 |
12-14-2008, 11:35 PM
|
#1
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 136
|
Who gets Zometa?
Can anyone clarify who would be a candidate for Zometa? Does one have to have bone metastasis to receive zometa or are some oncologists providing this to women to treat bone loss from treatments? I am seeing and reading conflicting info on this so thought I would check with the one site I seem to get most of my answers! Thanks in adance to anyone that may be able to clarify this for me.
__________________
Debra
Diag. 11/05 at age 40 triple positive
3.8 cm tumor and 9 mm tumor
Stage IIb/SN positive(no other nodes)Grade 3
Bilat. mastect. 12/05 (Rt.prophylactic) followed with AC/taxol/Herceptin/tamoxifen then switched to arimidex after hysterectomy in 12/06. August 07 switched to Aromasin due to severe jt. pain from Arimidex. Nov. 2011 No more meds and NED!
|
|
|
|
12-15-2008, 09:30 AM
|
#2
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Bradenton,FL
Posts: 977
|
Its is my understanding that it is now recomended for early stage cancer to prevent mets and shore up bones~ I am waiting for my DEXA scan to interpreted to see if I am still osteopenic and then my Onc will submit to UHC to see if they will pay...getting insurance to pay seems to be a problem for some,
Our diagnosis was/is very similar Deb,
Marcia
|
|
|
|
|
12-15-2008, 12:45 PM
|
#3
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: RHODE ISLAND
(Ed getting me a latte on 2nd Cancerversary Cruise 2008)
'BELIEVE': To accept as true or real, To have faith in, To presume
ALWAYS BELIEVE
Posts: 2,999
|
Hey Debra
Always nice to hear from you. This is not answering your question but I wanted you to know that Ed has been on Zometa since 10/06. Bone scans done then and last week compared: Noticed repair to blastic and lytic lesions. This drug worked wonders for what he needed it to do! Yipee!
I do know other friends whom do not have mets that take this drug. Hope you find your answers from our experts.>>Believe51
__________________
9/7/06Husband 50yrs=StageIV IBC/HER2+,BoneMets10/06TaxotereX10,'H'1X wk,Zometa,Tamoxifen4/12/07Last Tax5/18/07Pet=Rapid Cell Activity,No Organ Mets,Lytic Lesions,Degeneration,Some Bone Repair5/07ChemoFail6/01/07Pleural Thoracentisis=Effusions,NoMalignantCells6/19/07+7/2/07DFCI
6/25/07BrainMRI=BrainMets,Many<9mm7/10/07WBR/PelvisRad37.5Gx15&Nutritionist8/19/07T/X9/20/07BrainMRI=2<2mm10/6/07Pet=BoneProgression
10/24/07ChemoFail11/9/07A/Cx10,EndTam12/7/07Faslodex12/10/07Muga7512/13/07BlasticLesions1/7/08BrainMRI=Clear4/1/08Pet=BoneImprovement,
NoProgression,Stable4/7/08BrainPerfect5/16/08Last A/C8/26/08BrainMets=10(<9mm)9/10/08Gamma10/30/08Met=5mm12/19/08Gamma5mets5
12/22/08SpinalMets1/14/09SpinalRads2/17/09BrainMRI=NoNewMets4/20/09BoneScan5/14/09Ixempra6/1/09BrainMRI=NumerousMets6/24/09DFCIw/DrBurstein6/26/09Continue
Ixempra/Faslodex/Zometa~TM now lower7/17/09Stop Ixempra By Choice9/21/09HOSPICE10/16/09Earned His Deserved Wings And Halo=37 Month Fight w/Stage 4 IBC, Her2+++,My Hero!!
|
|
|
|
|
12-15-2008, 07:22 PM
|
#4
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Mountains of Virginia
Posts: 2,267
|
I was stage III, no mets. My insurance agreed to pay for Zometa after my bone scan showed osteopenia following chemo. My onc really pushed to get me on Zometa for the bone building quality and the preventative aspect also.
__________________
Rhonda (Sassy)
dx age 45
DX 2/15/05 Stage IIb (at surgery)restaged IIIa
Left mast .9cm tumor 5 of 14 nodes
Triple Positive
4 DD A/C
12 Taxol/Herceptin
33Rads
Strange infect mast site one year aft surg, hosp 1 wk
Herceptin for total of 18 months
Lupron Monthly 4 yrs
Neurontin for aches, pains and hot flashes(It works!)
Ovaries removed 11/09 stop Lupron and Neurontin
Arimidex 6 yrs (tried Femara, no SE improvement)
Tried Exemestane-hips got so bad could hardly walk
Back to Arimidex for year seven
Zometa 2X Annual for 7years, Lasix
Stop Arimidex 5/13
Stop Zometa 7/13-Bi-lateral Stress Fractures in Femurs from Zometa
5/14 Start Tamoxifen
3/15 Stem cell transplant to stimulate femur bone growth/healing
5/15 Complete fracture of right femur/Titanium rods both femurs
9/16 Start Evista stopTamoxifen
3/17 Stop Evista--unwelcome side effects!
NED and no meds.......
14 YEARS NED!
|
|
|
|
|
12-16-2008, 08:08 AM
|
#5
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 136
|
Thank you!
Thanks so much for the replies. That is exactly what I wanted to hear gals! I was under the impression that zometa was only for existing bone mets creating bone destruction but I am understanding that to not be the only case. I haven't researched this drug but it has been in the cancer news more lately. I knew Ed was on it and also some others but lately noticed that some are on it that do indeed not have current bone mets.
I will be looking into this further since I am osteopenic thanks to chemo and AI's.
I knew I would get some clarification here!
__________________
Debra
Diag. 11/05 at age 40 triple positive
3.8 cm tumor and 9 mm tumor
Stage IIb/SN positive(no other nodes)Grade 3
Bilat. mastect. 12/05 (Rt.prophylactic) followed with AC/taxol/Herceptin/tamoxifen then switched to arimidex after hysterectomy in 12/06. August 07 switched to Aromasin due to severe jt. pain from Arimidex. Nov. 2011 No more meds and NED!
|
|
|
|
|
12-16-2008, 08:38 AM
|
#6
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: RHODE ISLAND
(Ed getting me a latte on 2nd Cancerversary Cruise 2008)
'BELIEVE': To accept as true or real, To have faith in, To presume
ALWAYS BELIEVE
Posts: 2,999
|
Debra, glad to see that you got what you needed, please keep us updated to what happens in your future. Thanks Debra.>>Believe51
__________________
9/7/06Husband 50yrs=StageIV IBC/HER2+,BoneMets10/06TaxotereX10,'H'1X wk,Zometa,Tamoxifen4/12/07Last Tax5/18/07Pet=Rapid Cell Activity,No Organ Mets,Lytic Lesions,Degeneration,Some Bone Repair5/07ChemoFail6/01/07Pleural Thoracentisis=Effusions,NoMalignantCells6/19/07+7/2/07DFCI
6/25/07BrainMRI=BrainMets,Many<9mm7/10/07WBR/PelvisRad37.5Gx15&Nutritionist8/19/07T/X9/20/07BrainMRI=2<2mm10/6/07Pet=BoneProgression
10/24/07ChemoFail11/9/07A/Cx10,EndTam12/7/07Faslodex12/10/07Muga7512/13/07BlasticLesions1/7/08BrainMRI=Clear4/1/08Pet=BoneImprovement,
NoProgression,Stable4/7/08BrainPerfect5/16/08Last A/C8/26/08BrainMets=10(<9mm)9/10/08Gamma10/30/08Met=5mm12/19/08Gamma5mets5
12/22/08SpinalMets1/14/09SpinalRads2/17/09BrainMRI=NoNewMets4/20/09BoneScan5/14/09Ixempra6/1/09BrainMRI=NumerousMets6/24/09DFCIw/DrBurstein6/26/09Continue
Ixempra/Faslodex/Zometa~TM now lower7/17/09Stop Ixempra By Choice9/21/09HOSPICE10/16/09Earned His Deserved Wings And Halo=37 Month Fight w/Stage 4 IBC, Her2+++,My Hero!!
|
|
|
|
|
12-16-2008, 08:55 AM
|
#7
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: LI, NY
Posts: 660
|
Debra - I do not have bone mets, but do have osteoporosis from all the chemo. I receive zometa once a year. As of right now, that is all Medicare will pay for. I do think that will be changing soon though.
__________________
Maryann
Stage IV Inflammatory BC 1/00
Mod Rad Mastectomy 24nod/5+
Adriomycin Cytoxin Taxol
Tamoxifen 4 1/2 yrs
Radiation - 32 x
Metastatic BC lung/liver 10/04
thorocentesis 2x - pleurodesis
Herceptin Taxatiere Carbo
Femera/Lupron
BC NED 4/05
chemo induced Acute Myeloid Leukemia 5/06
Induction/consolidation chemo
bone marrow transplant - 11/3/06
Severe Host vs Graft Disease of liver
BC mets to lung 11/07
Fasoladex Herceptin Zometa Xeloda
GVHD/Iron overload to liver
Avascular Necrosis/morphine pump 10/10
metastatic brain tumor
steriotactic radiosurgery
|
|
|
|
|
12-16-2008, 10:41 AM
|
#8
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 3,142
|
Who gets Zometa?
I suggest that if a person is considering Zometa for whatever reason that person get a full dental checkup first. I have a dental issue near my jaw bone. My dentist and my oncologist are always debating if and when to prescribe Zometa and if so how much to prescribe. One of the possible side effects of Zometa is osteonecrosis (injury to the jaw)of the jaw. Harrie might know more about this. I hope she can join us for this discussion.
Merry Christmas
|
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:56 AM.
|
Linear Mode
