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TC vs ACT

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nohemi1075 View Drop Down
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    Posted: May 16 2019 at 12:45pm
Hi Everyone,

Does anyone have any experience with TC treatment?

My mom's new oncologist has switched her treatment from ACT to TC.  She had one dose of AC and handled it really well, but her platelets fell down to 18.  (She has Polycystic liver disease, which means she had low platelets to begin with).  He thinks this new treatment (TC) will be better for her.  A little bit of background on her case.  She is 64 yrs old. They found 2 tumors both less than 1.5cm in the same breast and a bit of DCIS as well. She had 3 surgeries to remove the tumors and DCIS, the last surgery resulted in a clean margin of 7mm. The lymph node they took was negative. So she is early stage triple negative.  They told us they were using this regime because she is older and they don't need to be as aggressive.  We switched oncologist because we were unable to get a hold of our original one (she didn't return emails or calls) when my mom's platelets were falling so low. We had to cancel her 2nd chemo session because of this.  The new regime is recommended for 3-4 cycles only depending on how she does with it.

If you've gotten this far, thanks for sticking in there. I know this is a long and probably all over the place.  Any feedback or experience with TC that you could share would be greatly appreciated.


Edited by nohemi1075 - May 16 2019 at 12:47pm
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nohemi1075 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote nohemi1075 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 16 2019 at 3:15pm
Great, I just read that there is a 15% chance of permanent hair loss too. ugghhh.....

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Kellyless View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kellyless Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 17 2019 at 12:48pm
The platelet problem is tough. The 2nd time I did chemo, Carboplatin kept slaughtering my platelets. I lucked out and squeaked thru treatment with barely enough to continue the whole time. The problem is that there's no drug to make the body produce more (like Neulasta for WBC) and if you get an infusion of platelets they only last about 3 days. With her platelet loss so dramatic after just one A.C. Dose, she's probably looking at long delays between treatment doses. Not to mention the health risks from such low counts. If she tolerates the TC and stays on schedule, she'll have better coverage with less risk. 
I've know quite a few women that had TC for hormone positive BC, they all got through it well. They all experienced the typical hair loss, but all had their hair return. The UK study I'm sure you saw says, "up to a 15% with permanent alopecia" previous studies showed about 5-6% chance. Either way, it's upsetting to hear. I was scheduled to start a treatment with Taxotere included despite that possibility. A second opinion changed my plan, but the hair loss wasn't a factor for me. I feel chemo is important for TNBC, and since doing AC a second time isn't recommended, I was determined to do whatever was best that I could tolerate. 
  If you have doubts, seek another opinion. Often times we've seen the 3rd or even 4th opinions be the one that patients are comfortable with. Since she's dealing with side effects and it's gotten more complicated, it may ease your mind to speak to another doctor. 
I'm so sorry y'all are going thru this. It's so scary and stressful! One more note regarding the chemo induced platelet loss - 5 weeks post treatment my platelet count had returned to normal. I was able to have the Big Surgery 6 weeks after my final chemo with no problems. 
Kelly
IDC, 2.2 cm, Stage IIb,lumpectomy 1/30/09 ACx4,Tx4 36 rads
6/1/16 Local recurrence same breast, same spot 1.8cm Carb.4x every 3 wks, Taxol 12x once wk. Dbl Mast. PCR!! Reconstruction fail, NED!
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nohemi1075 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote nohemi1075 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 17 2019 at 1:31pm
Hi Kelly,

Thank you so much for your input. My mom had her first treatment of the regime yesterday with no side effects. She is feeling really optimistic. We do like the new oncologist and feel confident.  The platelet issue really sucks.  The doctor recommended an antibody infusion to see if it helps with the platelets, as he thinks she may have ITP instead of the liver disease.  I hope he is right and that it works.  We shall see.  The doctor's nurse told us to stay off of google.  I tend to research too much.  It's all so scary and overwhelming. I feel so powerless. Its really great to have this forum though. Its helps so much. Thanks so much for taking the time to respond to me.  I am feeling better about our choice to go with this new regime.

Amy
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Kellyless View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kellyless Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 17 2019 at 3:54pm
The i internet is a double edged sword for sure, but I get peeved when medical professionals say stay off the internet entirely. Our medical care system is broken, a patient has to be informed and proactive, or have an advocate that is or I feel they are in peril. You just can't take anything you read online at face value without confirming the source. Lives are saved everyday by layman on the internet researching and helping each other. Mine was saved the second time I had can cancer on this site. First Donna and Mainy, then our TNBC guardian angel Steve Heart 
I have a friend that's an internist, she says there's a new breed of hypochondriacs brought on by Google, Googlchondriacs she calls em. Double edged sword.
Your mom is lucky to have you Amy! The love of my grown kids when I was sick is just.....one of the best things in the universe. 
IDC, 2.2 cm, Stage IIb,lumpectomy 1/30/09 ACx4,Tx4 36 rads
6/1/16 Local recurrence same breast, same spot 1.8cm Carb.4x every 3 wks, Taxol 12x once wk. Dbl Mast. PCR!! Reconstruction fail, NED!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 123Donna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 17 2019 at 11:51pm
Nohemi,

Can you tell us what the TC is?  T can be Taxol or Taxotere.  C can be Carboplatin or Cytoxan.

Donna
DX IDC TNBC 6/09 age 49, Stage 1,Grade 3, 1.5cm,0/5Nodes,KI-67 48%,BRCA-,6/09bi-mx, recon, T/C X4(9/09)
11/10 Recur IM node, Gem,Carb,Iniparib 12/10,MRI NED 2/11,IMRT Radsx40,CT NED11/13,MRI NED3/15

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nycnyc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug 13 2019 at 7:40pm
are gi side effects worse with TC?
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strongtogether View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote strongtogether Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 02 2019 at 6:54pm
Is there anything I can do to help me prepare for taxol? I have completed dense dose AC treatment, and I have a fortnight to rest and recover before Taxol/Carboplatin. 12 weekly T, with a C every third session.
How do I prepare for this? I really want to complete all 12. I know that people talk about ice-baths but I'm not sure that happens in Australia. Is it a specific piece of apparatus or do people literally just hold their hands and feet in a bucket of ice water?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kellyless Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 03 2019 at 8:47am
I'm the staunch ice your paws during Taxol proponent Star
It worked for me both times in treatment. My first  dose dense Taxol ever I got neuropathy in my hands. bad enough that I couldn't open the handle of a sliding door with my left hand. My Dr. Then had me ice my hands and feet for the rest of them. No more neuropathy, over months, what I had gotten in my hands went away. Fast forward 7 years, I did 12 weekly taxols and did the ice again. I also did Carboplatin which hated me - I got really sick. About 7 treatments in I had a bossy chemo nurse that insisted SHE always used ice packs instead of baths with her patients! I had no fight in me- whateva lady. And that week I got neuropathy in my feet. Switched back to the ice baths, no further issues, feet eventually got better. 
ANYONE can do this, if you insist I've not seen a single facility argue. @Monarch is doing it, and she's got a really.....well, not very motivated chemo nurses. You can gather what you need yourself: I used Rubbermaid type pans - I think it was a bed pan for my feet, and a barf pan for my hands. You could use a dish pan for your feet, barf - emesis? Pans are easy to find in the real world or every chemo facility should have em. Find baggies big enough for your foot - kilo baggie? 2 gallon in the US. something  to tie around your ankles - my husband had Big Zipties. String, elastic etc. So they won't fall off as you pull your feet out periodically. Latex like gloves for hands, double glove both hands. Ice + water. All chemo facilities have ice machines, or bring a lil ice chest with a bag o ice. 
You are only doing it during the Taxol infusion. You always start with pre-meds, with Taxol you get steroids, benedryl, maybe pepcid, some zofran or whatevs. Last they hang the lil bag o taxol. That's when you get the ice in your basins, enough water to make it slushy and cold..... She opens up the taxol, your plunge in your hands and feet. They'd put one of those absorbent  pads on my lap, with the blue plastic backing, in case ya splash. Hold em in til it starts to hurt - pull em out for a couple minutes, then back in the ice. Taxol is a short infusion, 45 min. To an hour? Shorter for the x12, but even dose dense x4 is pretty short. it is such a No Big Deal. And if it works its soooooooo worth it. I had surgery for raging sciatica in February. I've not had sciatic pain since I woke up after surgery which is amazing (big props to UTSW spinal surgery wizard Dr. Kevin Gill!!) But I've neuropathy in my right foot. They tell me it should go away in a year....Here's to hoping because IT SUCKS! And it's not the painful kind like from chemo, it's just serious numbness. I can't wear a lot of my shoes comfortably, I cant imagine driving for more than 45 minutes at a stretch. Man I'm glad it's not my right hand!!!! SO..Anyhoo - I'm a believer. I hope Taxol is a breeze for you!! it sure beats A.C. For almost everybody :-) 
IDC, 2.2 cm, Stage IIb,lumpectomy 1/30/09 ACx4,Tx4 36 rads
6/1/16 Local recurrence same breast, same spot 1.8cm Carb.4x every 3 wks, Taxol 12x once wk. Dbl Mast. PCR!! Reconstruction fail, NED!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote phoebesmom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 03 2019 at 9:49am
After my double mastectomy 1.5 years ago, I had AC and Taxol (Taxol weekly for 12 weeks) and I was in remission for a year to the month. The Taxol gave me bad joint pain, and I had had an atypical response of severe muscle pain to both drugs, which went away about 6 months into remission after ending the chemo. Pain killers took care of the pain. I had severe fatigue with both and awful chemo brain, both now resolved. Now I started Tecentriq and Abraxane last week for lung mets (no lymph node or other mets so far) and am again having the muscle and joint pain, which so far are being relieved with CBD Oil, 4:1 as needed (about 3x a day). Can anyone tell me what other side effects to expect as I get more infusions of this immunotherapy and Abraxane? Nausea has never been a problem, my opinion is that is because I'm post gastric bypass by 15 years. Thanks a lot.

Age 67, BRACA negative, all nodes negative, 5 small tumors in lungs, so far no other spread per recent PET scan. Sorry, I don't know what all of your abbreviations mean yet. Thanks for replies. Never had any neuropathy from Taxol. 


Edited by phoebesmom - Sep 03 2019 at 9:53am
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Kellyless View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kellyless Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 22 2019 at 11:37am
Bump for Laurarev and any others doing Taxol. My long post 2 up ^^ from September 3 about icing hands and feet. I feel strongly about this... Obviously, lol. 
IDC, 2.2 cm, Stage IIb,lumpectomy 1/30/09 ACx4,Tx4 36 rads
6/1/16 Local recurrence same breast, same spot 1.8cm Carb.4x every 3 wks, Taxol 12x once wk. Dbl Mast. PCR!! Reconstruction fail, NED!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote strongtogether Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 22 2019 at 3:35pm
Thanks Kellyless. 
Sorry to hear it has come back Phoebesmom. Lots if love and best wishes to you 
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