somewhat contained.
SEs have been manageable with Zarxio shots day 2-5 for WBCs. I've still got Pancytopenia (low WBC, RBC, and platelets), but so far no infusions required, and I've only had to delay one week due to low ANC. (It actually improved the timing of my cruise dates in Nov)
I hope it's effective for you with as few SEs as possible!
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How long have you been on Carbo Gem?
I am looking for success stories. Lots of time and success of Carbo Gem.
I am 4.5 months in and still my tumor markers are declining. Yeah!
Thanks.0
