It's back again - Alternatives to Taxotere & Herceptin?

[Maggie C]

Hi ladies (and some fellows too) -

The results of my CT scan Monday showed 5 lesions in the lungs <1 cm and one of the lesions in my liver which had been 3cm (01-2006) is now 4cm; others no change. My CA 27.29 is at 38 but my CEA is 40. I finished my second round of Taxotere & Herceptin (6 cycles, q 3 weeks) the first of January and have been feeling great. Been having Herceptin q 3 weeks ever since.

My oncologist wants to put me back on Taxotere (of course now that my hair has grown back). He also mentioned Xeloda and Navelbine as alternatives w/Herceptin. Have any of you used either? What are your experiences? If you know of other options, I'd appreciate your input.

I'm thinking the Herceptin isn't working as I was "clear" - lungs - in January. My doc says he expects a 60% success rate w/Taxotere but only 45-50% w/the other two. He's not rushing me to start "chemo". What say you???

Maggie

[DeborahNC]

((Maggie))

Please post this in the her2 group as I am sure you will get lots of responses.

I'm so sorry you're facing this all over again.

All the best, Deborah

[IRENE FROM TAMPA]

Hi Maggie -

I can tell you my experience with some of the drugs you mentioned. I sometimes hate to pass on how I did with certain chemos since everyone is unique in their own treatments and is affected differently but on the other hand I like hearing what others feel.

I am a ten year survivor so I can say to you that even when chemos have failed? on me they have kept me here for that long, which is a good thing.

I think I have almost tried everyone chemo out there, in fact I just came off of the newest, ABRAXANE, I was on since Last July and we just progression again.
They took me off of the Herceptin (which I had been on for 6 1/2 years) when I started the Abraxane.

I just took my first treatment of the combo of - TAXOL/CARBOPLATIN/HERCEPTIN yesterday. So back on with Heceptin.

I have tried Navelbine/Herceptin. Gemzar/Herceptin & also Xeloda/Herceptin.
Each time I went about 8 months without any progression, but again each time the tumor was well controlled. I certainly do not want to discourage anyone from trying these since like I mentioned earlier, everyone is different.

I found all of them to be tolerable. I had some reduction in my blood counts, to be expected. My experience with Xeloda was my feet burned a lot and hands but tolerable. I have never really experienced any nausea with any of my chemo's (just lucky that way so far)

I am planning to walk in the BREAST CANCER 3-DAY WALK that will be in our area in Tampa, Florida in October-GOD WILLING. I will be walking for everyone of us Maggie. We need lots of more drugs to be developed and HOPEFULLY
a CURE or at the least how to control this disease. This takes alot of money and alot of research and time.

Good luck with your treatments and stay strong. That is the whole key to this I believe.

[IRENE FROM TAMPA]

Maggie -

I forgot to mention (like my message was not long enough already) I thought It might help to know.

My original breast cancer was in 1996, three years later mets to my liver (which I had for close to 3 1/2 years) I did have the tumor abalated (returned after 8 months) then in 2004 had liver resection which has grown back nicely and is clean for now. My tumors are now in two lymph nodes outside of the liver and behind the head of the Pancreas.

If you have any questions for me, please feel free to contact me.

[R.B.]

Maggie do check out the posts on omega three six and diet. Use the search facility above right, and type in key words.


Several of the long survivors on this site appear from posts to have incorporated diet as part of their "treatment".


If you have already looked at diet as a treatment adjunct please excuse me.

RB

[Lolly]

Hi Maggie, and welcome;

I haven't had Taxotere, but have been fighting recurrences to my lymph nodes since 2001, after being diagnosed in '99. I'm on my third treatment regimen; each regimen has been Navelbine/Herceptin, with Herceptin maintenance in between. So, repeating a successful treatment combo can be effective. However, in my case, this latest repeat wasn't having quite as effective as we wanted(stable disease), so we have added Xeloda to the mix with great results so far.

I think, and others here will agree, that Hercepin does usually need a chemotherapy to be more effective with stubborn mets. Some chemo's are more synergistic with Herceptin than others. Navelbine more so, Xeloda less so. But as Irene points out, everyone is different and will respond in their own unique way to chemical cocktails and dietary intervention.

Keep us posted on your plan, we all learn from each other!

<3 Lolly

[IRENE FROM TAMPA]

Forgive me Lolly but after reading so many post', I forget who has what anymore.

I see you have your recurrences to lymph nodes. Where are they. Have your treatments gotten rid of any of them and then new ones come out?

I thought I heard that lymph nodes were more easily treated??? dont know that to be true. Has it been contained to your lymph nodes all of this time?

Sorry for all of these questions. Since I went so long with a tumor in my liver, just wondered if this might be the same in lymph nodes.

Thanks Lolly

[Lolly]

Hi Irene; no need to apologise! My problem nodes are in my left neck, left supraclavicular nodes, and right axilla. Although we've been able to control the spread, I continue to have "flare ups" in the same nodes each time; left neck and supraclavicular, right axilla. So that tells us systemic disease will always be a challenge for me, but as long as we can keep the disease contained I'll be happy.

I don't know if node disease is easier to treat than say liver mets, but less scary, for sure. However, I'm ever mindful that I'm one step away from more serious mets, so am always keeping a weather eye out for signs and symptoms.

<3 Lolly

[Shell]

I had taxotere and herceptin, but reoccurred on that, so we switched to xeloda...but while I was on taxatere, I know everyon'e differnt, but I didn't lose my hair, and in fact it kept growing (eyebrows thinned a bit...)


i didn't try the xeloda with the herceptin as I was in a clinical trial, but xeloda is manageable...

Shell