Lapatinib/Xeloda dosing
 

My wife finally got started in the trial today. We are both very hopeful that this trial is the cocktail that succeeds in beating Maryann's cancer.

Cycle is 21 days, Her dose is:
*Lapatinib 1250 mg once/day, d 1-21
*Xeloda in the morning 2000mg, d 1-14
*Xeloda in the evening 1500mg (12 hrs between xeloda doses), d 1-14

In her previous cocktail she took 1500 mg xeloda d 1-14 w/ navelbine and herceptin. That's a big difference but I guess w/o the second chemo agent more than double the dose is appropriate??

Are other folks in lapatinib/xeloda trial taking similar xeloda doses and following similar schedule?

For those computing based on volume, she is 5'7" and 135 lbs

I sent an email directly to Paul to see what he thinks.

Note: Reposted this here (from clinical trail forums) at the suggestion of Lolly. (Thanx)

Ken

If she has side effects, they may want to decrease the Xeloda...I am on the Xeloda with Herceptin and I take 1500mg in the a.m. and 1000 mg at night....they have found that more is not better with Xeloda.....Lolly takes less, but takes it continually...I take it 14 days and off 7. So far no problems....Sandy might be able to answer since she is on Tykerb and Xeloda.

I take 1250 mgs of Tykerb in the morning on an empty stomach every day(no break). I started out taking Xeloda 3000 mgs a day (1500 a.m and 1500 p.m.) but 9 days on it I had diarrhea so bad my potassium dropped and I was starting to have atrial fib with my heart. Took a two week break and dropped the dose to 2000 mgs. I still have bouts of diarrhea lots of gas but its manageable so far. The Xeloda needs to be taken with food and I drink lots of water. I hope this helps we are all different and so each has to try it for themselves. hugs, Sandy

Ken, I'm not on a trial and my Xeloda dose is very low, 500mg am & pm with no break, along with Herceptin 2 weekly. Although I've had no side effects from this low dose, we recently added radiation as the response from the low dose was not what we hoped for.

eat your spinach (& swiss chard)
 

Thanks for the input. I'll keep a close eye on Maryann's tolerance for the xeloda. I'll have make sure we get potasium rich foods for her:

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=90

Ken-


I was in the xeldoa/lapatinib trial, and started out in the arm with xeloda only. I am close in height & weight to your wife, and my dose was originally 2500mg/m2 for days 1-14, with one week off. This was 4300 mg/day. It was too high, as I got serious H/F, and was reduced 25%. It was eventually reduced 25% further, and they the trial broke and I got to add tykerb. I took 5 pills every day, one hour after breakast.

Shell

Also On Trial
 

Ken -

I Started On The Trial In August And Just Started My 4th Cycle Of The Xeloda (of Course Tykerb Daily)

They Started Me On 3000 Mg Daily But We Reduced To 2650 Mg After Two Cycles Since I Developed Loose Bowels And Mouth Sores/ Foot Hand Problems. I Still Have The Foot Hand Cracking But Stomach And Sores Much Better. I Took Xeloda Several Years Ago And I Knew I Was Going To Have To Reduce Since It Effected Me The Same Way Then.

Everyone's System Is Different So Your Wife Will Just Need To Find Her Comfort Level And Discuss With Her Doctor When That Time Comes If Her Present Dose Is Bothering Her.

I Will Be Rescanned In About Two Weeks To See How Everything Is Going.

Good Luck To Your Wife.