Hi all,
I was looking for some advice from anyone who has been on taxol (primary or secondary diagnosis). My mum has secondary breast cancer in the bones (dx2007), liver (dx 2009 and reoccured 2010) and a few spots in lymph glands (dx2010 with liver). She was put on taxol after a re-accurance of liver mets in Nov 2010.
My mum has just finished 18 sessions of taxol and got her 3rd CT scan results. After the 6th and 12th session she got CT scans which both saw a good response to taxol, even though she had to get the dose reduced after the 3rd chemo as she was having a few allergic reactions to it. She got another CT scan after her 18th and it seems that the 12th-18th has not done much, and the mets remain stable. The oncologist was a bit sombre, and said that although the mets are stable, this will come back and the only option in the future are clinical trials, as she was previously given Herceptin which was not successful (at her initial breast cancer diagnosis herception was not available, however 3 years ago they did determine she was HER+)
Does this mean that taxol has stopped working for her? Has anyone else had this with taxol? She has now been put on avastin and we have to back and see the oncologist in 3 weeks. I’m going back to ask a few questions with my mum, as we were both a bit shell-shocked and upset at how sombre the oncologist was, as I think she was hinting that this was near the end of the road for my mum, which is so hard for me to hear.
Has anyone been on any trials that have been successful? Sorry for the rambling post, just trying to write down everything as my head has been spinning the last few days.
Thank you in advance
Nicola xx
Hi Nicola I’m sorry your both in this position I’m on taxol/ caboplatain for lung mets every 3 wks all I can tell u is my first 2 showed v gd response but my other 2 have showed no more shrinkage I’ve 1more to go but onc sd she don’t no if this one will do me any gd like u does this mean it’s not working I’m only just starting on this sec journey so v hard to take it all in I do know there is a lady on the tn thread called sadie she is on taxol / avastin with gd response maybe u can pm her I’ll bump it up for u tc big hug for y mum x
Hi Laura,
The Onc didn’t say in so many words that it wasn’t working, but I think it has got to a point where it won’t do any further shrinkage as there is obviously disease still left in the liver and it won’t take it all away.
She has been on taxol since the start of Dec last year (started weekly which was too much, then reduced it to every two weeks), so i doubt they will put her on anything else just now.
So sorry to hear about your lung mets- this disease gets me so angry amd I feel like banging my head against a brick wall at times.
Big hug to you too.x
Hi Nicola,
I would think if the mets are stable, then that’s good! Taxol must be keeping it stable. That’s just my understanding though.
I had Taxol and Avastin together about 2 years ago and it worked well for me. I wasn’t scanned so regularly at the time, so not sure what it was like towards the end. Know someone who is just on Avastin and is remaining stable. So there is hope.
Whenever something stops working, it feels like it’s near the end. I’m ER+ and PR+, with bone and liver mets, had 2 kinds of chemo and 2 kinds of hormonal. The 2nd hormonal I’m taking now has been judged to fail the task and I’ll be starting my 3rd chemo. I was told there are still a lot of choices out there, I’m just hoping I won’t be going through them too fast!!
Take good care of yourself and your mum.
xx
Thanks for getting back to me- your post has given me much more hope, as we were told that clinical trials were the only way forward and she has responded well to chemo throughout (she was on Vinorelbine on her first liver dx and responded well to that).
What I don’t understand is why they cannot put you on the same chemo again if it has worked initially when it comes back? When the liver mets came back again last year, they were tempted to put her on Vinorelbine again, but decided on taxol since it was IV and the previous was oral, to then turn round and say that clinical trials are the only answer in the future? I guess these are questions I will be taking to the oncologist in 3 weeks!!
Thanks for your responce though, has picked me up @:0)
Nicola x
Nicola from wat I’ve learnt is the cancer get used to the chemo that is why they won’t use it again I’m unsure on the oral and iv ones as I’ve only had iv that was wat I was told I don’t understand why they won’t use stuff again that works never understand that I know some are not gd on the body or the heart so maybe that why will await y reply from onc Laura