Good News and Hope in Recurrence

1. This is just to inform and to thank everyone who have prayed for my wife.

2. After one cycle of Avastin and Gemzar my wife's CA 125 went down from ~500 to 142 I just learned today. This is good news to everyone because my wife is platinum-resistant and this gives hope that there are many options for those who have recurred shortly after Carbo/Taxol. Of course our goal is to let her CA 125 drop down again to single digit. She badly needs rest from chemo although Avastin/Gemzar(reduced dosage) is easy relatively compared to others she had gone through.

History; Dx 6/05 Stage 3C, debulked, recurred after 3 months, Doxil 6 rounds responded partially, 2 weekly Taxol, 1 rd Topotecan no response CA 125 increased to 500, developed ascites, tumor grew, partial bowel obstruction , now on Avastin/Gemzar (removed ascites, cleared bowel obstruction  inferring tumor shrunk).


Jatoo

[nyc lady]

Wow....here's hoping that number continues to drop!!!!

Keeping you both in my thoughts.

[Hazel30]

Thats great news. I hope soon the number will drop to single digit.  

[baguba]

What wonderful news. This must be so encouraging to you. I hope Melody's CA 125 continues to drop, and I will continue to pray for her.  There IS hope, and prayer is powerful.  God bless you.  Judie

[Helmar]

That's great news, and I'm so pleased for Melody and yourself. Hoping this combo continues to work really well, and Melody will soon be in a long and happy remission. Have a wonderful weekend.... Hugs..Helmar..

[vfc]

Jatoo,

Just a couple of questions:

When you say reduced dosage for Gemzar, are you saying 800mg/m2(day 1 and 8, in a 21 days' cycle) as opposed to the traditional 1000mg/m2?

As for the Avastin, what is the dosage? What is the schedule, once every 3 wks?

[Jatoo]

Gemzar was reduced by 10 pct, i.e. from 800 mg/cm2 so 720. Dosing : Week 1 and 3 - Avastin/Gemzar , Week 2 - only Gemzar, Week 4 - None. Sometimes treatment is postponed due to low counts. I forgot the dosage of Avastin but it is every other week treatment with Gemzar.

Thanks
Jatoo

[Jatoo]

Again thanks to everybody on your continued prayer. It is indeed an excellent feeling when a drug is working, as if you have found new life.

Thanks,
Jatoo

[vfc]

I'm very glad for you and your wife!

[lucymullis]

Congratulations!  Also, I did not know Avastin had been approved for ovarian cancer treatment??  I am new this site and this is my first post, so I may be missing something.  I am participating in a trial for Bevicizumab
(avastin) now.

[RavenLady]

Hi Jatoo,
     I am doing the pink shoe dance of triumph for your wife!  So far so good!  We have not met as I am a lucky 99 percenter but am always so glad when I drop by and see you all taking such good care of each other!  You have become a leader here Jatoo.  Welcome to the Battalion!  MV

[plady]

Jatoo:

I forgot to ask you... Do you have any idea what the cost of the drug Avastin would be.  If I go to Arizona I may to pay for everything but the drug.  I am trying to figure out whether I would be better off paying for the drug here and with travel, other medical, etc, which would be my best ooption.  I am also hoping MD Andereson can possibly help me with figuring this out.  Any info is appreciated.

plady

[stephers]

Thank you for the update and the hope...Its nice to hear real experiences with these drugs. Maybe we can all hold out for a cure! God be with you and your wife.

[Jatoo]

Thanks Helmar. I hope yours keep on going down too.

Jatoo

[Jatoo]

Dear Plady:

Thanks for your prayers. I think it is a good decision to stay with MD Anderson. My wife really wants to go there. When its time for Avastin I think you'll get whether at MD or in clinical trial. One lady has a $70,000 bill. Another said the bill does not matter even if it will just have to paid $20 at a time.

Jatoo

[Jatoo]

Dear Lucy:

Welcome to the site. Please update us on your Avastin (Bevacizumab) trial and where you are having it. Try going to the Archives of this site you will learn a lot.

Jatoo

[plady]

I am so happy to hear from you and the great news about Melody.  I have been wondering about her.  I have been going through all the hoops, deciding what to do about my next treatment.  MD Anderson didn't have any clinical trials for right now, but I have decided to go through their process as a new patient and be re-evaluated and get second opinion.  I feel like this is the best time to do this.  I have spoken with the clinical trial people in Arizona and they say I am still registered and will talk to me as soon as I make a decision as to what I want to do next.  They were very nice about it.  I have an appointment set up with MD Anderson Feb. 26.  I feel like this is the thing to do and then make a decision.  Maybe I will decide to try Avastin and pay for it.  I feel like they can help me with these questions.   I have thought and prayed over this for over a week now and feel like is o.k.  I am starting to feel better about where I am at now, not so confused.  What do you think?  I always appreciate your opinion.  I am so happy for you and Melody, if anyone deserves good news it is you.  You are always so helpful to everyone else.  You deserve some good news. I am gong to try to relax and spend the next week that I have off before appointment and try to be somewhat normal.

You and Melody are in my prayers,

plady

[lucymullis]

Jatoo,
Thanks for the welcome.  To answer your question...I am participating in Phase III carboplatin and taxol with and without Bevacizumuab (Avastin)at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte NC.  Sure hope I am getting the avastin not the placebo.

[freshair]

Dear Jatoo,
I am so happy to hear of good news! And also your wife's great success of using a new drug that I'm sure not many OVC women have used. Tell Melodyy she is blazing the trail for us!
Helen

[Jatoo]

Dear Helen:

Yes, she is one of the trailblazers. It is good for everybody to know that once resistance to Carbo/Taxol occurs there is something to use that is as affective as the gold standard. I have seen so many patients extending their lives because of Avastin. Right now, she is one of the few that I see post that uses Gemzar/Avastin. So there is hadly anyone whom we can compare notes and she is not even in a clinical trial.
She almost had colostomy if not for this combo.

I pray that weekly taxol continues to work for you. Thanks for your concern to my wife and your prayers.

Jatoo