topotekan stop working

[bestmommex]

My Mom has been with topotekan for the last 4 months, but her latest CA 125 went up from 320 to 480. What comes next?

Anyone..pls.?

[Jan214]

What all has she been on, what stage is she, how old is she, does she have visible tumors, how is her strength, how long has she had it and what does the onc say?
That is not good news as this is supposed to be a drug that is meant to target just the cancer cells with the hope of prolonging remission.  I am supposed to start on it soon.
If you can fill in some of the blanks maybe we can get you some sort of answer.
Jan

[burrowes]

HI I WAS ON TOPOTECAN IN 2003/4 WHILE IT WAS ON TRIAL, IT DID NOT DO MUCH FOR ME I HAD 6 CYCLES AND AFTER I WAS BACK ON ANOTHER CHEMO STRAIGHT AWAY.
ASK TO GO ON ANOTHER CHEMO BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE ITS NOT EVEN HOLDING THE TUMORS.

[Terrin2]

I was on for six months, worked for about 5 months, now started Doxil, Let's see....

[Helmar]

Hello...My Oncol. has a theory for Topotecan, so he only puts me on it for 5 consecutive daily treatments  for a total of 10 treatments, then he switches me onto Taxotere/Carbo. This has been done twice in the past 4 years, and has worked really well. His theory is that the Topotecan 'splits the cells' and therefore shows in the numbers, as not working, but when one has the other combination, it sort of 'mops up' those cells. My numbers were 7500 at the start after the Topotecan, and dropped to 290 after 6 of the combination. Just wondering if you Mum would be better changing onto another chemo now.  As Terrin2 suggested, Doxil could be a good on for her too.
Wishing you Mum all the best...hugs...Helen...

[msjazz]

Is that 5 treatments 2 times or 5 treatments 10 times? Or is it 5 treatments 2 times and then switch completely> Sorry, confused, but may need for future reference. Thanks Donna

[Jan214]

I read about that 5 days in a row thing, but my onc is doing it once a week for three weeks for 6 rounds.  Maybe I need to ask him about this 5 day thing. Helen, was your number 7500 after using the Topotecan?

[Helmar]

Hi Donna and Jan...I had two weeks of treatments with Topotecan...they were daily for 5 days...3 weeks  off, and then daily again for 5 days...with 3 weeks off. He then switched me to Taxotere/Carbo for 6 monthly treatments. Yes Jan... my CA.125 was 7500 after the two lots of Topotecan. By the end of the 6 treatments the CA.125 had reduced to 290. Pretty good for me considering I'm always travelling in the 1000s. The only side affect from the Topotecan was terrible fatigue. I've never had fatigue like it...since or before. Just wanted to go straight home after the infusion, and sleep for about 3 hours. Bloods were fine, and I don't get any nausea from any of this stuff, so that was fine too.
My Oncol. is convinced that this is a good plan to get the numbers down. Could be worth asking you Oncols. about it. Hope you are both feeling well...hugs..Helen...

[bestmommex]

My mom is 67 years old, and she was diagnosed in May of last year with OC at stage 3.  She had a hysterectomy completed, and she began with carboplatin evry 4 weeks (6 rnds) and it stopped working.  she was put on caelyx (2 rnds) it also stopped working, and then she was put on Topotecan (5 daily dosis then 3 weeks of rest) - she's on her 5th rnd when CA 125 started to go up.  She also had a PET scan done 5 months ago with no signs of tumor activity.  She looks goods with occassional fatigue and joint pain.  Does anyone know what comes next.  She has a visit with her Oncol's this coming Monday.

thanks to you all for your replies.

[crecco]

I was on Topotecan for a few months last year. Although it was a fairly easy chemo for me with no bad side effects it did not do anything to lower my counts. They continued to rise. So I was switched to avastin/abraxane. I have heard that many people have good luck with Topotecan, but it just did not work for me. I had really hoped that it would as I had just come off of Gemzar which was very hard on me, and being on something that was easy for me to deal with would have been nice.

bestmommex,
  There are several different drugs out there and what your mom goes to next would be up to her onc. But try not to worry as there are many to chose from.
          Chris

[SimplyStar]

Didn't work for leslee, just 2 treatments  then swithched to Doxil. that held her stable for 9 months  now on gemzar

[bestmommex]

I read about how well the combination of chemos ( first Topotecan and then Taxotere/Carbo )  are working for you. I discussed your  oncol's theory with my mom's oncol (he did not agree) and he called for another PET SCAN and it showed some cancer activity in the Lymph system and some water retention in the stomach (ascitis) now she started on Gemzar 2 rounds (one a week for three weeks and two weeks of rest ) her CA 125 was 815 prior to the PET SCAN. Has your oncol had any other successes going that route?