Doxil with Avastin or Topotecan with Avastin?

[Mags711]

Any strong opinions?  The patupilone trial drug I have been on is no longer working for me.  I get a two week break with no chemo which is a nice thing.  I am also changing oncs and will be with someone closer to home, but old onc spoke with new onc while I was in the office and they are both thinking about they next treatment plan using either doxil or topotecan with the addition of avastin.  

So I am hoping for side effect info, opinions, etc.  Also, I am considering going to CTCA because they have a whole body approach toward treatment using a nutritionist, psychiatrist, meditation, visualization, naturopathy WITH the oncologist.  A real team approach!  I think that is the environment that I will thrive and survive in.  Thanks for any opinions on the new chemo drugs.
Maggie

[marie3B]

I just posted to you under Teresa's thread then I saw this.  I am sorry the trial isn't working.   I have no experience with either of the chemo combos you mentioned.  I am sure someone will come along with some advice.  I looked into the CTCA when I was first diagnosed.  Financially it was not an option for me.  I hope you do well with your new onc and the treatment you choose works well and with few side effects.. Marie

[crecco]

  I am also sorry to hear that the trial is no longer working for you. While I have been on all of the drugs you mention, I was on none of them together. I was on Doxil for quite awhile and it held everything stable. I had a lot of fatigue and ended up with hand-foot syndrome, which seems to be one of the more common side effects. I was also on Topotecan, but not for very long as it did not work for me at all. But it was a very easy chemo to tolerate. When I was on Avastin, I was on it with Abraxane. It was fairly easy also and worked longer for me than any other chemo I have been on.
  I hope that one of the combos will work great for you.
     Chris

[Brownie3321]

Hi there,

I was on Doxil and Avastin for 3 months but they took me off of the Doxil due to horrible hand/foot syndrome. What I can offer is that I had 3 tumors and with the Doxil/Avastin - 2 were gone and 1 shrunk so that was great. Unfortunately, the side effects of Doxil gave me a horrible, painful rash all over my body and my feet turned purple and blistered bad. I know the Doxil was working but my onc took me off because it was getting pretty bad. I'm on Avastin alone and my CA-125 is on the rise so I'm pretty sure the combo was what was working.
I have never had Topo but from what I know it is VERY tolerable, but I have not heard of any woman having great success with it. My onc is thinking he may add the topo to Avastin for me if it proves to no longer be working.
If you decided to do Doxil, let me know and I will give you some tips. Best of luck, D

[Mags711]

Thank you, thank you.  This is totally arbitrary, but I am going to put it down anyway.  I love the band The Talking Heads and everytime I think about my experience with this cancer and on chemo, this is the song (lyrics) that come to my head....

And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
And you may find yourself in another part of the world
And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful
wife
And you may ask yourself-Well...How did I get here?

Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by/water flowing underground
Into the blue again/after the money's gone
Once in a lifetime/water flowing underground.

and it goes on, here is a link

http://www.lyricstime.com/talking-heads-once-in-a-lifetime-lyrics.html

Just for fun,
Maggie

[bohan54]

I LOVE that song and everything else by the band!  I asked for the Stop Making Sense DVD for Christmas.  My hubby even resembled David Byrne back in the day  LOL
Love,
Sharon

[Mags711]

Sharon,
I am so glad to find another Talking Heads devotee!  In college, I listened to them while house cleaning, after our children were born we would dance to them to the music and now here at this very critical point of my life, they came back to me.  It was a good feeling.  I also found good info at the end of the day about the next onc I am going to, she seems to be supportive of integrative care methods while getting chemotherapy: nutrition, IV Vit C therapy, mind/body, yoga!  I am very excited.  I think I am going to the right place.
Maggie

[Mags711]

Well, doxil with avastin it is to be! As always, hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
I will also be seeing a naturopath at an integrative medicine clinic associated with the medical center I am going to.  I will be getting 75-100grams of IV VitC therapy twice a week for at least a year.  The side effects of that should be more energy and maybe I should be more thirsty.  Far better side effects than the doxil!  I am also having some bloodwork done to really look at my vitamin and nutrient levels.  The naturopath will then help me with making sure that I have the best chance for the building strength to fight the cancer.  I am feeling pretty good about it all.
Maggie