what next?
 

Hi, I've been on both Tykerb and Xeloda but the markers keep going up and the liver largest liver tumour is now 4cm. There's a scattering in my lungs and a positive node in the inguinal glands. I've been put on Cyclphosphamide (or Cycoblastin) 3 tabs a day. What experience has anyone had on this? And what alternatives are there?
Thanks,
Adrien
PS My history below is well out of date. Will fix soon. That was a year ago.

Re: what next?
 

I have been on Tykerb/Xeloda for the last 3 months....my docs have said the next step for me is to add Navelbine to the mix. Hopefully, this will hold me until T-DM1 is available to the general population. I also have Ixempra to try or could go back and try Gemzar and Taxotere/Taxol again.
How long were you on Tykerb and how long have you been on Xeloda? Could you take both together? I hate it when these drugs stop being effective!!!
I am hoping that they work at least a year for me.
~Barb

Re: what next?
 

I was on Tykerb for 15 months and then Xeloda for 7. Onc likes to prescribe separately so he can see which is effective. Don't know if I could cope with side effects of both together.

Re: what next?
 

Interesting, the trials for Tykerb approval in the US were based on ADDING Tykerb to Xeloda, and the combination was more effective than Xeloda alone. The indicated use approved in the US is for the combination - so they can definitely be taken together.

The side effect profiles are completely different, so if you can tolerate the side effects of either, you probably could handle them together, and perhaps in combination you would see some synergy.

For me, it seems that with active disease the "targeted" therapies like herceptin and tykerb have needed the additional punch of a chemo agent - but that's just my personal experience.

Re: what next?
 

I found that Xeloda with Tykerb was my easiest treatment to date. Almost no side effects and it held me the longest.

Good luck and well wishes to you.

Carolyn

Re: what next?
 

Thanks all,
I found that with Xeloda my feet burned and peeled so much I could barely walk. Plus fatigue and digestive probs but with Tykerb it was digestion and a skin prickle that became very distressing. I can't imagine the 2 togethr.
Sigh. will wait and see. That's the story, really.