Transfusions

My wife was diagnosed 3c  3+ years, has been debulked and done many different chemos. She does not respond to platimum based chemo ( Taxol)  Lately she has been  getting swollen from ascites.  She had 1 tx of IP chemo and was in bed for 4 weeks.
Now her hemogloblin is low >8.4 and she is getting a tranfusion today. Is the chemo lowering her hemoglobin or is the cancer lowering it?
  Her ca has been all over the place up 300 one month down 600 the next then up 300 again.  Most recent cat scan ( she gets one every 4 months) showed increased activity of the cancer.  Where do we go from here?

Thanks

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Hi There,

anemia is usually secondary to chemotherapy. most chemotherapy drugs will reduce the number of red blood cells in the bone marrow. They will grow back but this is caused by chemo.

Anemia can occur from chronic disease as well. The most important factor is nutrition.

as far as otehr therapies, here is a list of chemotherapy drugs that have activity in ovarian cancer:

carboplatin
cisplatin
oxaloplatin
taxol
taxotere
adriamycin
doxil
cytoxan
hexamethylmelamine
gemzar
topotecan
tamoxifen
arimidex
megace

experimental drugs
avastin
alimta

you should ask your doctor about these possibilities
best wishes