How many chemo options are there?

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How many chemo options are there?

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How many chemo options are there? I have started this new thread on behalf of Bevers

Kind Regards
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Breast Cancer Care

Diagnosed Jan 2006 with secondaries to liver and bones. Have had FEC - responded well but liver mets grew when chemo stopped. Then on to Taxotere - worked well for 6 cycles then liver mets started to get bigger. Now on Capecitabine - first 2 cycles kept things stable but tests after 3rd cycle show liver function deteriorating again and cancer marker count has doubled.

Onc now talking about putting me back on Taxotere + Capecitabine. Really don’t want to go back on Taxotere but if I have to, I have to.

Does anyone know what alternatives there are and how many more there might be for me to try. I’m starting to worry that if the liver mets can’t be halted/stabilised soon that I’m going to rapidly run out of options.

Any thoughts or comments gratefully received.
Bevers

How many chemo options are there?posted on 12.05.07 3:32 pm
Bevers
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Meant to say, I’m also on Herceptin and Tamoxifen plus Zometa.
Bevers

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This is a listing of chemo drugs : chemocare.com/bio/

You could also post your question on bcmets.org/ - a wonderful group of metsters with a mass of knowledge

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Thanks Phoebe - I’ve posted to bcmets.org and will see what comes back from there.
Bev

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Hi Bevers
I’ve been on the same chemos as you - FEC, taxotere (which didn’t work) and capecitabine. I’m HER2 -.

I’ve just started MVP (mitomycin, vinblastine and cisplatin). I’ve only had one but so far the side effects are really mild, compared to the other chemos, and though it is early days, I think I already feel a bit better!
I hope there are other options after this as the hormonals no longer work.

If not, it will be phase 1 trials as I am not ready to give up for a long time. Best wishes

Seascape

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Thanks Seascape - something else to talk to my oncologist about! I had some interesting replies from BCMETS too - in the USA they seem to use a combination of Herceptin, Taxol and Carboplatinum. The women who replied were all HER2 positive. I’m a bit muddled about what I am ie I see you’re HER2- and others are HER2+++ and In confess, I don’t know what I am. So another question for onc who I am seeing Monday.

In US they are also using Tykerb - it was licensed in March -with ‘spectacular results’ with women who are HER2+++.

Like you, I don’t know how many other options there are beyond whatever happens next. Again, I’ll be asking my onc to tell me more on Monday.

As you say, I’m not ready to go anywhere yet.

Good wishes and luck to you Seascape and thanks for your reply,
Bevers

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I’ve had taxotere and now I’m on herceptin, pamidronate and tamoxifen. If they fail my BCN reckons there are at least half a dozen other treatments available. If I hang on long enough I might qualify for tykerb when the time comes!

I asked my onc what the next step would be but she was very reluctant to talk about it. She did grudgingly say that my next step would probably be capecitabine.

If you keep getting spread while on tamoxifen, then ask them what else they can do about your oestrogen - maybe you need the jab to stop your ovaries (can’t remember the name) and an aromatase inhibitor.

Are you getting anything for your bones like pamidronate? Lots of women benefit from that. I knew someone who didn’t get pamidronate until I told her about it and even then she had to insist on it!