Taxotere/Arimidex and Taxotere/Xeloda

I am a metastatic breast cancer patient with mets in liver and lung. I am currently on Taxotere (chemo) and Arimidex (hormonal therapy). cancer in lung is increasingly slightly on last 2 CAT scan reports.

I have heard about Xeloda that Taxotere/Xeloda is very effective.
so is Taxotere combination with Xeloda better than
Taxotere with Arimidex? (Xeloda is a table right?)

My friend's oncologist has prescribed her Xeloda & Arimidex both daily. Taking both Xeloda & Arimidex be more effective in fighting cancer?

thanks,
Melody

[CCF-RN,MSN-JS]

Dear Melody, These are all different drugs with different mechanisms of action (taxotere and Xeloda are chemotherapy, and arimidex is a type of hormonal therapy - aromatase inhibitor).  There is no data from randomized clinical trials that would say that one of these combinations is more effective than the other.  Likewise, we couldn't say that one or the other combination would be more effective than the other for for your individual case.  Decisions about what regimen, or treatment would be tryed next are based on what has been used before, your response to prior treatments, risks and benefits of a treatment in relation to your overall health.  What is appropriate or recommended for one individual, may not be precisely what would be recommended for another.