Hi ladies,
I’m hoping for some info here. My friend, who I met when we were having our surgery and went through chemo and rads together has been dx with mets to bones and live - numerous leisions to liver between 11 and 17mm. and prognosis very bad. They have offered her taxotere (spelling) but she has refused this as they say it will give her only a 50/50 chance of an extra few months. My friend has flown of to Mexico, Oasis of Hope and I told her while she was away I would ask you ladies what other options there are.
I read something on here yesterday about a drug/chemo doing wonders for liver mets but that most health services wont prescribe due to costs. Any info from anyone would be so appreciated.
Angie
Hi Angie
Sorry to hear about your friend, I too have numerous lesions on my liver not sure of sizes and bone cancer, I am on Xeloda (chemo drug) in tablet form have been on it for almost two years also Zometa for the bone cancer and Zoladex which is hormone treatment.
I had taxotere when I was first diagnosed with BC in 2001.
I understand your friends feelings, but I have heard lots of stories where people have only been given a few months and continue long after that, and the doctors can only advise but not always right.
Do you know the name of the drug you read about.
I hope your friend finds what she is looking for in Mexico, I went to Lourdes in March (although not religious) and found it very spiritual and came back with a very positive mind we all hope for a miracle.
Beli x
Hi there Aangie,
You may be referring to Avastin? Most of the women who receive it are having private treatment or else they are on clinical trials. If anyone knows any other wonder liver mets drug, I would love to hear of it…
Jenny
x
Am liking almost two years on xeloda, Beli… Here’s to your next two.
Hi Angie
I’ve been on Xeloda since September 2006 so am similar to Beli and had been told that they didn’t think it would work and was given 3 months to live. It just shows you that we’re all individuals and some of us do defy the stats!
Pinkdove
Angie
Your friend has made her own decisions here, I had taxotere and the onc said there was a 75 % possibility of significant remission for some time, definitely in excess of 6 months. Well that was 5 months and I am still here in reasonable shape. My experience is not that unusual, I hope for more of course,
Just like Pinkdove says we are all individuals down to making choices to go to mexico. There are plenty of options around, none are miracle drugs (I wish they were) but alot of people gain siginificant time as a result,
cathy
Hi Angie
Sorry to hear about your friend. I know you will get a good response from this forum; maybe when your friend gets back she could browse and she may get answers to lots of questions that she may have.
I was diagnosed May 2004 with secondary clusters in liver, and bone mets. Liver was in a bad way I asked what would happen without chemo and I was told maybe 6 or 8 weeks to live… I chose chemo for liver (six courses of FEC) and radiotherapy for bone mets. It was hard and I was so scared, convinced I would die before Xmas.
To stay positive we planned a beautiful wedding had 6 bridesmaids it was a very happy but very emotional. day. I had hair but 3 days later I was totally bald. I have continued to extend my life thanks to my onc team I had a year without treatment (bliss!) and then 2 years on capecitabine. In January this year new growth so I am now on taxol and avastin scan 1st April showed 50 per cent shrinkage
We will celebrate 4 years of married life in June and over 4 years of living with this horrid disease. New treatments come along all the time. Like the others have said we are all different and lots of us have lived longer than expected. Never give up thats my motto. I hope we will be able to help your friend but she has to make her own choices. It will be tough on you as her best friend, some of mine seem to suffer as much as I have.
Hope I have not gone on too much - had my chemo today so full of steroids.
Love Debsxxx
Thanks ladies,
my friend flies to Mexico today and I hope it all goes well. She has decided if it doesn’t work she will go the conventional route.
It sounds to me like it is Avastin you are referring to. You get this along with your chemo and then continue on it after the chemo is finished. It is not a chemo, the drug stops the blood supply getting to the tumours so that the tumour cannot grow. You can be kept on it for as long as it is working, you are right the NHS are not prescribing this drug but there are people getting it on the NHS whos Trusts have decided to pay for it for them.
My advice to your friend is to fight for it as hard as she can, if her onc is worth his salt he.she will fight for it for her.