Abraxane VS Taxotere ?
 

Hi Ladies,

I'm scheduled to start Taxotere this coming Weds. along with my Herceptin. It seems that the Herceptin alone, is not going to be enough to bring my Tumor Markers back down. I've been back on Herceptin since August 6th, and my Her2 Serum and CA 15-3 went down slightly initially, but both have started to climb back up.

My doctor and I discussed possible options, and decided to give Taxotere a try again, since it worked so well for me back in 2001/2002.

Naturally I've been reading alot the last few days, and am now second guessing the whole Taxotere regime. I've read that Abraxane has better response rates with fewer side effects, so am naturally curious as to why my doctor didn't mention it.

Any input or personal experience would be appreciated, so I can arm myself when I talk to him about it this week.

Thanks!
Kim

PS: I didn't even ask him about Tykerb or Pertuzamab because I'm thinking that saving those for later might be in my best interest. I really don't have a clue what the right or best thing is, just wanting to nip this thing in the bud!

Re: Abraxane VS Taxotere ?
 

Hi Kim! My Onco suggested abraxane initially after my recurrence to skin. He then decided to try xeloda and tykerb. Since my 1st line of treatment is taxotere, the 2nd line treatment can be a different drug in the same family. My tumor marker has been rising too but still within normal range ca27-29 since April but since I got 2 clean scans my doctor didn't seem worried - I am in chemo now anyways! Did your doc order a scan for you? Xeloda and tykerb are easy chemos and i really think there is not much priority in which drug to save for future use. The important thing is to use a drug that you respond to. Abraxane seems like a big chemo gun to me- I guess it is because of the hairless. A friend of mine who has ovarian cancer is back on chemo again since her tumor markers have been rising. I don't understand why drs put pp back on chemo without a scan as tumor markers seem
To be the most unreliable. I hope which ever drug ur dr orders will work well for you! Take care

Re: Abraxane VS Taxotere ?
 

Taxotere was very difficult for me. I am on abraxane now, and it is the easiest chemo I have done so far. I did lose my hair again, but aside from that I just have a headache and slight nausea. Side effects are easily managed with meds. Fatigue is the worst part, but other chemos are worse. I have done A/C, taxotere, navelbine and xeloda. Good luck!

Re: Abraxane VS Taxotere ?
 

Abraxane is the same chemical as Taxol but with Abraxane, they have binded sugar molecules to the drug active backbone which renders it water soluble. Taxol is not so there is an emulsifier added. It is the emulsifier that causes all the problems. Taxotere also needs an emulsifier. This is why Abraxane is easier.

Re: Abraxane VS Taxotere ?
 

Thanks so much for the input ladies. I will be having a PET scan tomorrow, and seeing the doc on Weds. when I get my treatment. We will also do all my labs. My last CA15-3 done 3 weeks ago, was 88 (higher than in 2001 when I had mets to my liver) and my Her2 Serum was 22.

My tumor markers have always been pretty reliable for me. That, coupled with the pressure I've been feeling in my abdomen, was why I went back on Herceptin in August, after almost exactly a one year break.

Taxotere given weekly wasn't too hard for me to tolerate back in 2001/2002, but I was also 10 years younger! It was after being on it for almost 8 months that I really started having problems.

Xeloda, unfortunately isn't an option for me, as it almost did me in, back in 2003.

The Abraxane sounds like something I need to talk with my Doc about, if it works as good or better than Taxotere with out as many side effects. I didn't loose my hair on Taxotere last time, just thinned quite a bit, but permanently messed up my lashes, brows, and fingernails. My hair came back to normal though.

DeenaH and Yanyan, was your Abraxane given weekly or every 3 weeks? I wondering if that can possibly determine if you loose your hair or not.

Let's face it, loosing one's hair is a biggie.

Thanks again for your replies.

Kim

Re: Abraxane VS Taxotere ?
 

Hi Kim,
I have been Ned almost two years on tykerb/ herceptin. It is a much easier combo then doing chemo. I guess I don't worry about saving tykerb for later because if the cancer comes back, then I will add in xeloda or go back on taxotere. I am also hoping it will keep me Ned until tdm1 is approved or who knows what other drugs that may be in the works.



Laurie

Re: Abraxane VS Taxotere ?
 

Hi Kim ! I am not on Abraxane. You are right losing hair is no big deal :) There are quite a few pp here on maintanence herception with tykerb and this combo seems tolerable. I would try the easy ones first. Reishi mushroom is good for your liver - our livers work so hard to expel the toxins from our body but check with your doctor if you can take it on certain drug. ((()))

Re: Abraxane VS Taxotere ?
 

Hi Kim,

I have some thoughts about your request. Ask your oncologist about Perjeta. This was a new drug approved by the FDA on June 8, 2012. It is prescribed in what is termed "first line protocol" but in some cases I have learned that the oncologist can prescribe it off-line. I am currently taking Herceptin and Perjeta together and it is quite tolerable. I am able to work fulltime, exercise, and have a decent amount of energy. The pamphlet with Perjeta may also recommend Perjeta, Herceptin, and Taxotere. The nurses are not familiar with Perjeta yet so they may staunchly say the "pamphlet says you have to take Perjeta with Taxotere." NOT true. My oncologist prescribed the Perjeta without the gnarly Taxotere. But the oncologist can factor out the Taxotere if he/she thinks that is advisable. If you can get by with it, just take the Herceptin and Perjeta to tackle those liver mets.

I have done quite a bit of research and it does seem that Abraxane is easier to tolerate with less side effects. So, if you absolutely have to do some kind of ax, then Abraxane is easier to tolerate but I have not had any personal experience with that. Good luck with all this.

Hope this helps. Feel free to PM me anytime.

Jackie

Re: Abraxane VS Taxotere ?
 

Kim,

One more thing, I, too, thought that holding out for Perjeta would be the best thing. I even used the "big gun" phrase. The FDA will not approve Perjeta if you have any other chemo and it fails. That is why Perjeta is prescribed as a "first line" offense drug. In other words, if you do Abraxane, or any other drug for that matter, and there is progression, then the FDA will not approve Perjeta. In other words, the FDA will not allow patients to use Perjeta as a big gun drug. At least as it stands currently. Hope this makes sense.

Take care,

Jackie

Re: Abraxane VS Taxotere ?
 

Hi Jackie ! If perjeta is approved for 1st line Stage IV treatment, does it include people who progressed to stage IV? If your doctor prescribes perjeta off label, do you have to pay it at your own expense? I heard it is a very expensive drug.

Re: Abraxane VS Taxotere ?
 

Hi Yanyan

My understanding is that Perjeta is specifically for stage IV women. This includes women who have progressed to stage IV. My doctor has not prescribe off label for me since my treatment was considered first line as I only had the TCH for the 6 sessions, was on Herceptin only and now on the Herceptin and Perjeta. It is a very expensive drug. I am the second person at my treatment center to use Perjeta. I do have an oncologist who fights for his patients so I am not sure if he was tried to prescribe off label for this drug with other patients. I do work in health care so I have learned that docs will prescribe off label. It's tricky. Hope that makes sense.

Re: Abraxane VS Taxotere ?
 

Also, if my insurance would not cover the cost, it would be impossible for me to pay for the perjeta. Other women have posted about Perjeta so you can check out previous posts.

Re: Abraxane VS Taxotere ?
 

Dear Kim,
I was on taxotere as my initial course of treatment. For that treatment I received taxotere once every 3 weeks. I found in manageable until about round 5 when my fingernails became a mess. I also lost every piece of hair. My hair didn't fully recover.

Since then,, I've been on Abraxane multiple times. It is much more manageable and my horrible straggly hair thinned but didn't fully go away. I received Abraxane 3 weeks on, 1 week off. It did cause my nails to have slight issues.

I think it is worth having the discussion. Taxotere kept me NED longer, but that was my first line of treatment.

These decisions are tough!!! If Taxotere worked once, it might just be the ticket again.

Hoping for a sign that gives you confidence in your decision.

Re: Abraxane VS Taxotere ?
 

Hi Kim
I am on tykerb for liver mets...the tykerb, herceptin, faslodex brought my tumor markers down, and my pet scan was better...this was started in may...now tumor markers going up slightly, 31 to 43, and I have pet scan in 2 weeks....so perhaps, you might ask about tykerb...
Eileen

Re: Abraxane VS Taxotere ?
 

Wow Eileen,

Your history is quite a "story" with the misdiagnosis and all.

The taxotere given every week for 3 weeks, with 1 week off, isn't too hard to tolerate (at least it wasn't back in 2001/2002). It wasn't until I'd been on it for over 6 months that the side effects started wearing on me. It did work really well for me, and my doc feels that it will work better than the abraxane. He is also open to switching to the Abraxane, if I should develope side effects that become problematic.

I am due for an MRI of my brain this month too, so if we should see anything suspicious there, I would definitely want to incorporate the Tykerb. Just been kind of holding off on that one, cause I keep thinking/hoping the taxotere is going to be all I need. Taxotere is an agressive drug, but I like being agressive with this cancer, especially since my tumor burden seems pretty light at this point.

What I am hoping for is that TDM-1 will soon be approved, and that Perjeta will be easier for stage IV to get as a second line treatment.

The level of care at my treatment center has really fallen off since I first started going there in 1997, and it has become really difficult to get things authorized and even just get an appt. with my doc. So, in a way I'm taking the less stressful route by going with the Taxotere. I really didn't feel up to having to jump through any more hoops to get back on to some sort of treatment. I just wanted to do something quick, and then see where things go from there.

To complicate things further, our COBRA continuation coverage will be expiring in Feb. If we want to keep our current Blue Shield coverage, their HIPAA plan would run us almost $3000 a month. That is something we just can't afford, so will probably be switching to a Kaiser HIPAA plan. I have heard lots of good things about Kaiser in our area, so am hoping my level of care may actually improve. I know that many of my favorite, very experienced, oncology nurses have left my current facility, and have gone to Kaiser.

So, the saga continues!
Kim

Re: Abraxane VS Taxotere ?
 

Awww Kim I am so sad that you have to get back in the saddle and start chemo again. I am sorry I don't know a thing about Taxotere vs Abraxane; but I do know how well you have done so far and I just have a good feeling that you will do well on this next line of treatment. Please keep us posted on your outcome and how you do. BTW I have also heard good things about KP - I hope your care improves with them!
Keep your chin up.
Love and hugs
Kim (from CT)