I have had a quick look at recent posts and can’t find anything about weekly epirubicin. Has anyone any experience of this?
My recent scan has shown that vinoralbine is not working and things have progressed (I have mets in bones, liver and lungs). My oncologist is now putting me on weekly epirubicin, starting on Thursday. I had this after my primary in combination with CMF in a three weekly cycle. Apparantly you can only have a certain amount as it can cause heart damage, and back then I had 50% of a lifetime dosage, so now I can have the other 50% and then no more. I am having a heart scan to check on its condition. I am also having a line (PICC?) put in as my veins are pretty poor.
I would love to know if anyone else has experienced this, as I have searched the internet and there isn’t much info, only as its use as the E in E-CMF used for primary.
JOY
Sorry can’t help but bumping it for you. I hope someone can advise you.
Lynn
Hi, there are some online studies on the subject, try:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3232214
informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/02841869209088908
cme.medscape.com/viewarticle/450521_7
On these pages there are also plenty of other links to similar studies!
Hope this helps, you could also try and ring macmillan, they are the most up to date on studies and info!!
xxxTina
Thanks Lynn and Tina for your responses.
I think it must be a fairly new way of giving this drug - a bit like weekly taxol. I will keep posting to let you know how I get on. It seems really silly, but the part I am most dreading is losing my hair again (third time) I now it’s not that bad, but it is such a visible sign of having cancer. My friends know of course, but I go to a couple of things - line dancing and painting classes where I have not told anyone of my illness, so I am not sure yet how to handle that - maybe my wig will be so good no one will notice!!
JOY
Sorry Joy - to lose your hair three times must be very hard to take. I’m struggling with losing mine for the first time totally p…d off that the cold cap has had minimal effects despite the fact that i knew there was a huge variance in effectiveness. I’m clinging on to about 20% right now and can’t bring myself to do the brave shave.
Re the wig situation - i’ve recently bought a second one and if its any consolation to you, everyone (who knows its a wig) says it looks fab and very natural - either wig, so i’m sure you’ll get one that looks great. Good luck with the treatment.
Lynn
Hi
I’ve just completed an 18 week course of weekly Epirubicin.
Onc said they were giving it weekly as it’s less harsh. I’d had further cancer spread to stomach area which caused a blockage. I hadn’t eaten for 5 weeks, had lost alot of weight and was very weak so she thought this more appropriate. I was given 40ml each week I think.
My onc said the side effects would probably be less harsh than a 3 weekly cycle. Only side effects I had were feeling sick (which anti sickness tablets helped), and my hair has thinned. Tiredness got progressively worse. I’d have my chemo on Wednesday and initially felt tired next day but by end of treatment this was lasting until Sunday/Monday.
Good luck with your treatment.
Take care Lynne
Thanks for this Lynne. I was beginning to think no one else was on this chemo regime. They have told me I will be on it for a maximum of 20 weeks.
I hope it has done good things for you. I am keeping my fingers crossed it will work for me.
JOY
Hi Joy
Was wondering how the chemo was going?
I’m seeing my onc on 5 May, will find out new treatment plan then.
Take care
Lynne
Hello
I had my second dose yesterday. The PICC line seems to be successful, apart from difficulties in showering and bathing! I do feel sick, but haven’t actually been sick. My hair was already thinning on the Vinorlbine and I think will thin more, but so far have still got hair. I am having heart scan on Monday. Will see if it is doing any good at next CT scan, not sure when that will be but probably after about 10 doses.
What anti-sickness did they give you? I am on ondansteron and domperidone. They seem very reluctant to give me the ondansteron though, I keep having to ask them for it and remind them to prescribe it. On the Vinorelbine I was very sick on just the domperidone, but Ok on the ondansteron - so I feel i really need it. I think it must be expensive!!
Good luck for 5th May. Did you get good results with the Epiribucin?
Until then enjoy the sunshine. My Mum is coming down from Yorkshire tomorrow for a few days (I live in Cambridge)so it will be good to have the sun shining on us.
JOY
According to a 2008 BNF (British National Formulary book), ondansetron is a bit on the expensive side. 10 tablet pack of it costs £62.81. I requested it in suppository form for after my second dose of epirubicin as I just vomited up the tablet and one suppository costs £14.39! No wonder they ‘conveniently’ forgot to prescribe the suppositories for my last epi!
I had epi/cmf chemo and was given odansetron melts after my 2nd chemo, as other sickness meds failed to work. I was given it intravenously before chemo then melts to take home, they tasted disgusting but helped.
Wish everyone well
Carolyn x
Hi
I was on Metaclopromide, then went onto Ondansetron the last few weeks. They did give me something intravenously with the chemo, Ondansetron I think .
Not sure yet of results. My blood levels had dropped after 8 weeks of chemo. Onc did do CT scan before treatment started but my cancer doesn’t show on the scans, so can’t monitor. When dx with secondaries three years ago, found it in bone only. When I had ovaries removed year later they were found to contain breast cancer and surgeon also spotted clusters on peritoneum, but still no show on scans. My Onc believes my recent stomach problems were due to further spread as tumour markers had gone up, because scans are still clear. I feel better now than I did before chemo so hopefully a good sign.
Is Vinorlbine a chemo?
Take care everyone
Lynne
Yes - Vinorelbine is a chemo - you can take it intravenously or in tablet form - I had the tablets. I think it is in the sane group as Capecitibane.
I thought it might be that Ondansetron was expensive, but it works for me, so I will keep on asking for it!
Best wishes
JOY