Please - Do's And Don't's When Starting Sutent.?

Hello, Ive been posting some since my dad was diagnosed on Dec 07 with RCC with a met to his right iliac bone and sacram, Kidney removed on Jan 14th.  All your posts have been encouraging and some of course heartwarming in both good and not so good ways.  I dont know where I would have been today mentally if I didnt have those on this message board to speak with. It has truly helped me keep it together for my dad and family.

He is starting Sutent TODAY, and 30 treatments of radiation beginning Monday. 

Can someone please offer what foods and medications he CANNOT take with this drug.. ?

Many Thanks and best wishes to all.

Laura

On 2/1/2008 LuvMyDad07 wrote:

Hello, Ive been posting some since my dad was diagnosed on Dec 07 with RCC with a met to his right iliac bone and sacram, Kidney removed on Jan 14th.  All your posts have been encouraging and some of course heartwarming in both good and not so good ways.  I dont know where I would have been today mentally if I didnt have those on this message board to speak with. It has truly helped me keep it together for my dad and family.

He is starting Sutent TODAY, and 30 treatments of radiation beginning Monday. 

Can someone please offer what foods and medications he CANNOT take with this drug.. ?

Many Thanks and best wishes to all.

Laura

Laura,

With the Sutent , you will get an insert that tells you everything you need to know about the drug. What not to eat or drink as well as all possible side-effects of the drug will be explained. Since I'm on the Nexavar instead of the Sutent, I follow the rules for that drug. No caffeine & no alcohol for instance. I do know that sugars feed cancer cells...have read that in ALLl the literature. He needs to check the sugar content in all foods as some of them, even cereal, are loaded. Natural sugars from fruit are OK, from everything I have read.

Your dad has had a rapid progression of treatment since being diagnosed in Dec. Mine, diag. 7/2,  did not go that fast as I had other complications that hospitalized me at the time. Was not started on Nexavar until 9/23.  As I said before, they aren't taking my kidney out until I've had Nexavar at least a year. I had radiation to the brain tumor back 8/7 but it has become larger & they are going to take it out if its not smaller next MRI on 6th Feb. They are hoping steroids Im taking will show inflammation or swelling but we've been through this twice already. They, as well as I, think it needs to come out.

Your Dad's rapid treatment should be a bonus for him. Keep the faith and you and your family are in my prayers.

Barbara

If you don't mind me asking, what is you Dad's age?  I'm 64. Was retiring from a 33 year Nursing Career in Sept, 07 and was well set up to travel and enjoy when this was discovered.( I worked & managed surgery the last 20 years of my career.) We never know what's around the corner, do we? I'm still going to plan trips & travel. My oncologist said I could stop the med for trips if I start having bad side effects. We must live & enjoy each day we have. I'm taking my family snow sking in Colorado in March and have a trip with girlfriends planned in May. Never Give Up!!!

My husband has been on the Sutent/Gemzar trial for almopst a year. He has not been told he cannot eat any particular thing unless he is reacting to a side effect (you know lay off the cheese if you are constipated kind of thing).  The side effects were much lousier in the begining especially fatigue and some bowel issues. But there was no side that the team wasn't able to address and manage. Occasional transfusion for RBC and occasional Neulasta for WBC, and lots and lots of tumor death and tumor shrinkage. All in all the first scan was worth it.  We have had more than 60% reduction but will come off the study in a month or so because of the length of time we have been on it. But we may just up the sutent dose and stay with that. 

The one thing we were told that we should be cautious of was dentist visits because of potential bledding from gum or dentail work. They suggestewd we do that only with pre discussions and only on his week off (the cycle is 2 weeks on, one week off).  Hope it helps. tagml