Tarceva

My 61 year old mother was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer 7 months ago.. The initial chemotherapy was stopped after 3 sessions, because it was not working. She has been taking Tarceva for 2 months now. Eventhough, they say it is working when you get a rash.. It has gotten so bad, the doctor even stated it was the worst he has ever seen?? Is there any truth to it working by having a rash? She has started to use Hydrocortizone 2% on her face, and it has started to work.. Is it less effective with lowering the dosage from 150 mg?

Another effect is her fingertips splitting.. Has anyone found a solution to this?

Also, she is down to 130 pounds with no appetite at all.. I keep making great dinners for her, she has two bites and is finished..

Is there anything that someone has found to help with any side effects?

I haven't taken Tarceva, but I did take Iressa and got the rash,
but it did not work. Hopefully your mother's is a better
response. I know one woman who was given 2 weeks and some
Iressa and is now cancer free some 6 months later. So hope for
the best. Meanwhile I heard a doc recommended super glue for
the fingertip problem! You could ask, it is sort of third hand
from me, but that is what my doc told me. On the food thinng I
got a supplemental food called benecalorie from walgreens
online and mixed it with soft rice cereal or oatmeal or scotch
oats and when I could not eat, found it was palatable and kept
me from fading. At the time I had an esophageal burn from
radiation. You could ask the nutritionist at the cancer doc's if
they have any samples. It really saved me. Good luck and let's
jope all the responses are good signs.
Ellen

matt,
how is your mom doing now? my mom was dx in may 05 also stg 4 nsclc. she has had whole brain radiation, steritiactic brain radiation and 4 cycles of taxel and carboplatin. recently she was started on tarceva, we havent had any side effects yet but i'm waiting for them. her last pet and ct showed spread to her liver and an mri showed a reoccurrence of tumors to her brain. it's hard to know how much to encourage them, and when to just be silent

Daughter #2, I am very sorry to say that my MOM passed away in July.. I really do believe that Tarceva did work and extended my MOM's life at least a couple months. I know exactly what you mean about encouragement and being silent. I was always encouraging to her, to keep her spirits up and I felt that was most important!