TCH (Taxotere,Carboplatin, Herceptin)

06-16-2008, 05:43 PM

Are any patients on this forum currently doing the TCH regimin?

chrisy · 06-16-2008, 06:12 PM

There are several, hope they will see this and respond.

I was close, getting Taxol/Carboplatin/Herceptin. This combination (or with other taxanes such as Taxotere) is very powerful against Her2+ cancer. Not a picnic of course, but very "doable" and worth it.

harrie · 06-16-2008, 11:37 PM

I did all that and finished 05/07. Was not nearly as bad as what I anticipated. Let me know if you have any questions. Are welcome to email me too.
Will be glad to help in any way I can.
Maryanne

Chelee · 06-17-2008, 12:48 AM

I did TCH, but I finished back in 2006. But if there is anyway I can be of help just ask. As Chrisy mentioned there are a few on TCH now. So keep checking in here and I'm sure between the women currently on it, and those of us that already finished...we all would be more then happy to answer any questions you have.

Chelee

06-17-2008, 03:05 AM

I started TCH at the end of February but ended up hospitalized with vasculitis, probably from the Taxotere. After 6 weeks of rest, during which I kept up the H treatments, my second chemo treatment was abraxane only + H; also my third. Now I am about to have the carboplatin re-introduced and am concerned. Abraxane is great in that there's no nausea, but I have back pain, the constant feeling that I'm coming down with cystitis, numb toes, and loads of emotional effects, such as hostility; what more will I experience with carboplatin! I'm considering telling my onc that today's treatment will be my last-- the hell with treatments 5 and 6. Alternatively, if he can give me something for the emotional effects that works fast, then I might find the strength to continue. But I do not want to spend the whole summer angry and depressed.

Lori R · 06-17-2008, 08:15 PM

I had Taxotere + Herceptin for the full 6 rounds every 3 weeks. I do not know why my Dr. did not use carboplatin. I'll ask at my next appointment.

I share this because there are Drs. that aren't necessarily including carboplatin. My onc is well respected in the Denver medical community so if carboplatin is a road block for you, not adding it to the mix might be an option.

I am confident that you can hang in there for 2 more treatments. Just put one foot in front of the other and continue to come to this site for support.

My appt. with my Dr. is in 2 weeks. I'll post when I get an answer on the carbo.

Lori

harrie · 06-17-2008, 11:44 PM

After treatment #4, I was wondering if I really wanted or needed to continue with #5 and #6. Then my friend Jean here reminded me that it will NOT get worse and I reminded myself that these side effects are temporary. So I ended up sticking it out and finishing up all the way thru #6.
Any side effects that you might need help with...post it out there and I can almost guarantee there will be others that had to deal with it and may provide some helpful hints on dealing with it.
Its tough...we all know it...if we can help you in any way, we will try. You are over the halfway mark to the finish line....

Jean · 06-18-2008, 08:21 AM

Hi Unregistered,
Welcome to the site.
Many of us have had the TCH treatment. While I can think of better ways to spend my time...well you know what I mean - the choice of course is always yours.
But I would strongly encourage you to complete the treatments. The trials have demonstrated the 6 wk course...which will offer you the full benefit of treatment.

Think of the treatment in parts....you only have two more to go...and I am certain your dr. can order a med to help you with the depression (which is what anger is)
which should kick in 2 wks time and have you ready for the next treatment. Strongly tell him you need something in order to cope best with the treatments.

Come here for support during your treatments. You do not have to be alone - this site offers you a place to vent, ask questions, and most of all be with others who have walked in your shoes.

#3 treatment for me was not easy...and I wanted to be anywhere else but that infusion room on #4...but as I look back I am so glad that I did everything I could to
destroy every last bit of breast cancer/and/hopefully rid my body of it for good. It is now 3 yrs. for me and you also will get there....

Best Wishes,
Jean

bmorr7 · 07-02-2013, 02:46 PM

Hi,

My wife has Her-2 positive, ER positive invasive ductal (0.8 cm) with extrensive high grade DCIS (6.2 cm). Rachel just had a bilateral mastectomy with negative nodes and her oncologist wants her to have six rounds of TCH (Taxotere, Carboplatin, Herceptin) with the Herceptin continuing for 1 year. From what I read, this regimen is less toxic than other regimens but still very challenging. Rachel is afraid to try this - can others comment on their experiences with this regimen?

Thanks,

Ben

norkdo · 07-02-2013, 05:43 PM

Now that I have been through all the treatments...the full monty...and just had my second anniversary of the dx, I feel so different I can't believe this is me talking...I was exactly like you are with the "to hell with it" attitude about how nasty was chemo, terrified of radiation before it started, etc. I had to be dragged kicking and screaming through all the treatment, but I have to say, do all the treatments. Every last one.
It's a marathon not a sprint. When it is over you will lose the weight you gained on the steroids they give you to tolerate chemo. There is no way to keep it on! It falls away even though I did no dieting , etc. your bowels and tummy and hair and eyelashes and everything do return to normal. Have faith that you will feel a hundred percent better at a time in the future. Then you will only be left with this question: "Did I do every single initial treatment they told me to do?" If you can answer yes, your peace of mind will be a million times better. I was so fed up after chemo I delayed radiation start and just was absent for several and they had to reschedule them so no, I didn't do all the radiations in the time recommended. But I did them.
Please relax. Do everything and anything you can to take time off and get through the treatments. Please. I'd love to read your posts one day when you are a long term survivor. We have lost a number of women on these boards. Please, please, find the Rocky Balboa in you to get through this.
I am here for you and so are all the wonderful, brilliant women on here.

norkdo · 07-02-2013, 05:54 PM

Denise and Pray and others here may recall I had a huge case of anger....and I agree with Jean, above, anger is depression on steroids. So rage rage rage....go for it, sister, let it all out. My rages were all over these boards...I raged and raged. But in the months after finishing the steroid use/chemo, I started feeling a lot better and am now back to normal. Let it out but don't stop the treatments. I increased my anti-depressant in the last month to a much higher dose. go for it.

Kkmom · 07-02-2013, 07:26 PM

Yes, just completed 6 rounds of taxotere and carboplatin on May 22. Continuing with herceptin until February 2014. I am also now on day 12/35 rounds of radiation. My breast cancer was estrogen+/progesterone+/her2 neu.

Jean · 07-02-2013, 08:57 PM

Ben,
It is only normal for Rachel to resist treatment. But Her2 is a nasty and aggressive form of breast cancer. I would like to share that not very long ago some of us had to fight to get treatment if we were dx. as an early stage patient. (can you believe that?) Sounds archaic now, but true. The data is not yet in for dr. to say treatment with just herceptin and forgo the TC. Her2 has a strong recurrence rate the first two years after dx. The treatment along with surgery is truly necessary. I do not know your wife's stage, her KI 67 levels or the pathology of her cancer. While the thought was a tiny tumor caught early was a safer dx. Not true, as many women who were early stage 1 - no nodes, had recurrence. We still do not why some recur and other don't. But with Her2 as a dx. it is wise to have treatment. As far as the treatment goes if you are prepared it is doable. Many of the women worked through their treatments. It is important to take all your meds, even if you feel great. Usually the treatments are accumulative in nature, like I said it is doable. The fear of the unknown is the worst part for most of us when entering treatment. I can only say that it is never as bad as we imagine it will be. For some women losing hair is major. For me I was prepared and took in stride as part of the fight. I had my wig ready to go before I had my hair cut off to make it as easy as possible. Like I said,
being prepared is half the battle. This site offers great support so feel comfortable to ask questions. You sound like a very loving and supportive husband, which is wonderful.
I Wish you and Rachel all the best.
Kind Regards,
Jean

Shirley · 07-02-2013, 10:20 PM

Hello,

I finished round 3 of 4 neoadjuvent TCH treatments last week; every 3 weeks. There was some discussion on this board recently about having 4 vs. 6. I think there is some study out there that suggested 4 rounds were as effective as 6 but I would go by what your doc recommends. It is probably not "one size fits all".

My experience is that I feel okay for the first 3 days after chemo but on days 4 and 5 I feel awful. I have my chemo on Thursday and don't go back to work until the next Wednesday. I do not have much nausea (but they gave me anti-nausea medication in case). My ankles and legs ache (it's like bone or joint pain, not sure which), lots of fatigue, bowel issues (not constant thank goodness), and my skin hurts all over like I'm bruised. Sort of like a bad flu. Also, there is something I can't explain but it's like the synapses in my brain are short wiring and I feel dizzy and unsteady on occasion. My heart pounds in my ears sometimes on those bad days. It's manageable (as in not unbearable) although I am too unwell to work on the 2 bad days (office job).

It helps to remember that it will pass--and that it is working to KILL cancer cells. My 9 cm tumor, which I could feel beforehand, was dramatically reduced within days of the first treatment!

My hair started coming out at about 3 weeks. It will grow back, and in the meantime I'm having fun with wigs and scarves. You do what you have to do.

I think most women also have a Nuelasta shot the day after chemo; I take Claritin that day and seem to be okay with it. I understand there can be bone pain without Claritin in the mix. The shot itself is in the arm or subcutaneous fat and I think it hurts like crazy (I'm like a little kid when it comes to needles though!). It helps if you relax your arm and the nurse injects it SLOWLY. This really helped me last time.

I have a bigger problem in my mind with the thought of surgery, and never considered chemo as optional, at least at this stage. That being said the usual applies: your mileage may vary when it comes to side effects. I'd encourage you to do the chemo if that's what has been recommended and know that it is a temporary situation, just one step towards getting well. As others have said, you don't don't want to mess around with HER2--just get it GONE.