I’m due to start chemo again on Friday (Xeloda/Capecitabine) as I developed skin mets following chemo to shrink the primary BC. There doesn’t seem to be much on this site about skin mets so I was wondering if anyone else out there can advise what to look for when checking if the chemo is working and how quickly it should react. I want to give the treatment enough time to see if it works, but don’t want to be kept on it too long if it’s not.
Hi Gail,
Sorry I can’t comment on skin mets but I just had a phone call from my cousin who was diagnosed with bone mets, then primary bc in January 2011. She is on Xeloda and has no side effects from it although she does know of the main ones.
Just wanted to let you know that it can be positive about Xeloda. Good luck.
Take care, love, Liz, x
2 weeks in to treatment. Think the rate of growth has definitely slowed down but no real sign of shrinkage yet.
Just saw my onc today for review to see how I’m doing on Cap. I feel the good news is the skin mets haven’t gotten any worse since I started taking it, bad news is I don’t see any improvement. She said it was a slow-working drug and no further progress is fairly good at this stage. I’m still struggling with the nausea/acid reflux so she suggested taking both Omeprazole (the new drug this cycle) and Domperidone, which I stopped after 1st cycle. Feel I need to get this sorted out and have less tiredness before I
Hi Gail5 my Onc told me that the chemo wont shrink skin mets…just stop them …hopefully from spreading any further…
Dulcie xxxx
Dulcie, I don’t think that’s true. There are ladies who’ve had a great response to chemo. I’m still just stable, but think a few of them might be less red.
Hi Gail, though I would introduce myself and have done so re my Profile. I share your concerns regarding skin mets. I have them on the area beside the mastectomy/reconstruction site and they started shortly after I had my last operation, whereby I became Immune to the Femara etc. Now just started VINORELBINE CHEMO and been advised on this for 12 weeks weekly oral tablet with usua steriod, anti sick plus Domperidone and also the Omeprazole. The Omeprazole protects the tummy. How is your treatment going. Please not I wont be on here every night but will try and pop on at least once a week.
Hi Carrot Tops - I just had an onc appt today and my CT scans were clear. She thinks skin mets are slightly improved too but nothing dramatic so far. She’s going to continue with Capecitabine a bit longer anyway. She has patients who’ve been on it for years and as I’m ER+ I might get switched to a hormonal to give me a break at some point. Tamoxifen didn’t work for me though. I’ve been feeling a bit better too, although hands look like they’re about 90 years old. Hope Vinorelbine works for you, I think it’s similar to my chemo.