Has anyone used hexalen?

[alanpvegas]

Was wondering if anyone here has used the oral chemo hexalen and your experiences with it.

Thanks in advance!

[alanpvegas]

I forgot to ask, do either of you know if the people you know took their 4 pills in divided doses or all at once?  He told her to take it all at one time, but everything I'm seeing says divided doses.  Thanks!

[alanpvegas]

Thanks Pam!  Such a mixed bag of results for this on pubmed.  Some one study where they had two ladies at different 'ends' of the treatment spectrum.  Both did really good on it and came out 6+ years later.

Then you find other studies that say it has little effect.  Oh well, we'll see how it does.  I just hope her nausea stays down although that's one of it's big side effects.

It's too bad they don't put these other clinical tiral drugs on Therapy IND status like they did Taxol so more people can have access to them before it's all said and done.  Fast track status isn't that fast!
Alan

[nyc lady]

Hey Alan.  I had a friend that was put on hexalen.  Unfortunately, she was very advanced at the time, but it did help reduce the ascites and relieved her of pain.  The other drugs she was on included, carbo/taxol, single agent carbo, gemzar, doxil, femera, another drug similar to femera can't remember the name and topoteacan.  She did very well for a while on femera, it kept her stable.

Hope the hexalen is easy on your mom but real hard on those cancer cells.

Pam

[alanpvegas]

Thanks Helen! :)  Yeah we went for her pre-chemo today and he said her pneumatosis didn't resolve completely so it was a disqualification for the clinical trial.  only had two left,oh well.  So he's putting her on these...it was funny in the waiting room we were reading about oral chemotherapy and then he brings this in.  She's happy in a way because she can't wait to get the PICC line out of her arm!  She had another put in but it never got used...lol.  Yeah I agree it's all trial and error because we are all individuals and until Captain Kirk comes by and beams us up, we won't have that super-duper medical technology.   "Dammit Jim, I'm a Doctor not a waitress!" :)
Alan

[Helmar]

Hi Alan, A lady I know  was on Hexalen twice. The first time was after her operation and the usual chemo, but she had Hexalen then as maintenance for 6 months, and went into a 2 years remission after that, before the cancer recurred. Her Oncol. put her back on Hexalen again then, and she went into remission but only for a few months. Apparently it worked for her, but then we are all different of course. She is now doing well with Avastin. I think it's all 'trial and error' with any of this stuff. I'm on CMF.. but don't know yet if it's working. I'm feeling really well... no side affects apart from tiredness, which I had with the last treatments. I'll know how it's going in two weeks... then I'll post and let you all know.
I hope your Mum is doing well. Best wishes and hugs...Helen...