Xeloda

Hi

I was NED the whole time I was on Xeloda and Avastin last year.  That was about 4 months, following 4 months of NED while on Navelbine and Avastin.  When we cut the Avastin (due to side effects), leaving me on Xeloda alone, I recurred within 4 weeks.  So my conclusion was that Xeloda alone was ineffective for me.  Sorry to give such a negative answer. 

hi Danelle,

Nancy,

In response to some of your questions, I am BRCA negative. The first indication that something was up this time around, was shoulder pain and pain in the arm on the effected side. I scheduled another round of physical therapy thinking I was just getting a frozen shoulder. Before I started PT, I noticed a quarter-sized redness appearing at around my clavical. I went back to my radiation oncologist to see if this was a delayed reaction to my radiation. That's when the testing started and continued for about two to three weeks and finally ended in the skin biopsy. The MRI's showed swelling in the pectoral muscle and swelling across the upper side of my chest. My radiation oncologist warned me that she thought this was the cancer coming back, even though the tests were negative (no tumor mass seen). By the time the biopsy came back, the redness had spread to my reconstruction incision in a triangle from the clavicle (about a 4 inch triangle and all within the area that was radiated 14 months ago). We got the port in place and started the new chemo within three days - very aggressive. Surgery was no option because there is no specific mass - just alot of angry skin to show. I understand that this is a very unusual type of reocurrence even for us Triple Negatives.

Thank you all for the information - keep it coming. I will try to add information that I feel may be helpful to all of you.

Danelle in Phoenix

Angela,

I have been on Xeloda, Carboplatin and Avastin for just over one week. Not too sure what to tell you other than one of them is nauseating me. I didn't really have any problems with nausea during the first round of chemo in 2006. It is stabilizing and I am figuring out which anti-nausea works best and when to take it.

I know how discouraged you are about the treatment, but as I have been told, the doctors have a great many tricks up their sleeve and one combiniation of drugs will surely work for you. As hard as it is - stay positive and pray for God's guidance on your doctor!

I will be hoping and praying for all of us - God needs to kick this cancer thing in the ass!!!!

Danelle

Wondered if you had good results with the Avastin Xeloda combination.  I have been on Avastin and Abraxene but my most recent PET scan showed progression of Lung Mets.   How often did you take the Xeloda ?  Did you lose your hair ? 

I will see my oncologist on Tuesday but he and I did discuss Xeloda & continuing Avastin as the next plan.   He mentioned that there is a clinical trial he thinks might be good but you have to have been on Xeloda to qualify..  I will get more info on Tuesday.  If anyone has any suggestions or questions I should ask please let me know.   thanks

Hi Emile,

Emilie,

Chris,

I too, am curious as to the next plan my oncologist has for me.  I asked him a few weeks ago what we may do next and he said it was too soon for me to ask.  He assured me though, that there are many treatment options left and new trials just getting ready to be released.  I will be followed for more than a year on the trial I'm presently on.  I know this won't be the end of chemo for me since the tumor under my arm has only shrunk to a point and then stopped.  I was hoping it would be undetectable by now. 

I am very thankful that I seem to recuperate well from treatments.  I am open to another clinical trial, if I am a candidate.  I receive my treatments in Vancouver, WA at NW Cancer Specialists.  They are into the cutting edge research and knowledgeable of TN. 

Eventually, these tumors will be hit with something they can't figure out!

Lila