Which Chemo is the best?

I was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer Stage 3 in June 2005.  I had surgery and 6 cycles of Gemzar and Carboplatin at the end of those cycles my CA went down to Less than 2 and then was around 4 for the next 5 years when it started to go up in August of 2009.  I worked with a Health Care Scientist for 4 months and then went to the Oasis of Hope three times. inJune of 2010 my CA had climbed to 1887.  I began treatment with Gemzar and Carboplatin( did 9 Cycles) and my CA was 20 at the end.  The next month it was 34, the next month 76, the next month 159, and the last CA in May was 360. I would like to know if you think Taxol would be the most effective chemo at this time or Doxil? And what difference would the side effects be with each one.

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Hi there

first of all, your five year remission is wonderful and suggests that your cancer is quite sensitive to chemotherapy.

You have received excellent therapy.
You should ask your gynecologic oncologist if there is any role for surgery.By xray such as CT scan,do you have any sign of disease or is your scan normal and you just have a "chemical"recurrence?

All the drugs used in ovarian cancer are effective and are worthy of consideration. Doxil and taxol are both excellent choices and are equally useful for you

other drugs to consider include topotecan, cytoxan, tamoxifen, arimidex

here is a link for doxil side effects:

http://www.chemocare.com/bio/doxil.asp

here is a link for taxol side effects

http://www.chemocare.com/bio/taxol.asp

best wishes to you