Side Affects of 12 weekly Herceptin & Taxol

Hi:

Many of you have had the 12 weekly Taxol and Herceptin infusions. I am currently on Herceptin but would like to ask my oncologist to add a Taxane. I don't know how tolerable this smaller dose of taxane would be expecially as far as the bone marrow is considered. Did those of you who had the 12 weekly Herceptin and Taxol treatments require Nuelasta for white cell stimulation and/or a red cell stimulant? Did you need to take steriods, anti-nausea meds, etc? I orginally had four Taxol treatments on dose dense therapy but that would have been at a higher dose. Your experiences would help me in either asking for 12 weekly does or four three week doses. Thank you.

Barbara

Barbara, I had the 12 weekly taxols and Herceptin. I found it fairly easy to tolerate. I didn't need any stimulants for blood counts & never missed a treatment. I ate exceptionally good during this time, exercised and used shitake mushroom extract to help with white blood counts. Even though you will receive a lower dose weekly you will in total have more taxol in your system than if you had done it every two or three weeks and with that you have a greater chance of getting symptoms of neuropathy. I did have a little numbness in my toes and fingers but am back to normal now. Are you being treated now for active disease? I think that the weekly dose is the preferable one if you are.
Please contact me if you have any questions. I would be happy to help!
Ruth

Ruth:

Thank you very much for responding. I am Stage IIB, 3.5 cm tumor with one node positve with a high mitotic rate, etc. I did have dose dense A/C with Taxol and then Herceptin. I am still on Herceptin and with the results of the different trials I am debating asking my oncologist if I should go back on Taxol while on Herceptin. I am 16 months out from diagnosis so I am really wrestling with this. I really want the advantages of taxol concurrently with Herceptin as it looks so much more effective then sequential Herceptin; apparently 90% and 90% survival at 3 and 5 years versus 84% and 78%. Yet I worry about exposing my body to a poison again. I was hoping the once weekly would be less toxic to my body than an every three week course. I currently get Herceptin every three weeks and have done well with it at 6mg/kg. I have two weddings and a cruise planned this summer and I expect either course will disrupt my plans. Yet I am afraid to wait until mid August to add the Taxol. I see my oncologist on June 6 and hope to have some idea what I would like to pursue by then.

Thanks for listening to me whine. Barbara

I start the 12 Taxol and Herceptin tomorrow and don't know what to expect. I will appreciate any information from anyone who has done this. Is your energy totally zapped. Does you hair continue to fall out

Barbara,

My treatment was similar to you, did AC+Taxol dose dense and a year of Herceptin just finished 3 months of Herceptin. I have asked my oncologist to add Taxol to Herceptin in my last week's appointment but he refused. I am still not having peace of mine espicially after seeing the Herceptin trial results. I am thinking of getting a second opinion. Please us know what your onc say about adding Taxol to Herceptin.

regards,
Julie

Julie:

I will be discussing the topic with my oncologist on Monday, June 6. I will let you know what he says. I really have mixed emotions. I go back and forth between a second year of Herceptin and the low fat diet versus Herceptin and Taxol. I will ask his opinion on the low fat diet as well. What stage and node status are you?

Good luck with your health.

Barbara

Barbara,

I am stage 3b with 4cm tumor, 4 auxilary nodes +ve and also supraclavicular node involvement.

Very interested in knowing what your onc would say.

thanks,
Julie