I have read about this new chemo drug on this web site and wondered if anyone has been using it and if so how is it ? The reason i want to know is that i see my consultant next week to talk about another course of chemo with herceptin ( i finished FEC in October last year. This new one sounds ok so any advise would be appreciated
THanks girls
Hi skelts,
I don’t think vinorelbine is a new drug! I was on it back in 2003. I know a lot of chemos are available to those with secondaries before being offered to others with primary bc and not sure if this is the case. It is also known as navelbine. I got on very well with it and had few side effects.
Dawnhc
No vinorilbine isn’t that new. Its BCC’s leaflet which is new. I think it has been used for advanced breast cancer since about 2002.
I don’t think vinorilbine is being used for primary bc. It is being used for secondary bc and for recurrences. It is usually used after an anthracycline (AC or FEC for example) and a taxane have failed.
I had 6 cycles of vinorilbine last summer/autumn…combined with capectibine…though some oncologists use these 2 drugs separately. I had it on Day 1 and Day 8 of 3 week cycle. Side effects not as bad as AC or taxotere…though I did get ‘fatigue’ (the side effect which most bugs me about chemo. )No hair loss was a bonus.
I don’t know about combined use with herceptin as I’m her2-
best wishes in your discussions with your oncologist skelts.
Jane
I can only echo what has been said above.
I presumse since you are posting here you are having more chemo due to seccondaries or did you have chemo first and then surgery with poor results? Whatever it is, I’m sorry you are having to have another chemo so soon.
I think from my experience, they are more likely to offer you a taxane first (taxol or taxotere) so don’t be surprised if that is what is offered.
I’m Her2+++ and had tax and herceptin at the same time about 4 months after finishing FEC and 3 months after mastectomy. The horrible thing was, like you I expect, my hair had just grown back and then of course it fell out again and I was more upset the second time than the first.
As you are probably aware HER2+++ is an aggressive cancer but I’m sure I’ve been told that there has been a study on herceptin and tax which have had shown good outcomes. Taxotere/taxol are now considered ‘gold standard’ drugs and even though some people can have bad side effects, it is a good and ‘stronger’ chemo and often recommended for HER2+++ people.
I then had vineralbine later on and it is a much easier chemo to tolerate as side effects are few but I don’t think it is considered until after you’ve had the a tax. Again, it is compatible with herceptin.
It is a real pain that you can’t see profiles as I don’t know how far or how long you’ve had bc for so I don’t know how what has happened to you and it is, of course, your right not to put up in a public arena all what has happened to you.
Good luck with your consultation with your onc next week.
Please post any further quesions and we are all happy to help.
All the best
Kate
thank you everyone for your comments which are helpful to me before i see specialist next week I have already had 5 FEC s which finished in Sept and they say i will have to have do taxol and herceptin together . I dont know if this changes if the ct scan i had last week shows no further growth of tumour =. i responded well to FEC =. I guess the other chemo just sounds better with less side effects especially hair.
Jane - can you just clarify something? You mentioned that AC and FEC are both anthracyclines.
I had FEC and was not aware it was an anthracycline. If I had, I would have pressed for a MUGA scan.
Thanks,
Liz.
Hi Lizzie
I think the E in FEC is epirubicin which is an anthracycline.
Jane
Hi there,
Just looked it up and got the following definition.
Definition of Anthracycline
Anthracycline: A member of a family of chemotherapy drugs that are also antibiotics. The anthracyclines act to prevent cell division by disrupting the structure of the DNA and terminate its function. They do so in two ways: (1) they intercalate into the base pairs in the DNA minor grooves; and (2) they cause free radical damage of the ribose in the DNA. The anthracyclines are frequently used in leukemia therapy. The anthracyclines include daunorubicin (Cerubidine), doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Rubex), epirubicin (Ellence, Pharmorubicin), and idarubicin (Idamycin).
Well I never knew that!
Jernny
x
Hello
Anyone else on vinorelbine (to bring this thread back up?). Having had FEC 4 years go and done taxotere earlier this year I’m now going to have vinorelbine from next week every 2 weeks (although I haven’t been told how many - how many is usual?). Side effects I can expect?
Hadn’t realised it was a ‘failed on tax first’ kind of treatment… What comes after it if it fails too?
would be grateful to hear from anyone on it
Susie
Susie - I can only really summarise what I previously said but I had 6 cycles of IV vineralbine. Each cycle was of 2 doses per cycle. My main problem was pain on infusion in my veins which was helped by warming pads, IV hydrocortisone and it being run in quickly followed by loads of IV saline. Tiredness got to me about the 4th cycle. I also got diarhoea but apparently constipation is more of a problem. I coped with vineralbime really well and went on holiday and lots of shopping etc an impossibility for me on taxotere which made me so ill I said I would never have chemo again.
They actually do a tablet form of vineralbine but as it costs more not all centres offer it but probably worth asking about.
As regards to the future - there are other ‘bines’ - capecetabine, gemacetabine then there are the platinum based ones such as cisplatin/carboplatin. Then there are various trial drugs and depending on whether you are hormonal or her2+++, some options there. It is a scary slope to be on though isn’t it. I had a really good respnse to vineralbine but the effect only lasted 8 weeks which has been the longest break off chemo I’ve ever had - seem to have a type of bc which responds really well to chemo but the minute I stop it, I’m back to where I was or worse. Hopefully, you won’t be in that position.
Hope that is of help.
kate
Susie, Hi I am a lung mettie and have been on vinorelbine for 11 months now. In the first few months the only side effect I seemed to have was severe charley horses in my legs at night and heart burn. I do get heart burn very easily from most anything. I have a portacath and have no problems with my infusion. I have a full head of hair. No problems with stomach or bowels. I just met a lady at my cancer center who has been on vinorelbine for 4 yrs for bc bone mets. My oncologist has told me he has several women who have been on it for many years. I haven’t had any chemos fail me so don’t know what the rules are for it. I had previously had abraxane/avastin combo and my onc stopped it after 6 months bc he feels it is a harsh combo and your body needs a break from it. It was still working when they stopped it. I had a 11 month break and then became symptomatic so he decided on vinorelbine and save the abraxane/avastin for another time. I live in the USA. Good luck Funnyface
Hi Susie
As I said in my earlier post I also had 6 cycles of vinorilbine (Day 1 and Day 8 dose of 3 week cycle.) Side effects not as bad as AC or taxotere though I did get tired but fatigue is my chemo baddie whatever the drug. No hair loss a bonus.
If it fails? Well there’s xeloda (capectibine) or gemcitibine (gemzar) and then the platinum based chemos: cisplatin or carboplatin. (sorry just repeating what Kate has said) It is alo possible to go back to other chemos if there’s been sufficient time. Anthracylines can be given in a special form called ‘pegylated’.
good luck and best wishes
Jane
I too suffered badly with my veins during vinorilbine, apparently my onc now only does this in tablet form now so its worth asking yours about it.
This is the only chemo Ive had that I lost wieght on!! nearly 2 stone (which I could afford to lose!) I found this one a toughie and was glad to finish it, it did shrink my liver mets but they started to grow again so Im now on xeloda