CMF & Herceptin

Deborah Phaed · 10-11-2005, 06:22 AM

Anyone have experience with this? I will be doing 6 rounds of CMF along with a year of Herceptin after my MUGA in 3 weeks. I chose CMF over Taxol because of the hair loss issue, but I have now read that one of the drugs in CMF does cause hair loss.

I'd also like to hear of anyone's other side effects from CMF besides hair loss. I'm working myself up into a lather over this in spite of trying to remain calm.

Just and FYI - this is my second go round with the beastie. First time (DCIS only) I had lumpectomy with 33 rads. This time (exactly 2 years later) I'm 5 weeks post op bilateral mastectomy, IDC <.3 cm (DCIS made up the rest of my 1 cm tumor), Her+++, ER+/PR-, Stage 1, Grade 2.

Thanks and hugs to all!

Sandy H · 10-11-2005, 11:14 AM

What is CMF? I know I should know but can't think right now and some of these do change with new treatments. Thanks Sandy

Lyn · 10-12-2005, 06:30 AM

CMF – cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil ("5–FU" or 5–fluorouracil)

I had this combination in my first line of treatment in 1998, called a sandwich therapy which was AC first radiation and then CMF. I found the combination quite easy to tolerate with no side effects at all, no hair loss.

I am now on CF and herceptin, with the CF both oral this time, Cycloblastin tablets 50mg and Xeloda 500mg being the oral for 5FU. I am treating a new primary in my right breast with skin mets involvement, looked like inflammatory but no so. Radiation with Xeloda did not shift it so trying again. The C is also being used to treat my connective tissue disorder.

Hope this helps.

Love & Hugs Lyn

Becky · 10-12-2005, 07:01 AM

I wouldn't fool around this time and go the 4 AC followed by 4 taxol with Herceptin (and following Herceptin for a year).

You will lose your hair but have a better handle on subdueing the beast permanently.

Warm regards,

Becky

jjfromcanada · 10-12-2005, 08:14 AM

A friend of mine had CMF. She had very minor hair loss.

However, my real comment to you is "Its only hair!"

It grows back. I had CEF and lost it, but I managed with a wig, hats and scarves. With creative use of make-up and a few tips from the nice people at a Look Good clinic and my esthetician, I looked great.

So take the chemo that will do your cancer the most good and while your hair will grow back maybe the cancer won't.

Best wishes at a tough time.

Deborah Phaed · 10-12-2005, 10:39 AM

Lyn,

I too have a connective tissue disorder (my rheumy is trying to rule out SLE). Did you know the C would help both the cancer and the CTD beforehand? Also, what type of CTD do you have? I had heard of M being used for Lupus.

Christine · 10-12-2005, 10:09 PM

Deborah
About 15 Years ago I had CMF(Cytoxin, Methatrexate, 5-FU) as an adjuvant tx for 6 mo., 2wks on , 2 wks off. Herceptin was not a choice then. The side effects was hair thinning, nausea and bsd metalic taste at infusion.
For me it was not helpful to prevent my relapse. 9 yrs later I was Dxed with METS under mediastinal and also brain metastases at Stage 4.
Herceptin /taxol helped me trsmendously In 3 days I could breath again. Brain mets took longer to battle, but now NED( NO EVIDENCE OF DESEASE)

For me I believe Taxol/Herceptin was the driving force.
Continued well wishes, Christine

chrislmelb · 10-13-2005, 02:59 AM

i'd get the taxol and a/c and Herceptin if you have a choice. I had CEF and lost my hair but that is a small price to pay for, hopefully, longevity.

Lyn · 10-13-2005, 03:38 AM

Hi Deborah, I actually thought that the Methotrexate in the CMF was used for lupus nut was surprised to find out that the Cyclophosphamide is used as well. It was hard to tell during the first chemo if they helped because I was pumped up with the steroids and they make you feel like a race horse with an appetite to match. I had the Herceptin with Carboplatin and it managed to stall my reoccurence and then when Taxol was added it worked. I was told in the beginning that I had a low grade connective tissue disorder and my Titre was only 660 when I had the Anti Nuclear Antibody blood test done, then I could tell when I had a flare up but it never reached that high, my luck another doctor picked up my result and said oh you have Lupus, and I said do I, that was the first thing I asked the doc who did discover what I had, it wasn't until I raised his awareness to that, that he said no but I wasn't a hypochondriac either, my family and friends always thought I was weird, I would be freezing and they would be swimming in the pool sucking on ice blocks, or I would be boiling hot when they were cold, at least I found out I wasn't queer. Then I saw a peadetrician with my daughter because I thought she may have it, and he looked at my blood tests and told me I didn't have Lupus. So until I had problems 2 years back, when my mouth was always dry and other symptons I diagnosed myself with Sjrogens, which was also correct, following that I had heart failure, which I believe was cardiac tamponade, which is fatal, I had 5 kilos of fluid on my lungs where the heart was pumping backwards, but told no, I know better, that was because one of the symptoms of that is to have an underlying cancer and at that stage I was supposed to be NED, turns out I did have an enlarged gland deep in my neck, which made my thyroid stand out and I was diagnosed with Hashimotos then, and they didn't look for anything else at the time, so he put it all together and said I had the Mixed. I read somewhere on the net that it is treated successfully with a drug with a name similar to Miltex, that isn't it of course, I found it while I was using my daughters laptop when my computer crashed so I haven't been able to find it since, I haven't tried real hard but I will. Problem with mine is that I can't take anti-inflammatories because of the heart failure, but I have been taking glucosomine sulphate, flaxseed oil capsules, fish oil capsules and celery seed vitamins, for ages now, but nothing natural works as yet. I do think the cyclophosphamide is doing some good becasue in the mornings I couldn't closed my fingers without it being painful and now I don't notice it as much, I have to think did that hurt or not. I have been feeling nauseas with the oral tablets, I didn't feel bad with the CMF, the AC is of course Adriamycin with Cyclophosphamide and I need steroids for that combination, I just felt flat all the time. As for the hair loss, I have done it 3 times now, so personally I can't recommend either way, all I know is I keep getting it back no matter what I try, and it is starting to wear thin. My daughter said to me tonight, you always look depressed and cranky, I wonder why I told her, I have nausea, my shoulder blade still hasn't been treated, I don't know if the nausea is from the drug or the pain, it is like a migrane when you feel sick, I have to tell the doctors what is wrong with me, then tell them how to fix me, then wait around until they do it, all they while they all drag in the big salaries, I only keep on doing this for the sake of my family and not me, I could quite easily go to sleep and wake up in the here after but my consciencous won't let me leave them to fend for themselves. You know the suffering of this connective tissue thing, it is bad enough having the cancer try and kill us of let alone our own healthy cells having a go as well. Feel free to ask my anything, I have only had gland and skin involvement which has been a blessing, and of course the breasts if you can call them a large gland. Talk to you soon.

Love & Hugs Lyn