The Recurrence Forum - A Good News and Treatment Options

1. This is to inform that my wife's CA 125 has further dropped to its lowest at 52 we just learned today. Her CA 125 was about 500 when we started in January 2007 with Avastin, reduced Gemzar and Femara which was added lately.

The more I research hormonal drugs such as Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) and Femara, the more I am convinced of its need to find a cure.

2. Other Treatment Options: For Platinum-resistant patients, a phase II study of Gemcitabine (Gemzar} and weekly Taxol conducted at USC resulted in a positive response rate of 77% (complete response + partial + stable disease.)

3. Also for Relapsed and Platinum resistant, Cisplatin and oral etoposide had a 44% overall response rate.

4. Avastin plus Cytoxan had a 90% positive response rate.

Now add Femara or Tamoxifen and the response rate could be greater.

I pray that Plady's and Diane B's present treatments will work. This is just to let you know that there are so many options. I also want to thank all of you for all your prayers for my wife.

All the best,
Jatoo

[alanpvegas]

That is great news!  I'm glad you guys are kicking it's butt :)

I like these research updates you post...would you be interested in writing some articles/updates?

Take care and give my best to your wife...this is great!


Alan

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Ovarian Cancer Research Website
http://cancer.alanpeto.com/

[Helmar]

Hi Jatoo and Melody... Great news, and very promising for a good remission. I'm right behind you Melody... 290 now from 7500 in December. :-)
Looking forward to more good news from you. Hugs...Helen...

[Diane B]

Dear Jatoo,

Thank you so much for the informtion.  I think that is great news about your wife I hope she continues to do real well.  So far my CA 125 went up from 902 to 1000 and I hope after this treatment with taxotere it will start dropping.

Thanks again and I wish you and your wife well.

Diane

[Hazel30]

Jatoo, thats excellent news.  I hope your wifes counts keep dropping as well as giving her a pleasant and happy life and this goes for all the ladies on this board who are dealing with this diseas.  Hopefully we can all benefit from all of your research.  I plan on talking with my Moms doctor about the Femera.

[plady]

Jatoo:

Oh what wonderful news.  I am so happy for you and your family.

prayers and thoughts,

plady

[gail47]

This is all great new to me because I don't know how much longer I can the handle the doxil which works well but the side effects are really getting worse.  It is really a mystery to me because my ca125 has never gotten over 33 and I am on my second reccurrence.  When I hear about ca 125's in the hundreds and thousands it blows my mind.  Because of this you will know how the chemo is working.  I have to take scans every three months.

[baguba]

What wonderful, wonderful news.  I am so happy for you both. Enjoy God's blessings this weekend!  Judie :)

[rmarie]

That is fantastic news, on a forum that needs some.  Terrific, thank you for educating us, at the same time you deal with this disease.

Gail, I am with you, I wish my CA-125 would go up, I only went to 99 post op, with my first recurrance it was 4.  I had surgery and my second doxil and carbo treatment Monday.  My Onc was talking scan in 6 months, should I push for one sooner?

[Tybear]

Just wondering if you know much about Arimidex? I've read that this type of hormone treatment has also been used in ov/ca. I have a hormone sensitive cancer (MPSC) and I guess I'm just preparing myself for the worst case scenario when I return back to Toronto on the 18th. I like to have lot's of stuff to throw at the doctors!
Thanks,
Becky
(not sure if I spelt that drug right or not....)

[Jatoo]

Thanks for all your inputs and prayers.

Dear Tybear,

Arimidex is also a hormonal drug in the sense that it stops estrogen production. But I haven't seen a completed clinical trial with ovarian cancers. That infer's that there looks like a clinical trial going on. I think that I have come accross some OvCa patients using Arimidex. The best way is to ask your Onc as to the effectivenss of either Tamoxifen, Femara or Arimidex.

What is important is we need another weapon to stop reproduction or production of new cancer cells. That means stopping all the possible receptors from feeding the tumor or stopping it from cell division or replication. If we have done this we have found a cure. That means that it does not really matter what kind or type of ovarian you have.

I may have to start a new thread just to have an outline of what kind of treatment or combination of drugs we can have to address these receptors from feeding tumors and forming new ones and replication (duplication or reproduction of cancer cells).

All the best,
Jatoo

[alanpvegas]

Jatoo, your research and presentation is always excellent!  Your wife is lucky to have you :)  All the best to her...she's got a great advocate on her side!  Your research gives everyone the opportunity to discuss it with their oncologists.

Jatto and All,

Regarding anti-angiogenesis and VEGF...my fav, MDF (or let's just say the beta glucans it has), has been shown in vitro and in vivo to (in addition to it's other benefits) stop metastasis by angiogenesis.  Not to say it's like the drugs out there now that deal with this, there is no fda phase III studies (yet) about this to compare.

Here is what Harry Preuss, M.D. and Sensuke Konne, PH.D have to say about it:

"Fortunatley, maitake's beta-glucans can prevent this process by stimulating tumor necrosis factor.  Maitake D-Fraction was observed to affect angiogenesis in vivo and to enhance the proliferation capability and migration capability of human vascular endothelial cell in vitro(1).  The D-Fraction also increased plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VGEF) concentration significantly.  Also VEGF and TNF-alpha production by the activated peritoneal macrophages were enhanced.  "These Results suggest that the antitumor activity of the D-Fraction is not only associated with the activation of the immuno-competent cells but also possibly related to the carcinoma angiogenesis induction.""


Alan

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(1)Matsui, K., et al. "Effects of maitake (Grifola frondosa) D-Fraction on the carcinoma angiogenesis." Cancer Lett, 2001;172(2):193-198

[tjintx]

This is the very first time I've ever been in a chat room. Is anyone out there now?

[freshair]

Dear Jatoo,

I just read an article about a man that woke up out of a coma after 19 years. There are miracles and your wife is experiencing one. Your news is wonderful.
Best wishes to you, Melody and your son.

Thanks you for all your help. I always copy and paste your invaluable information.

Now I pray that Melody goes into a long remission.

Helen

[alanpvegas]

This is actually a discussion board (people come and go and post messages). A  chat room is a 'live' discussion in 'real time' (a discussion board is not 'real time', meaning you have to referesh your browser to see if anyone replied to a post).

Hope that helps and welcome!