Ovarian Chemo shortage

[SAB400]

I have stage 4 epithelial ovarian resistant cancer. I had 20 cycles of taxo/carbo and my Ca125 was down to 20 from 4,000 before debulking and any chemo. After the debulking and 1 chemo, my CA125 went to 3,000. The scans at 20 didn't show anything. Then 3 weeks later the Ca125 went to 24. 2weeks later it went to 25 and then 2 weeks later 26. We knew it reared its head. After these scans it spread to inside my liver. I never had it inside an organ. Either it was on top or underneath. She then put me on topocetin (hycamtin). She gave me half the dose, and after CBC I knew why. My blood counts crashed. I ended up with platelets of 16, white cells of .9 and my red cells were fine. It took her 3 weeks to get my cells up without any transfusions. This week she lowered the chemo again. She said because the chemo is cumulative if she didn't lower it I would be in a hospital with blood pouring out of me. It's usually a 5 day treatment, but this time I'm only getting it for 4 days then she'll do another CBC and she knows already that my white cell are going to crash so she'll be giving me a neupogen shot. The problem lies that this chemo may not help. This has happened to a lot of people. UNFORTUNATELY there is a doxcil shortage in this country. You can't get any information except that it is not a safety issue. TThis medication is $500 and others are about $5,000. There aren't a lot of chemo drugs that work on ovarian cancer and I'm more limited because I'm platimum resistant. Avastin is not approved by the FDA and the FDA took away approval from breast cancer. Insurance companies will not pay for it. In fact all studies have stopped. I'd like to know what other choices do I have? I'm scared, and I feel that soon I'll be at the end of the road.  


This discussion is related to caelyx treatment CA125.

[Annie4446]

There is a shortage and has been since May.
I called the company and they said it will be available end of August.
To prevent this from happening again, they said they have engaged another company to reproduce them.
They also have a sign up list that your onc has to fill out. It is on their site.
If she does, she will be the first in line to be provided.
You may look up Doxil and call them. They are very friendly but I wonder if they are telling the truth when they say it will be available in late Aug.

[nyc lady]

I have known many women in the NYC Area that have been treated with doxil.  I have never heard that there is a shortage.  

I know someone that is still on with avastin and is doing very well.  

Where are you being treated?