[hutchibk]

Hi Grandma - We learned last year at San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium that a dose of 1500mg loses no efficacy, so perhaps talk to your doc about lowering the dose even more. Here's info on a trial that changed the dosing and regimen for Xeloda patients who had tolerance problems with the highest dose. It has worked very well for some of the folks here on the site. (1500mg, 2x day, 7 days on, 7 days off)

ABSTRACT: Phase I Study of a Novel Capecitabine Schedule Based on the Norton-Simon Mathematical Model in Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer
[Journal of Clinical Oncology]
Purpose: This study was conducted to determine, in patients with advanced-stage breast cancer, the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of capecitabine administered orally for 7 days followed by a 7-day rest (7/7), a schedule based on a mathematical method for the optimization of anticancer drug scheduling.
Patients and Methods: Eligible patients had measurable, metastatic breast cancer. There was no limit to number of prior treatments. A standard, three-patients-per-cohort dose-escalation scheme used flat-dose capecitabine beginning at 1,500 mg orally twice daily (bid) on a 7/7 schedule. Each cohort was monitored for 28 days before escalation to the next cohort to assess for delayed toxicity. Response was evaluated radiographically every 12 weeks; toxicity was assessed every 2 weeks.
Results: Twenty-one patients were treated on study. The most frequently reported treatment-related grade 2/3 adverse events were hand-foot syndrome (29%), leukopenia/neutropenia (24%), and fatigue (19%). Grade 3 toxicity was transient and easily managed. Three patients experienced grade 3 hand-foot syndrome; one of these patients had grade 3 diarrhea. There were no grade 4 events. The MTD of capecitabine 7/7 is 2,000 mg twice daily.