Good news with Tykerb
Hi you guys, I just wanted to share my good news with the Tykerb/Xeloda drug combo. A little history ...I became stage 4 last July with extensive liver mets over 70%..My tumor marker Ca 27/29 was 1149,,my bile duct was completely obstructed and I became jaundice, had terrible itching, lost weight, etc..this occurred rapidly, over a 3 week period. At first, my bilirubin was too high to get chemo, topped out at 9.3. We tried liver stents several times and I even had to have a drainage tube inserted into my gallbladder to drain out bile. I carried around a drain bag for 3 months.This worked and I was able to get Gemzar/Herceptin which eventually brought my markers down to 80. My markers started to increase in March and went up to 123 at last check 5 weeks ago.
I started Tykerb (5 pills 1250) and Xeloda (7 pills 3500mg) just 4 weeks ago. My tumor marker has dropped 50 points..I'm at 73 now, lower than ever.I'm so happy with this drug combo!! I did have some severe dryness however, (face peeling and so thirsty) a slight rash and I got the diarrhea which is unusual for me. My doc lowered my Tykerb by one pill so we will see how that goes.
Rock on Tykerb..love these results!!
JB
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Jean B
Inflammatory Breast Cancer 2003
A/C Taxol dose dense regimen
6 weeks radiation
1 year Herceptin
NED for 2 years and 4 months
Recurrence in July 2006 with extensive liver mets over 70%, tumor obstructing bile duct-gallbladder, mets to spine and pelvis, abdominal lymph nodes enlarged, mass on pancreas.
Hospice called in until Gemzar and Herceptin started in Aug. 2006
May 2007 pet scan shows only 1 liver lesion 1.1 cm. bone mets gone, no enlarged lymph nodes.
June 2007-Switch to Tykerb/Xeloda because markers increased
Sept 2007-tumor marker 357-2.4 cm mass on pancreas,1 cm lesion on thyroid, duodenum and more liver mets.--switch to abraxane/carboplatin/herceptin and doing much better
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