I would appreciate some feedback from anyone who has had or is having weekly Taxol for a recurrence.
I will see my gyn/onc next week and ask him, but it is really on my mind right now.
I had a CA125 blood test after completing treatment #3. It showed a rise of 700 points from my reading three weeks prior. It is now at 4420.
My question concerns whether your cancer seemed to respond right away or did it take several cycles to see a drop? My doc did warn me that with Doxil it would take a while. (Actually, with me, Doxil never did take;my CA125 continued to rise through all 5 treatments.) I forgot to ask if it was the same with Taxol.
My fear, of course, is that my cancer cells are just blowing raspberries at all these drugs. Surely there is one out there that will work...
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Question about weekly Taxol
- By Jennali
- Posted September 30, 2009 at 6:11 pm · 8 replies
- In Side effects of treatment
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- By FavoriteAunt
- Posted October 1, 2009 at 8:33 am
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I've never had weekly Taxol for recurrence, but had it on a 3-week schedule for a recurrence (with carbo) and did get a drop right away. Got into remission, but it only lasted 10 months.
I know how you feel. Try this one, try that one...sometimes I feel like we could just throw darts at papers on the wall and pick a chemo. I had good results with Doxil for 6 months and then it stopped. Got nothing from 2 months of Topotecan. Now I'm on Avastin/Cytoxan and we'll see where that takes us. It's hard to stay upbeat, but we have to try very hard. Something out there has to work and I hope we each find the right thing soon. Good luck and all the best next week.
- By ErinH
- Posted October 1, 2009 at 10:51 am
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It can be so anxious, I know. I had Taxol on a two- to three- week cycle, and it took three 8-hr doses to take effect.
I would also investigate other options, since Taxol is highly neurotoxic and I have been left with a permanent, degenerative neuropathy as a side-effect of the drug. I know they call this the 'Price of Survival', but if you can - with your Oncologist - investigate other options for recurrence, I would recommend you take this into account.
Best wishes, and prayers,
Erin
- By Jen457
- Posted October 1, 2009 at 11:18 am
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Jennali,
I had weekly taxol back in '97. The reason they did that was because it is easier on my blood counts. Somewhere along the way, I thought I read a study it that shows a better response by having weekly taxol rather than the once every 3 weeks. Good Luck and hope those numbers nosedive!
- By pegart
- Posted October 1, 2009 at 12:30 pm
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I had weekly taxol for seven months and my numbers contined to go down. I had some anemia, but otherwise sailed right through. Oh, this was for the initial cancer, not recurrence,but my Dr. said he would put me on the same agenda if I did have a recurrence. It was combined with carbopl. every three weeks.
- By CADreamer
- Posted October 2, 2009 at 2:43 pm
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Jennali, I just finished my first round of weekly taxol after a long list of other chemo drugs that did little or nothing for long. Had the same reaction to Doxil as you did and my CA 125 numbers are a pretty close match to yours also, so I'm feeling like it's pretty critical. I should have the results on my latest CA 125 in the next couple of days and I'll let you know if it's working. Fingers crossed!
My doc and several folks on this list said their hair didn't fall out w/the weekly dose, but no such luck here. How did I forget to tie those scarves so quickly?? Hasn't been that long.
- By Jennali
- Posted October 2, 2009 at 3:11 pm
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Thanks for everyone's input. I long for the day when all this dart throwing will be obsolete.
So far, so good with my hair this time. I really was not looking forward to losing it again.
Keeping all fingers and toes crossed for all of us.
- By Patricia123
- Posted October 2, 2009 at 8:45 pm
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Isn't Taxotere less neurotoxic than Taxol? It is expensive but the onc nurse said if you have trouble with fine motor, dropping stuff, they could use it and insurance would pay.
- By Jennali
- Posted October 3, 2009 at 11:51 am
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I escaped neuropathy with my first line Taxol, so hopefully I will this time, also. There are supplements I can take to ward it off, also.
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