Doxil and Carboplatin

[Careylyn]

I am on my 2nd chemotherapy regime(1st regime was Taxol & Carbo), and presently Topotecan.  Today I saw my gyn/onc because my ascites is just growing so fast, and my ankles, feet, and legs are now swelling...she has decided that we will stop the Topotecan and begin next week with Doxil & Carboplatin.  I had an ultrasound done on both legs today to check for bloodclots...all OK there.  :)  Next week, I will have my ascites drained.  I also have a Muga scan scheduled for next week.
     My question....what have any of you experienced as side effects with Doxil and Carboplatin?
     Thank you for any assistance anyone might have.
              Careylyn
p.s.  I might mention I only had 5 weeks out from the end of my 1st regime until it reared its ugly head and I began the 2nd regime.

[Jatoo]

Dear Carolyn:

My wife, (OVCA IIIC) who recurred after 3 months had ascites surrounding the liver and had a 3 X 3 Cm tumor in the abdomen and a CA 125 of 300, was immedietly treated by Doxil. Her ascites was gone on the first treatment with CA 125 down to 37. The second treatment shrunk the tumor to 1 X 0.8 Cm with CA 125 of 11. By the fourth chemo her CT scan is almost completely clean w/ only an unmeasurable "thin film of soft tissue", a probable normal lymph node and CA 125 of 8. You have carboplatin w/c means you probably recurred after six months, a bonus for you. She had the hand-foot syndrome and a low WBC by the 3rd week that required treatment with Neupogen but hardly no nausea.

Overall it is a much better chemo than Taxol and Carbo. Her hair is also back. She'll be finishing Doxil pretty soon and I don't know whether to recommend to her a maintenance Doxil treatment every 3 months just to keep the cancer at bay. She needs rest from chemo.

Doxil had a better clinical trial results than Topotecan with a very high remission. That's why it was approved by FDA as the standard treatment for recurrence. I wish you all the best and please pray for my wife. Thanks.

[kathy o]

I will be starting doxil next month for 3rd relapse. Taxol -carbo first two times. I am so excited to hear about the Doxil working so well for your wife, I hope that it works for me too.  About the hand foot syndrome what did you treat it with and did your wife put ice packs on her feet and hands while undergoing infusion. Also is there a steroid regimen before Doxil (so far I have been allergic to the taxol and carbo ?
I am praying for you both and feel great encouragment now after reading you post.. Thanks
kathy

[kathy o]

When I was on carbo I would turn as red as a fire truck and have constant belching while being infused, instead of them infusing for an hour it took them abouta min of two hours for me to get it down.. they would split the dose into 4 separate bags to see if i could get it all done. The Taxol took me about 5 hours to get down. I am kinda of relieved that I get a break from the taxol/carbo.  I hope the doxil is easier. I am sorry you are having so much problems and I Pray that something will work for you, I am now putting my bets on the Doxil for me! The doxil attaches itself to the cancer cells and hangs around whereas the taxol-carbo starts to leave immediatly. My last realspe was three months out of Chemo. Keep Fighting!!!

[Careylyn]

My prayers are with your wife and you.
So far, none of the chemo drugs have worked for me.  Since being dx last August 26, 2005, I had only a 5 week period, where the tests showed me clear....however, as the drs explain, as much as they want the ct scans, PET scans, X-rays, etc to be exact...they are not..They are machines & they are not  foolproof...so, it is evident that my itty bitty cancer cells were just doing a great job of hiding.  SO,,,in the past year, I have had only 5 weeks of "so-called" clear.

[Careylyn]

Thanks Kathy for your information.  Gads, it sounds so terrible, but then these days, what isn't? The rash stuff does not sound good.  I itch so much anyway from all my dry skin,so to think about my skin getting worse with Doxil next week.  eegads.  I continuously use creams and lotions.  I went out and bought some Bag Balm this a.m..  I was told it was good to use.  My prayers are not to continually gain weight with the steroids.  My stomach is getting drained next week, as my ascites has built up so bad, I have trouble getting up and down in a chair or bed.  None of my clothes fit me.
My prayers go out to you for continuing better health.  Careylyn

[Jatoo]

Dear Kathy:

I don't think there is any steroid that they infuse on my wife since it only an hour's infusion and I picked her up. Before they give you doxil they give some materials for your arms and feet something colored like violet. She has to be very careful with the direct sun. Vitamin B6 may help you. See Sue's column starting in June in the archives for other tips. Thanks for your prayers and all the best for you.

[Jatoo]

Dear Carolyn,

Thanks for you prayers. I have read that the most powerful prayers besides those of holy men and women are those of the sick and the children. I know that there is a reason for everything. I pray doxil works for you. Please keep me updated. If it don't I probably have an idea of the kind of cancer cells that you have based on the research by the MGH (Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard) re cancer stem cells which can be killed by MIS (Mullerian Inhibiting Substance} proteins - see research in Goggles (just type ovarian cancer and Mullerian inhibiting substance) dated July 2006 which may be on clinical trial at Anderson Hospital in Texas. This is the problem with our chemo at present - it is a hit and miss (the logic for chemosensitivy).

But it looks like they are on the right road on research - the OvarexMAB (now phase III) to kill CA125 antigen(?)and the MIS protein to kill the stem cell cancer (the one that suspectedly recurs unlike the normal cancer cells). Let's pray that they finish all these research very soon so we can find a complete cure.

[gail47]

Hello everyone, I am on my 5th treatment of Doxil and it is the best I have had so far.  First I had carbo/tax, second only carbo, now the doxil.  The hand and feet sydrome is really not a problem for me yet.  My hands and feet are very dry but I do take b-complex vitiams and I use aloe gel that I got from walgreens, olive oil, anything I can use to keep my feet hands from getting so dry.   My last scan showed that my tumor is shrinking and also some lymph nodes.  Is there anyone on this site that has used doxil and in remission now?

[kathy o]

I am hoping to be soon.. I start treatment next month . I guess the trick is too keep your hands and feet greased up like a frying pan! Did you lose your hair? How many treatments do you think you will have. I relapsed after taxol/carbo 3 months this is the third relapse. Praying for you, I hope you stick around the site and keep us posted.
kathy

[pjet]

I was one of about 30% of people on doxil who get hand-foot syndrome, which causes burning, redness, tenderness, itching, rash, flaking of skin, small blisters and sores on the palms of your hands, soles of feet, armpits, groin.  To reduce the risk and manage hand-foot syndrome: for one day before and 4 to 7 days after infusion do not expose your skin to hot water, and soak you hands and/or feet in cool water.  If you get a reaction stay in cool places, take cool baths and take vitamin B6 as directed by your physician.  During infusion I suck on ice chips and hold a large glass of ice chips in both hands.  Next time I am going to use an ice pack on my feet.  Some people get mouth sores and tongue inflamation (inflammation) so I drink cold or cool beverages and let my meals cool down before I eat.  Mostly doxil seems to be well tolerated by most but I would be cautious with the first infusion and use the ice chips.  The chemo nurse will probably give you a booklet with side effects and how to manage them.  Good luck with your doxil everyone.

[gail47]

My doctor told me I would be on the doxil as long as it was working (when everything clears up). Could mean more than six treatments.  I take a scan every three treatments to see how things are going. I still have my hair and I get mouth sores but its not so bad.  I have not had blisters yet and maybe I won't get them.  My hands are red but not sore just dry. I thought I had read somewhere on this site that some people who have taken doxil has went into a complete remission.  Has anyone heard this before?

[kathy o]

Thanks so much for all the info, it helps so much to be prepared. I am Praying that this will put me into remission for a while. I asked my onc about remission from doxil and he said that yes it is quite possible and has patients that are in remission after doxil, so there is hope!!

[Susie249]

I was diagnosised with stage111c in Sept 2006.  I had surgery and then Carbo/Tax for six treatments.  My cancer recurred in Jan 2008 and I had Carbo/Gemzar.  I was in remission for 7 months.  I tried 5FU, which everyone said would be easy to take and I could not tolerate the abdominal pain.  I started Doxcil in May of this year and my CA125 has dropped from 192 to 19 with just 2 treatments.  I would like to know if anyone has gone into remission?  

[Conners]

Look at Teresa222. She is in remission from Doxil. She gave me a lot of advice. I am about to have my second round of Doxil. They say it is the easiest to tolerate. I had a rough 9 day flu like stint, light vomiting, aches like the flu and just stayed in bed, causing a blood clot. Keep getting up out of bed and move your legs. Try to wear compression socks. My symptoms are not even on the Doxil sight, so it is rare. I was very depressed since they had told me the symptoms would be light if any.  They put ice on my hands and feet while I had the Doxil. I used the Utter Cream. No problems so far, but I hear that comes with 3 or 4. Don't drink or eat anything hot, open the oven, or microwave for the first week or so. Let us know how you are doing and I wish you the best of luck with no symptoms.