question on Taxol treatments
 

I have a question about Taxol. My oncologist opted for 12 weekly taxol treatments at the last minute instead of 4 (one every two weeks). Having a hard time understanding why exactly. Has anyone else had this treatment or does anyone know of the benefits/disadvantages of this? Is it any more or less effective?

KellyA

dx 05/06
stage 2b er/pr - her2+
3 positive nodes
double masectomy
4 AC (dose dense) and 12 weekly Taxols
Herceptin weekly x 1 year

I also had 12 weekly taxol/herceptin treatments. I was told by my onc that it is more effective and also that the risk of nueropathy is less when you are given 12 smaller doses instead of 4 larger ones.



Laurie

Kelly,


I had the same diagnosis as you and was schedule for 4 Taxol dose dense after the 2nd dose the nueropathy was not going away so the final 2 doses was split in 3rd and was much better for the nueropathy. I would recommend the smaller doses to avoid the potential side effect.

Best of Luck.

Mary

I had dose dense chemo - 4 Taxol w/herceptin. Taxol ended in February but I am still on herceptin. I was left with significant neuropathy in my hands and feet. My doctor said it can take up to a year to go away but a friend told me effects can stay forever. It is awful. Go for the smaller doses if this works! I just did as I was told to beat the cancer but if I could have done that, it would have been so much better now. Good luck, Kelly.

EllaD

I had the 12 weekly Taxols with Herceptin. My chemo nurse said that the side effects are generally much less with the weekly doses.

Thank you very much for your responses- I was worried about the treatment being as effective. Funny though, didn't lose my eyelashes or brows on adriamycin and they are GONE with the low Taxol- yet my hair is growing. My close friend has EXACTLY the same diagnosis as me, we both had our masectomies 1 week apart, started chemo the same day, same doctors- oncologist too, and he chose to do one of us with 4 doses of Taxol (bi-weekly), and one with 12 weekly doses. I know that you are not supposed to compare, but it makes you paranoid about why he chose the way he did.
Anyways, thank you again !

Kelly

Eyebrows and lashes --- I felt worse losing them than losing my hair. I kid you not. I had long lashes. Happy to say everything grew back and lashes are just as long.

I also had weekly taxol+. My doctors felt it was easier from a toxicity standpoint and also that it might be more effective as it was more of a constant level, to kill off more cancer cells before they got going.

It is a reasonable treatment choice.

MJo
 

did your lashes grow back before or after Herceptin treatment? Just curious!

Hi, Weekly T & H. No nueropathy. Lost lashes, brows and top of head hair resisted growing back. Still on H, have hair back, so taxol must selectively eliminate hair in a wierd way. BB