Chemo type question

[Liz J.]

Hi HER2 family,

Does anyone know what the difference is between Taxol and 5FU. Outside of one other of us (I think it is Alaska Angel) I have not read about anyone receiving this treatment except me. I notice that most received C/A and Taxol. I received C/A (Cytoxin and Adrimycin) with something called 5FU. I had 6tx once every 3 weeks. I am now receiving Herceptin every 3 weeks and taking Arimidex. Just wondering if anyone has an insight on this.

Sincerely,

Liz J.

[chrislmelb]

I had it with cyclophosphamide (C) and Epirubicin(E). So i had FEC. Andrymicin is like Epirubicin. So now i see there are two Cs. I am the only one i know who had 8xFEC. I also am on Arimidex and herceptin.
Christine

[AlaskaAngel]

I've seen a few stray folks here and there who still get either CEF or CAF but they do seem to be pretty rare, and possibly they get it because they have some health condition that prevents them from getting a taxane (?). At the time I was treated I think I was pretty much at the tail end of the use of those regimens before CA and a taxane started being given instead. When I was treated, those who were HR+ got CEF or CAF, and those who were not got CMF (methotrexate instead of either Adriamycin or epirubicin). Taxanes are generally more helpful (as I understand it) for those who are HR-.

AlaskaAngel

[Barbara2]

I, too, had 6 treatments of CEF, once every 3 weeks. 5-FU is flourouracil, a chemotherapy drug used in treating breast cancer and other types of cancer. But I know it is not like the taxanes. 5-FU also comes in tablet form called Xeloda.

[Becky]

Just an fyi - Xeloda is not 5-FU but its active is converted to 5-FU once injested.


Becky

[juanita]

I did tac with the first onc I had. The second onc wanted to do the same thing and there was no way I was going through that ^%$# of being so sick again, so he did 6 treatments of cmf.