Gemzaar+cisplatin, is some trial available?

[Ragini Srinivasan]

Hi,
I dont post very often but do read them and get a lot of encouragement from all of you out there. I have been at this game for a long time and getting tired now.
dx 1998 stage T1a, left mastectomy, no adjuvent chemo or radio as was the protocol in the netherlands.
recurrence in oct2000 4AC +4 taxol
moved on to herceptin till March 2002.
Weekly navelbine + herceptin till Aug 2003
moved on to Xeloda + herceptin
Dx with 5cm brain mets in Jan 2004
craniotomy followed by 28 rounds of focal radiation
Nov 2004 mediastinal lymphnodes involvement followed by loss in volume of voice. more bone mets and a few spots in lung.
10 rounds of radiation to nodes. 3rd of Jan start with weekly gemzaar+cisplatin+ herceptin. This time around the doc has said that the effects are going to be fairly and am not looking forward to it. I am based in Singapore, any one who has been on this drug could you pl give some input. Some of you have been thru some clinical trials, could you pl keep posting as to how you are all doing. Hearing from all of you gives me strength because you have been thru it and know exactly what we are dealing with.
Lastly praying for a good new year for all of us and hoping for some magic bullets in the near future.
Love
Ragini srinivasan

[*_StephN_*]

Hi Ragini -
Sorry to hear you still have some progression. Seems to be a very persistent tumor type.
I do kow that the Gemzar/Cisplatin combo has proven powerful against non-small cell lung cancers. Hope it knocks out those spots in your lungs as well as the others. Seem to recall some other women on this board having some success with these drugs. Maybe you could search this site for the old posts as they were carried over.
There is also a new trial in various locations in this country for taxane-resistent tumors. They are using Xeloda and Epothilone. The Epothilone may not be available in Singapore, but you might ask about it if your tumor is decided to be taxane resistent.
All the best wishes and sending some good thoughts for strength to get through this fork in the road.

[Lolly]

Ragini, these two drugs are synergistic with Herceptin, so am hoping and praying you get a good response. I have a friend on Gemzar/Herceptin for inflammatory bc, which is very agressive, and she is doing very well, regression and hoping for remission. With cisplatim added, you will really be knocking it for a loop, so hang in there, you CAN do this. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers and send positive healing energy your way.

Love, Lolly