New Treatment

Have any of you had Tarceva to stop cancer cells from growing?
My daughters doctor wants to start her on Tarceva and then progress to Gemzar in hopes that it will make the tumors decrease. She is so weak that it's hard for us to think that this could help and might just make the quality of her life less and at this point we don't think it's worthwhile to try to keep her alive if she is just out of it most of the time and sleeps the rest of the time. Sometimes she is very alert but it goes quickly so it's hard to say just how much more time she has. Anyway, any thoughts on the Tarceva?

I am sorry to hear about your daughter, my father also has pancreatic cancer and has been taking Tarceva I can tell you about his experience with the drug.

My dad was diagnosed with a cancerous turmor between the pancreatic and bile duct in July, 2007 and was immediately put on Tarceva 3 times a week 2 pills a day - total of 6 pills weekly.  It is very expensive, since he is on Medicare and has a drug plan - they paid part of the cost but only for awhile currently he has paid roughly $1000 monthly for his perscription.  That is the bad part - the good part is that in July they only gave him 6 months to live which would have brought him to the end of last year.  He is still alive and still eats - they say when they stop eating that is not a good sign.  I do think that his time is ending though since he sleeps alot and his appetite is starting to go and he has started filling up with fluid.  But the Tarceva gave him an additional almost 5 months without many side effects and he hasn't complained of any pain - I don't know if that is the Tarceva or just him but I am greatful for this.

He does look at things and calls them by a different word - for example he will look at an egg and call it chicken (this doesn't happen often but if you decide to try the Tarceva be prepared) - I am told the medication causes this, he has had some diareha but nothing that hasn't been toleratable and can be managed with Immodium AD - the doctors can give him something stronger but it hasn't been necessary.  He has some itching with can be caused by the disease and the cancer. 

When my father was diagnosed the doctors said he could have had the surgery but his heart would not allow it, he could have gone through chemo - which is the second drug you mentioned - but he would have been too sick or his other choice was the Tarceva.  We chose the Tarceva and I am glad we did - he originally had jaundice that is how the cancer was discovered - they put a plastic stint into his bile duct - the jaundice came back approximately 2 months later when they had to put in a metal stint at that time they said the tumor had not grown - I believe this was because of the Tarceva.  The drug will not cure you but it will give more time.

If you do decide to go the Tarceva route - check their website they will help with the cost of the drug if you need it I started to go that route and the people I dealt with were very nice but in the end my dad decided to handle the additional cost on his own.

Good luck, I hope I was helpful.

On 4/18/2008 Trotsy471 wrote:

I am sorry to hear about your daughter, my father also has pancreatic cancer and has been taking Tarceva I can tell you about his experience with the drug.

My dad was diagnosed with a cancerous turmor between the pancreatic and bile duct in July, 2007 and was immediately put on Tarceva 3 times a week 2 pills a day - total of 6 pills weekly.  It is very expensive, since he is on Medicare and has a drug plan - they paid part of the cost but only for awhile currently he has paid roughly $1000 monthly for his perscription.  That is the bad part - the good part is that in July they only gave him 6 months to live which would have brought him to the end of last year.  He is still alive and still eats - they say when they stop eating that is not a good sign.  I do think that his time is ending though since he sleeps alot and his appetite is starting to go and he has started filling up with fluid.  But the Tarceva gave him an additional almost 5 months without many side effects and he hasn't complained of any pain - I don't know if that is the Tarceva or just him but I am greatful for this.

He does look at things and calls them by a different word - for example he will look at an egg and call it chicken (this doesn't happen often but if you decide to try the Tarceva be prepared) - I am told the medication causes this, he has had some diareha but nothing that hasn't been toleratable and can be managed with Immodium AD - the doctors can give him something stronger but it hasn't been necessary.  He has some itching with can be caused by the disease and the cancer. 

When my father was diagnosed the doctors said he could have had the surgery but his heart would not allow it, he could have gone through chemo - which is the second drug you mentioned - but he would have been too sick or his other choice was the Tarceva.  We chose the Tarceva and I am glad we did - he originally had jaundice that is how the cancer was discovered - they put a plastic stint into his bile duct - the jaundice came back approximately 2 months later when they had to put in a metal stint at that time they said the tumor had not grown - I believe this was because of the Tarceva.  The drug will not cure you but it will give more time.

If you do decide to go the Tarceva route - check their website they will help with the cost of the drug if you need it I started to go that route and the people I dealt with were very nice but in the end my dad decided to handle the additional cost on his own.

Good luck, I hope I was helpful.

I thank you so much for your information. I thought you could only have Tarceva along with Gemzar but it sounds like your Dad only had Tarceva. If that is the case, she might be able to tolerate it. We'll see how it goes. Just this morning our doctor told her husband and he sat me down and gave me the news - if we don't do anything now she will probably go in two or three weeks. Our decision as to whether we go with the Tarceva depends on her pain and if she can tolerate it. I think I mentioned that her daughter is expecting a boy in July but that is 3 months from now. At this point I can't see her lasting that long. The doctor is hopeful that this treatment will let her live at least that long (and maybe longer). But, there is a quality of life issue that we feel is most important and if she isn't any better than she is now it doesn't seem right to keep her going just the see the baby. If she was any further along than now she wouldn't know it anyway because the drugs really have her out of it. Again, thanks for responding. I'm sorry for you and your Dad also - it's a horrific disease and not anything we can do about it to make it go away.

 

On 4/17/2008 CarolJan wrote:

Have any of you had Tarceva to stop cancer cells from growing?
My daughters doctor wants to start her on Tarceva and then progress to Gemzar in hopes that it will make the tumors decrease. She is so weak that it's hard for us to think that this could help and might just make the quality of her life less and at this point we don't think it's worthwhile to try to keep her alive if she is just out of it most of the time and sleeps the rest of the time. Sometimes she is very alert but it goes quickly so it's hard to say just how much more time she has. Anyway, any thoughts on the Tarceva?

I don't know what type cancer your daughter has, but Tarceva would definitely be worth a shot.  I have been on it for 18 months.  Original prognosis was 6-12 months.  There are some side effects but they are quite manageable.  I have stage iv NSCLC, both lungs.  The Tarceva shrunk the tumor in my left lung completely and the main tumor in my right lung has been shrunk by 57% on the last PET.  I'm due for another PET the first week of May.  But I had a chest x-ray 3 weeks ago and they could not see any tumors.  I am anxiously awaiting the next PET to see if the tumors are gone.  I'm praying they are.  The best thing about Tarceva is that it crosses the blood/brain barrier and decreases the chance of a tumor starting in the brain.  I take 1 pill every day, 150 mg.  I am 60 years old.  I am still working and doing everything I always did, just a little slower.  I hope you decide to give it a try.  Ask the oncologist to tell you what her EGFR blood results are.  If the number is greater than 60, she has a good possibility for positive results.  I have never had any other kind of treatment, just the Tarceva.  I wish you the best and I hope things work out for your daughter.  God Bless.

 There are a lot of people on Tarceva or have been and many of them do very well and have a much lengthen life.  The real key is does your daughter want to fight this. It really is her choice as to whether she wants to give up or continue to fight to extend her life to see this grandchild and possibly others.

Try this cancer blog also:  http://pathology.jhu.edu/pancreas_chat/

There are a lot of regulars on this board that have been on Tarceva.  If your daughters doctors give her an intravenous anti-nausea, like compazine,  dose prior to the Gemzar, she shouldn't have many problems.  That seems to work well for most people.

THANK YOU! Everyone one of you that has answered has been a big help. We do appreciate the info and have started Tarceva as of today (Saturday). Should she take something right away for diarrhea (sp?), If so, what is the best? Again, Thanks to all of you.

 

On 4/19/2008 CarolJan wrote:

THANK YOU! Everyone one of you that has answered has been a big help. We do appreciate the info and have started Tarceva as of today (Saturday). Should she take something right away for diarrhea (sp?), If so, what is the best? Again, Thanks to all of you.

So glad we could help.  I wouldn't take the meds for diarrhea until it actually starts.  My onc gave me Imodium but it didn't work for me.  I went to the Dollar General Store and bought a bottle of Antii-Diarrheal caplets for $2.00 and it worked like a charm and it worked fast.  In the beginning I carried it with me just in case.  I also have a prescription drug called Promethazine 25 mg that I keep with me for nausea.  It creeps up on you sometimes.  I also avoid sugar; it doesn't help the diarrhea and it feeds the cancer.  You might want to consider adding Flax Seed Oil capsules to your regimen.  It is proven to fight cancer cells.  I have been on it for about a year now.  Also, lot of vegetables and protein.  There will be fatigue, especially in the beginning. 

I wish you well and God Bless you both.  If I can help, let me know.