Anyone done Avastin? Status results?

[jojo]

My diease MAY be in progression; I will have about 2-1/2 weeks (scans & such) before meeting up with my onc to discuss together & then decicde to keep or change current treatment. I may sign up for a new trial: Avaatin & Tykerb. Yes, I would have to give up on Herceptin. It has been not 100% successful in my case, anyway, since I got my 1st recurrence, while on Herceptin & Femara. My onc nurse told me that, in her wild guesssing alone, the Herceptin has been probably about 75% in her own opinion.

Does anyone know of somebody with BC has been successsful? Also what(s) have their most prominent side effects?

[Shell]

Jojo-

I don't have results yet, but am currently on navelbine/herceptin/avastin. I started this combo in december. in november i tried doxil with avastin, but my progression continued, so we switched to navelbine. i certainly feel better than i did on the doxil!

I hope to add tykerb to this mix once the approval for it comes out...

Does the trial give you a chemo with the 2? I got the side effects of the chemo I was on, and didn't notice anything different when I added tykerb to my chemo (xeloda). With the combo now, I get ache-y and tired, but that seems more consistent with the navelbine...

Good luck w/ things,

[Joy]

I know a small but successful study using avastin came out of San Antonio '06. And while that is hardly the information you requested, Jojo-sorry, but I had to post. I feel that herceptin has stopped working and will be at a crossroads very soon. I am excited to see that you both are 'mixing things up' with avastin, tykerb a little chemo etc. I very much hope that you will both continue to share the protocols and experiences, as will I, so we can all learn together.

Hoping others reply to your posts and thank you for yours!

[Lala]

Jojo

I hope that you are stable and doing well. My thoughts are with you. I can share my experience of Avastin with you. I was initially diagnosed with mets. After meeting with 3 different oncologists to discuss all the details of being ‘stage 4’ I chose a trial. My reasoning was simple, I learned the more options you have in ‘treating the cancer’ the better it is for you. I felt this trial offered an opportunity to have great care and a cutting edge drug.

My first line of treatment was a Monoclonal line with No chemo.

I was on the Herceptin Avastin Trial for 6 months. I did have very good partial response to this and a great quality of life while on the drugs. Avastin has a few side effects such as nose bleeds, fatigue, and headaches. The most serious side effect is high blood pressure, although lucky for me I did not have this. I did ultimately break stable after the 6 months then moved to a chemotherapy line of treatment.

In my opinion, you need to look at the whole picture. Ask how extensive is your tumor burden and where are the mets. What changes occurred from last scan meaning the rate of growth?

I would also ask questions about the trial. What phase is this trial? How many are currently enrolled and if any data has been released in interim. Being in a trial can offer great health care as your are watched over very carefully. It sounds like a very interesting trial.

Wishing you the best

[StephN]

Dear Jojo -
I know you have been on Abraxane for some time with Herceptin.

A friend of mine (an older lady in great shape) has been keeping her mets at bay for over five years to just stubborn nodes and a rib lesion. Herceptin and Femara were her mainstays with Navelbine added at first progression and then years later (2006) more progression.
She was put on Abraxane and seemed stable after some neck nodes were removed, then Avastin was added. Of course she was then off Herceptin. After about 6 weeks of this Abraxane/Avastin combo, her blood pressure shot up and became problematic. She was taken off all drugs so that they could get a handle on the BP.

Now she is on Femara only and the BP meds are lowered. She reported this week that her last scans did not pick up ANY active disease and her tumor markers are very normal for the first time in years!

Now she is dealing with the fatigue and feeling OK otherwise. The docs feel that the Avastin was the kicker she needed and she was able to get enough of it to do the job.

I hope this drug will do the same for you, my friend. PRAYING NO progression!