AVASTIN

[ehr]

been on Avastin now for 6 months every 3 weeks. My markers have been bouncing around. Back in late December my 125 was around 750. Its been fluctuating between 400 and 575 since. I guess that would be called stable. But I  feel so so good, after close to 6 years since my stage 4 dx, I never felt better. The Avistan is not being given with oral cytoxin or anything else. That might be next but right now I am loving a decent head of hair heading into the summer. and will be travelling to Ireland in July for a vacation. I never felt like travelling over the past years wanting to stay near home for obvious reasons and have rented beach houses in the hamptons for a month or so, staying close to NYC . I think that Avistan is the future for OC's second line of defense. I was wondering how others have been doing with Avistan either alone or with a second drug in combination.Tybear I believe you were also being treated with Avistan - how's it been going?. I was wondering how this treatment has affected the 125 marker. I seem to recall reading that its impact is not as reliable. Havent been on the forum for a few months, I wish you all my best

[PJB67]

Hello again.
Thank you for responding.
It sounds like I may have to reconsider surgery and chemo to fight this.  I will definately talk to my doctor again to find out what she says about the results of Avastin.
I'm so glad to hear it is working for you at this time.  If nothing else, it can keep you going until something better is available.
God Bless You!

Patty

[ehr]

Avastin has basically stablized my disease, my CA125 has been floating in 300- 500s range. But back in January it was over 700. I havent had a PtCt in 6 months but it didnt show much then and historically never revealed anything significant. My doctor indicated that Avistan works on an average of approx 8 months so I am trying to get myself mentally prepared. So far so good but next friday will be the next treatment and blood test so I will probably get a better idea then. otherwise it has been a breeze. good luck

[PJB67]

Hello ladies.  I came across your comments about Avastin and was very interested in what you had to say.  I have recurrant ovarian cancer and was just told about Avastin by my doctor.  I was expecting that I would have to have surgery and chemo again and then she mentioned this option.  It sounds too good to be true.  No hair loss and no sickness?!  I did read your mentions of fatigue however, which can be difficult.  My doctor sounded like I would just be taking Avastin with nothing else, but I don't know yet for sure.  
EHR, I read your comment about knowing that "sometime soon the Avistan will not keep the disease from progessing and you will have to add something".  Is this what your doctor told you?  CRECCO mentioned that "One tumor has disappeared and the rest is either shrinking or holding steady".
I was under the impression that this treatment option would hopefully "kill" the cancer cells and I would "hopefully" not have to find another option down the line.  Not that this was a temporary fix.
I would love any feedback. Thank you for sharing your stories!  It really helps (as I'm sure you know).
Patty

[ehr]

I appreciate all your comments. Fatigue has not been bad although I do get tired late in the evening. wareover - your mom appears to have many options and with her responses so far you should feel optimistic. Chris & Becky I am so happy you are doing well with Avistan, I know that sometime soon the Avistan will not keep the disease from progessing and I will have to add something. Then I will have to find a new treatment I try and look at OC as a chronic disease and feel that are many more options available and many more up and coming.

[wadeover]

My mom is currently undergoing a clinical trial for Avastin.  She has completed a 6 cycle treatment of carbo/taxol.  Her original CA125 (before surgery & chemo) was 451.  She has had two treatments of Avastin since her chemo has finished.  Her numbers have dropped to 16 and to 13 after her last Avastin treatment.  Her hair is coming back in nicely.  She doesn't complain of fatigue, but she does say she doesn't have the ambition to do anything.  That may be the fatigue instead.  Overall she has done well on the Avastin.  She has 14 more treatments to go.  My question is what happens when she finishes this drug?  If it is what is supposed to keep the cancer at bay - what happens when it is finished??  

Best of luck to you in your treatment.  I will surely keep you in my prayers.  Avastin seems to be a good start on giving some hope to the wonderful ladies suffering this disease.  I can only hope it will become available and affordable sooner than later.

wadeover

[crecco]

  I too am glad to hear that you are doing so well on the avastin. I have been on avastin/abraxane since Feb. and like Becky have found exteme fatigue to be fairly bad. I also had high blood pressure problems, but got that straightened out after about a month. I am currently on 2 BP meds. I have also found that the fatigue has gradually worsened the longer I am on it. I did lose my hair about 4 weeks after I started but that was due to the abraxane, not the avastin. It has been keeping my numbers down pretty good. They had dropped over half until my BP problems started. Then I missed a few treatments and my treatment schedule got mess up a couple of rounds and my CA started a slow rise again. Since leveling out my BP and getting back on a regular schedule, my CA has now started dropping again. One tumor has disappeared and the rest is either shrinking or holding steady. My CA after dropping to right over 300 started rising again until it was right over 400. At last check it was back down to 351. I have it checked again this Mon.
  Other than being tired, this has been very easy to tolerate. I do have occasional heartburn, but have Zantac for that.
  I am glad to see that you are also doing well and I hope that you continue to do so.
Chris

[Tybear]

Hi there...I'm glad to hear you've been feeling so well on the Avastin. Other than the extreme fatigue, I managed really well with it too - aren't you feeling tired?! That's a long time to be on it!
I take a daily cytoxan pill, 50mg, and have not lost my hair. I have had no side effects from it whatsoever...do you think your doctor may add that to your Avastin? If they suggest it, I would go for it...it's been a breeze. I'm happy about the no hair loss too...after having to have lost it twice already, It's nice to have it back! I know my doc said that the reason they give the two drugs together is that they each have certain properties and that they "compliment" each other, or make each other more effective. I told them the other day that if I had to take this pill for the rest of my life to be well, it'd be like winning the lottery...unfortunately, I think it's the Avastin that's doing the majority of the work here.
My CA is not a good marker for me...I don't even know what it is. I don't know if they even check it anymore.
I really think Avastin is the way to go too...of course the drug company already knows that which is why they are charging an arm and a leg for it. For me it's been great because I have a low-grade type of ovarian cancer (Micropapillary Serous Carcinoma) and it typically, does not respond to traditional chemotherapy. What's more frightening, is that even though it's low grade, it's behaving like a high grade, in that it's very aggressive and is growing quickly...not really sure how that's possible, but what do I know!
I would really encourage people to find out specifically, what *type* of ovarian cancer they have - get a hold of your pathology reports and learn everything you can about it. Had I not done that, I truly believe I would not be here today. The doc's who were treating me had me on taxol/carbo and thought that's what would work. It was only because of my own research that I started challenging them and got onto the drugs I'm on now - the ones that are working.
Anyways, thanks for the update and I'm glad to hear your doing so well. I would definatley not be afraid of the cytoxan - I hope if your doc eventually does reccommend it, you'll go for it!
Take care,
becky