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12-21-2011, 04:26 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 415
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Why's my hair growing back on Halaven?
Hi Friends~
I don't mean to a look a gift horse in the mouth, but
can someone explain why my hair's growing back while I'm still on Halaven?
The 1st dose of the 1st Cycle knocked my hair right out of my head, leaving behind the greys. But I welcomed them, because if they could withstand the chemo, then I'm glad to have them.
My scans after the first 3 cycles were good, showing good response, not quite NED, but MED.
I've now completed another 3 cycles/9weeks on Halaven and am due for scans on 1/5, so I'm neurotically and looking for any indication that the Halaven is still doing it's job.
Anectodally & based on some of the difficult GI symptoms I was experiencing due to the mets in my colon, I would say that the Halaven is still working, at least holding things stable.
But the return of my hair is confusing me!
I know some folks experience hair growth on taxanes after completing adria/cytoxan, but I never did that combo. I did do 49wks of Taxol/Herceptin during the first year of my diagnosis & treatment, was bald as a bowling ball and remained so until I was NED and didn't grow hair back until I went to solo Herceptin.
I guess I just don't understand the mechnism of action & how can it be that the same chemo that caused hairloss and disease regression initially can still be effectively beating the disease back AND allow hair growth?
Comment, thoughts?
Keep the Faith~
Jessica
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12-21-2011, 06:01 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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Re: Why's my hair growing back on Halaven?
Halaven works kinda like a taxane in a way but differently. My hair did start to grow back while I was on Taxol - peach fuzz but none the less, it was coming in. I would not be concerned with this.
__________________
Kind regards
Becky
Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia
NED 18 years!
Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
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12-21-2011, 06:14 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477
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Re: Why's my hair growing back on Halaven?
Hi. I had the same experience as Becky. My hair (such as it was) started to come in more on Taxol. Even on AC (earlier in treatment) I never lost ALL of the hair on my head but did lose most of it.
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12-21-2011, 06:31 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Central Coast, CA
Posts: 3,207
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Re: Why's my hair growing back on Halaven?
hey jessica,
I agree, take the hair and leave the cancer behind.
enjoy the holidays!
__________________
Chris in Scotts Valley
June 2002 extensive hi grade DCIS (pre-cancer-stage 0, clean sentinal node) Mastectomy/implant - no chemo, rads. "cured?"
9/2004 Diag: Stage IV extensive liver mets (!) ER/PR- Her2+++
10/04-3/05 Weekly Taxol/Carboplatin/Herceptin , complete response!
04/05 - 4/07 Herception every 3 wks, Continue NED
04/07 - recurrence to liver - 2 spots, starting tykerb/avastin trial
06/07 8/07 10/07 Scans show stable, continue on Tykerb/Avastin
01/08 Progression in liver
02/08 Begin (TDM1) trial
08/08 NED! It's Working! Continue on TDM1
02/09 Continue NED
02/10 Continue NED. 5/10 9/10 Scans NED 10/10 Scans NED
12/10 Scans not clear....4/11 Scans suggest progression 6/11 progression confirmed in liver
07/11 - 11/11 Herceptin/Xeloda -not working:(
12/11 Begin MM302 Phase I trial - bust:(
03/12 3rd times the charm? AKT trial
5/12 Scan shows reduction! 7/12 More reduction!!!!
8/12 Whoops...progression...trying for Perjeta/Herceptin (plus some more nasty chemo!)
9/12 Start Perjeta/Herceptin, chemo on hold due to infection/wound in leg, added on cycle 2 &3
11/12 Poops! progression in liver, Stop Perjeta/Taxo/Herc
11/12 Navelbine/Herce[ptin - try for a 3 cycles, no go.
2/13 Gemzar/Carbo/Herceptin - no go.
3/13 TACE procedure
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12-21-2011, 07:11 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ireland
Posts: 3,463
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Re: Why's my hair growing back on Halaven?
Jessica,
Some chemo's I think are less toxic than others and have differing effects, my hair too grew back on Taxol and I would'nt be worried about it either 
__________________
Tricia
Dx July '05 IDC 1.9cm Triple positive 3/9 nodes positive
A/C X 4 ..Taxol/Herceptin x 12 wks then herceptin 1 yr
Rads x 36 ..oophorectomy August '06
Currently taking Arimidex..
June 2011 osteopenia/ zometa x1 yearly- stopped Zometa 2015 as Dexa show normal bone density.
Stopped Arimidex July 2014- Restarted Arimidex 2015 for a further two years on the advice of my Onc.
2014 Normal Dexa scan
2018 Mammo all clear, still NED!
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12-22-2011, 05:48 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 51
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Re: Why's my hair growing back on Halaven?
Hi Jessica,
I understand your doubts. We always tends to associate side effects with effectiveness of the therapy. We can't help it. Though we are told over and over that there is no such a relationship. Besides there are chemo that don't make the hair fall down. My mother was on Navalbine for around 10 month, after 2 months she had lost some of her hair, but not much, ten they grew back and stayed. Eventually she experienced a progression, but only 10 months into the therapy.
I hope this was helpful.
With you the best.
Kykeon
__________________
Son of Ha
She has been dignosed in February 2008 BC state IV, left breast multiple nodes size 5 cm, mets lungs and liver. Er+ Pr+ Her neu +++.
3/2008 - 10/2010 Herceptin + Aramidex NED
10/2010 recurrence lung met, pleural effusion, toracentesis
11/2010- Tyverb + Navalbine NED
08/2011 CA-15-3 = 90 scan
08/2011 Scan revealed reccurrence lung met, tiny metastasis on the pleura and pleural effusion.
4 pills tyverb, mytoxantrone once ever three weeks, and Aromasin.
Tykerb and taxol, sever allergic reaction
Tykerb taxotere
Herceptin, perjeta, gemcitabina
C- diff, bad diarrea
Halevan and tamoxifen, tm down from 1200 to 130
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