So far my wife has had ( diagnosed Stage 4 May 2006 )
11 X Taxotere combined with Xeloda.
Xeloda only for a further 9 months
Femara for three months ( Tumour markers grew so stopped )
Now on fourth out of what they say will be six FEC.
After the sixth FEC they say she will be on another Chemo straight away ! any ideas out there what this might be, I cannot find any info about what happens after FEC and Taxoter/xeloda stop working.
Thanks for any input.
XX
I think it depends very much on your oncs opinion and where you live. Are you the Terry that lives in Spain or am I confusing you with someone else?
I know nothing about hormone positive bc but presumably there maybe more hormonal options.
As for other chemos, I’ve had vineralbine, then gemcetabine and carboplatin in combination.
After that some places recycle chemo so as I’ve had taxotere before they are suggesting I have weekly taxol when I finish the gem/carbo. If I’d responded to FEC, I could have had doxyrubicin as i had epirubicin last time but they do not think that is an option for me.
Some places use cisplatin rather than carboplatin. She may be able to get avastin but I think the trials in the UK are only for newly diagnosed seondaries but some people have managed to get avastin later on in treatment.
After that there are mainly first/ early second phase trials.
It’s an awful situation to be in isn’t it. I know all I’ve got left after 3 more gem/carbo is weekly taxol unless I can get on a trial of some kind.
I hope your wife has more options than I have left.
All the best
Kate
Thanks Kate, yes I am the one from Spain. Due to work I was not able to see the Onc last Chemo visit and unless you ask specific questions she does not really explain things too well.
She did say it would be more Chemo though as the hormone tablets ( Femara ) did not work.
Thanks again.
Terry
Hello Terry,
Just wanted to say that Femara didn’t work for me but Tamoxifen kept me stable for 18 months - I am having chemo again at the moment and not sure what will be next but think just because the Femara didn’t work it hasn’t ruled out other hormone treatments. I am hoping that the next hormone treatment will give me another period of being stable…there are a number of different hormone treatments and my personal view is if one didn’t work there are others out there that may.
All the best,
Love Jetty x
Hi Jetty,
Trouble is she was on Tamoxifen for 5 years after primary, they say it has to be continuous chemo now and I cannot understand how she can manage that.
Thanks for ANY input
Terry
Hi Terry
Really feel for your dilemma. I’m in the odd position of being, like Kate, running out of chemo options, but also (in this I am luckier than many) only having spread in chest wall and suprva and intra clavicular nodes. I had AC and taxotere during primary treatment and since my recurrence have had xeloda, vinorilbone, caboplatin and gemar…my tumours appear clincially stable but having a CT scan soon. I’ve had ayera of the stumours being stableish not not significantly reducing.
My next option is weekly taxol but I don’t want to go onto that striaght away cause I’m so exhausted and knocked out by the past year’s chemo. Your wife could talk to your onc about a chmo break…and the difference it will make if she goes a few weeks or a couple of months without tretament. In the end it might not make much difference and might give her addiional quality time. If the chemos are relieving her symptoms from cancer then keeping going may make sense…otherwise a beak might be better for her. I can well understnad why she doesn’t want to go on to the next one straight away…she doesn’t have to unless this is right for her.
As Kate says avastin and early trials for new drugs are probably the only further non hormonal options.
Thinking of you at this hard time.
Jane
Thanks Jane. The fourth FEC she has just had is being hard on her now, staying in bed until 6 pm and some really nasty hot and cold flushes. When she is up she is fine but it is not long before she is tired again. Funny thing is FEC three was a breeze.
They said she could have a weeks delay in starting the next option of chemo as she wants to go back to the UK for a week or so, but that is all they have offered, perhaps you alright and it is time to sit down and do some straight talking with them. Trouble is I do not think my wife really want´s to hear what might come out of that conversation.
Hugs to all
Terry
Hi Terryy
I have a lovely chemo nurse who talked to me a year about how no one can make me have tretament, that I have choices, that I can stop/start; that I cna give myself permission to do whatever feels right…and change my mind again. Fortunately my onc has a thing about doing things in ‘partnership’ and is open to my suggestions about treatment breaks. Its very hard to ask some of ‘those’ questions…like how much difference does a few weeks break make.
Hard hard stuff all this s***
Thinking of you both.
Jane