Hallo everyone
Im 52 with OC/IIIc diagnosed in Sept 07. I discoverd this forum a few days ago and looking around I learned a lot out of other peoples posts, they are very helpful and so full of hope!
I had surgery (sugarbaker + total colectomy, r100 at 4 months after the last dose of Carbopl/Taxwe started Doxil which worked for 9 months. Then I had many chemos (I am on number 7 now) during the last year and my tumor seems to be resistant to platinum, taxol, topotecan, taxotere, gemzar and avastin. I am on Doxil again since mid of may this time 20mg/m2 biweekly and because Doxil is slow, I know I have to wait to see an effect. Since CA125 was increasing very rapidly the last months and therebare active lymph nodes, I am looking for something to combine with the goal to increase the likelyhood for a response. I found a few reports on the effect of regional hyperthermia (NOT HIPEC, which is intraperitoneal) which seems to impove outcomes with other cancers, especially STS cancer. The idea is that tumor cells are more sensitive to temperatures around 42.5 (Celsius, corresponds to about 108 F, I think) in addition tumor nodules are less vascularised than normal tissue, so dissipation of extra heat is slower and/or heat ist opening up blood vessels, so more chemo reaches the area that is heated, which is the lower part of the abdomen in case of ovarian cancer. Chemo is given iv directly before the heating session of about 1 hour. It seems to be relatively safe, the only problem is that technically it is not easy to reach these temperatures in a defined region of the body. But technique has improved in the last years and thermometry can be performed using mag. resonance.
My questions: Has anybody in this forum tried this kind of hyperthermia? Was there a response and how were side effects?
Does anybody has any other experience how to resensitize a resistant tumor (P-glycoprotein-inhibitor or what ever?)
I would be grateful for any advice or information. Thank you!
P.S. Anyone with experience of erlotinib in OC?