Hi,
does anyone have any experience of metronomic chemo**(MC)** in UK , partic for TNBC? This involves lower doses of chemo, often a combination of drugs sometimes combined with immunotherapy, on a continuous basis for a no of weeks, without a break. Then switching to another drug combination for a period, then another combination, without waiting each time for the drug to stop working becos of resistance or disease progression. The idea is that the patient receives the same overall dose of chemo as with the usual 3 weekly regime – usually the highest possible dose which will kill the cancer cells but not the patient - which is why we need the break in the cycle for normal cells to recover and why it can be so toxic for the rest of our bodies.
MC may actually kill more cancer cells by maintaining a more constant drug concentration in the body but is also less toxic, so fewer serious side effects. Because the drugs are switched before resistance sets in, more cancer cells may be killed, particularly if the next chemo agent has a different action to the previous one. The drugs are zapping the cancer from every angle.
I hadn’t heard of it before researching lung mets treatments although I have read some very interesting papers where longer survival and better quality of life have resulted from this approach, partic for older patients with previous chemo like me but I can’t find any mention of its use in UK except for dogs!!!
I have an onc appt next week to make a plan for dealing with my lung mets which are prob TNBC and having had problems in the past with serious side effects from Cape, I would be keen to try this. I have a portacath for chemo although many of the drugs are in tablet form (also less expensive so cost is not an issue) so I’m hoping it’s something my onc will consider.
Sorry for the long message but I needed to explain the process in case it was known by a different name in UK. Please let me know if you have any experience of this kind of treatment. Yours in hope…
Pam x