Scans, then Tykerb/Taxol

[Lolly]

Hi Gang; I saw my onc yesterday and have palpable progression in the right axilla/chest nodes, probable skin mets also as there are several suspicious nodules in the scar line. I'm having CT and Brain MRI this week, hoping there's no further spread, and then hope to start Tykerb/Taxol next week. The paperwork was faxed yesterday by his nurse, so the ball is rolling!

One of the results from SABCS in December was of a small trial of Tykerb/Taxol for Inflammatory BC which was very promising, so I'm hopeful this will be a good combo for me. I had Taxol in 2000 for tx of primary, and it was tolerable.

Any advice will be appreciated!

<3 Lolly

[StephN]

Oh, Lolly, so sorry the Gemzer was not a successful treatment for you. I am truly bummed to hear of this progression.

AND that you may have skin mets! YIKES, this is the first I have heard of skin mets appearing in a non-IBC patient. Have you had a skin puncture done to analyze these spots??

I had my lab work, DEXA scan and PET/CT last week and see my med onc tomorrow. So am in the "waiting mode" as well.

My best thoughts are with you Warrior Woman!

[chrisy]

Lolly,
yes, that sounds strange to be experiencing skin mets at this point. But if that is the case, Tykerb has shown great results in treating this, I saw the reports at San Antonio. And you have done well in the past with Taxol, I think this will be a good powerful combo for you. T&T - like the dynamite, blasting those little buggers to smithereens!

Oops, does that mean I'm getting "T&A"?

[Mary Jo]

I'm sorry Lolly. Hugs from me to you. The good news - Tykerb -and I am trusting that will be the thing to get you past this as well.

Mary Jo

[lexigirl]

Lolly,

I am sorry that there is some progression. I am hopeful that the tykerb combo will put you back to NED. Knock those buggers out!


Hugs and Prayers,
Lexi

[IRENE FROM TAMPA]

to hear this Lolly -

As you know I have been on the combo since last August and holding stable.
If there is any thing I can answer for you please do not hesitate to contact me.

I also had invasive ductal carcinoma and am ER/Pr neg with 3+ positive for Her2.

Good luck on your other test.

[Sheila]

Lolly

I am so sorry to hear this....I am not having good results from this round of Xeloda ...I guess the third time was not the charm.....so I will see what my next combo will be....Xeloda has been easy to take...but with the increased dose i am dragging.....I hope the Tykerb/Taxol kicks butt....seems I am right behind you!

[Mary Anne in TX]

Lolly and Sheila, I hope the T & T combo will rock those mets back on their heels! I am so very sorry that you are in this position, but will be believing for the T & T to work and mighty quick too! Much love to you two as you jump into this next combination. ma

[hutchibk]

Lolly - best of luck on TnT! I have been on Taxol for 8 months now in combo
with Herceptin. I can honestly say that I am pleasantly surprised by just how
tolerable it has been for me (every 3 weeks)! I hope you tolerate it well, too. All I really experience is fatigue at about days 4-6 after a treatment and just a little bit of numb fingertips and toes. All in all, I can't complain. And only in the last month has it started to knock down the bone marrow enough that I have had to get the neupogen shots. Looks like I am done with Taxol for now as we will probably switch to Tykerb/Xeloda to guard against further brain mets once we CK the 3 small ones we found recently.

[Roz]

Lolly, I am sorry to hear about your news. Perhaps it is worth getting the skin biopsied, as I too had skin involvement, on the scar line on the chest wall, although it looked very much like a subaceous cyst. In your case, not being IBC it may well be something else.I have IBC and I am interested in the trial you mentioned, ie Taxol/Tykerb, as I am now into my 3rd cycle of Taxol/Herceptin after my 2nd recurrence to nodes. Taxol is being well tolerated at this stage, but I realise it is only a matter of time before I come off it as I became neuropenic during adjuvant therapy whilst on it. I may well be able to use the combo further down the track. Do you have a link for this trial?

Cheers
Roz

[Lolly]

Thanks all, for the well wishes...
Steph and Chrisy, it IS strange about the skin mets; I had similar nodules appear on the left side during the first recurrence, and also a rashy area over my clavicle which my surgeon biopsied(the rash). It was Not imflammatory according to pathology, but in hindsite should have had one of the nodules biopsied also. I will talk to my onc next week about a biopsy of one of the little buggers!
Irene and Sheila, will keep you posted as we are on parallel paths it seems.
BH, glad to hear Taxol is going well for you, it really isn't too bad as far as I remember!
Roz, I'll look for the link and post it asap.

<3 Lolly

[Lolly]

Here's the link to the news release:

SABCS: Tykerb Plus Taxol Effective Against Inflammatory Breast Cancer
http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/2005SABCSMeeting/tb/4724

[tousled1]

Lolly, Sorry to hear about progression in the nodes. Praying that your CT and MRI come back ok.

[lindaw]

Dear lolly

Sorry to hear about your progression. I hope the Tykerb/Taxol is good for you.
I have skin mets and am not Imflammatory BC.

love
linda

[Joy]

I'm sorry Lolly! I'm glad you have a good plan in motion. Do you ever get a vibe when you are reading something from someone on the site? I got this vibe that this is going to be a great combination for you. It was just one of those unexpected strong feelings and I'm sticking to that! Please keep us posted as to how you are feeling and those other tests and wha thougths you need. How is your husband doing with all of this?

you are a hero!

[Kim in CA]

Dear Lolly,


I'm sure sorry to hear this latest news for you. That combination sounds like a good one. The Taxanes are pretty good at their job, and with the Tykerb should be even better.

Sending hugs and prayers your way for a quick response and knockdown of those mets.

Love Kim in CA

[Jean]

Lolly,
Very sorry to hear your news - but like Joy I do think your new treatment
will do the job. Sounds strong when it is posted as T & T...I wish you only
the best on our Ct and MRI scans....and of course will keep you in my
prayers.

Ditto for you too Sheila!

Kind Regards,
Jean

[mamacze]

Dear Lolly,
It seems like yesterday I was asking you about the Seattle trial then followed on your heels and enrolled. I haven't checked in on our site here for several months; but tonight I felt a nudge to log on and I am saddened to hear of your recurrance. I am also feeling twinges...not looking forward to my upcoming scans...the 3 year mark must be some kind of milestone. I have no advice; just a promise to hold you close in prayers, friend, that this new round of treatment is effective. Please stay with us and let us know how it is working; more importantly how you are holding up. You are a warrior to me; and I am so grateful to have your brave experience to follow.
Love Kim from CT

[Lolly]

HA! T n' T! I just re-read Chrisy's post after your's Kim, and sure hope her T n' A works as well as T n' T!

[cheekiepie]

You are a good woman and deserve the best and my prayers and beliefs are just that you will get them . You have been the one who has always resopnded to any post I have had with an encourging word . Tykerb is the best right know for the fight ya,ll ladies are up against. Robens hold back on it was her platlet count . You have already done toxil before and this will be the one that would give you side effect. So keep you chin up and do us all a favor and whip this .
MY BEST
cheekiepie

[Shell]

Lolly-

i hope you tolerate the taxol/tykerb well, and we are all thinking of you and wishing you well...

regards,

[Esther]

Lolly, I hope the Tykerb really crushes those little cancer cells to bits! I started Tykerb a week ago, and am hopefull that I will see positive results.

May we both see awesome results from Tykerb!!

[Becky]

Oh rats. I was hoping the Gemzar would do a better job. However, taxanes are great drugs, especially for Her2+ cancer. Like Chrisy, I saw all the Tykerb presentations in San Antonio and the Tykerb/Taxol combo worked especially well - better in my opinion than Tykerb/Xeloda.


Big hug to you