chemo

if a chemo is tried and fails, it that particular drug ever tried again down the road? if more than 1 drug fails, they will continue to try more won't they??

Hi there, if a drug fails that doesn't mean that it won't be combined with another drug at a later stage, some just work better with something else instead of on their own. There always seems to be another drug, especially when all of us ladies pool our resources, and knowledge, we usually come up with something, then there is always radiation and a few other methods of getting rid of these rotten cancer cells.

Hugs from Lyn

HI-
I tried 3 different combos before herceptin/taxol brought me to NED.After I had disease progression on navelbine/herceptin, I switched to a clinical trial drug, but that didn't keep me stable, so we switched to taxol/herceptin, and that was the magic combo for me.Now I'm on Herceptin alone-my onc didn't think that herceptin alone would keep me NED, especially when my first attempt w/herceptin resulted in more mets, but so far so good!You just have to keep trying different combos.Keep your body strong so that it can withstand the toxicity and give the chemo a chance to work.
If you're running low on options, ask you onc about a "chemosensitiviy assay". It's a test that will help narrow down which combos will NOT work.
Take good care.

I have been on taxol, carboplatin, and herceptin weekly (3on/1off) and zometa monthly. I just completed my 4th round. I have had to take arenesp for the RBC but WBC has been good, I haven't had any infections and I go everywhere. My side effects have been minimal. I have a lady friend who prays with me before every treatment, test, etc. then she puts me on her prayer chain at her church. I take strong pain medication because I have a compression fracture in my spine from the mets, so that helps with some of the side effects, too. My CA15-3 was 345 03/04, 111 05/04, after radiation, and 34.5 07/04, after 2 round of chemo. I am so relieved that this treatment is working. It has to be very discouraging to those who have to keep trying new treatments until something works. I will keep them in my prayers. Thanks and Blessings. Love, Lu Ann.