1st recurrence question

[Sherrygail]

Update: May, 2007 - Feb, 2008 > 9 treatments of Carboplatin/Taxol (along with total hysterectomy) - CA125 went from 19,000 to only 10.
Aug.15, 2008 > CA125 up to 97 so began Carbo/taxol again
Sept.5 > Body rejected carbo, so began taxol alone.
Sept. 12 > CA125 at 33
Sept. 18 - Nov. 6th > After receiving 6 taxol only treatments, CA125 does not appear to be working.
Nov. 6th > Began weekly Gemzar treatments.  

Question: Has anyone had a like experience with platin rejection and moved on to Gemzar? I have googled Gemzar but it sounds like all the rest.                    Sherry

[Sherrygail]

Thanks so much for the input.  It looks like when they say doctors "practice medicine," they are being very literal.  Do you ever feel like a guinea pig?  But thank goodness they are willing to keep making educational guesses since we all respond differently.
Sherry

[Jan214]

Gail is right there is a big difference.  As for the Gemzar it was the second drug I was put on.  It worked well and it got my numbers down to 22, but I had to stop about 4 1/2 treatments in because I was throwing up all of the time.  Had I known than...as horrible as it was, it was working and I would have insisted they keep me on it and try Aloxi for my pre chemo nausea IV.  At first I thought I was getting off easy because the first 2 1/2 treatments were okay, just chemo brain and fatique.  After that it kind of went downhill, but I am more prone than some to severe heaving so you may not have the same reaction.  Some women had a bad time of it at first and than the last treatments were okay.  There are many women here who have had it.  Good luck and I do hope it works
Jan

[gah_70]

You say your body rejected Carboplatin.  Does that mean you had an allergic reaction to it?  That is very common, and it does not mean you are platinum resistant.  It just means you had an allergic reaction.  I did, as well.  I think, for the most part, if that happens, docs will switch you to something else to see if it works rather than work through the allergy at first.  After my reaction, I was put on Topotecan.  That didn't work, so then I started Gemzar.  I think it did a pretty good job at keeping the agressive cells at bay (what I currently have are low grade cells that are highly estrogen receptive), but after being on it for 9 months, I had a severe lung reaction, and had to come off it. I am on Aromasin at the moment, and it's doing a great job.  It is also giving my body a much needed break from IV chemo.  But, my doctor says if the time comes for me to go back on IV chemo, he would try to desensitize me to Carboplatin.  That can be done with antihistamines, steriods, and simply slowing down the infusion...sometimes giving it over a number of days.  

But the other ladies are correct.  There are lots of agents out there yet to try.  I hope you find that Gemzar is the one for you!

Gail

[jlock]

Hi,
  I am platinum resistant. After my 6 rounds of taxol/carbo I had a secone look surgery...my ca-125 was 9 and my ct scan was clear.  The surgery exposed that the cancer still remained. I then had 6 rounds of Doxil and that gave me 13 months of remission time. Since then I have had 3 recurrences with Gemzar as one treatment...it gave me horrible side effects,and a remission time of 5 months before I recurred again. I hope it works better for you.  You still have so many second line chemo choices available!!  ~~~~Joanne

[jamiann5]

Hi,
My momis plantinum resistant.  She was dx in 2007 with IIIC.  She had 6 rounds of cisplantin/taxol IP/IV from June of 07 to Oct 07.  First recurrence in April 08 with mets to liver and throughout abdomen.  She then had 3 rounds to carbo/gemzar.  CT after that round proved that she was plantium resistant.  She is now on avastin infusions every 3 wks IV and takes cytoxan and methotrexate by mouth.  She feels great and her CA125 has went from 53 to 12.1 in the last 9 wks.  She had a CT today and we find out results next week.  She has had no evidence of disease since diagnosis.
We were really upset to find out that the plantium drugs didn't work, but that was just one type of chemo drugs and there are so many others out there.  Are you getting CT scans as well?

jamie  

[JC145]

There are many women on this forum that are platinum resistant.  Many have tried Gemzar.  There are multiple drugs out there.  

Have you had a PET/CT?  My CA rose to over 100 and never showed any  active disease so for the last 15 months or so I have been on tamoxifen and it has held all in check. #'s going up again (77 this month) and I have decided to wait until next month for another scan .. after Christmas.  I feel absolutely fine with regard to bloating, etc., so I am trying to stay positive.  Since my CA started rising a month after finishing chemo, I would be considered platinum resistant.

Judy