How Long To Do Avastin/Cpt11 Iv Drip?

For those of you that are familiar with the Avastin/CPT11 chemo...how long does it take for the IV drip to be completed?  Someone told me 6 hours...is that true?  Did any of you recieve radiation treatment on the same day that you took the Avastin/Cpt11 treatment.  Our doctor is proposing both treatments to be sought at the same time, yet I have read this is not traditional.  He is also only one week out from surgery...again not typical to begin Avastin so soon.  Please advise.

 

On 6/3/2008 Bbish wrote:

For those of you that are familiar with the Avastin/CPT11 chemo...how long does it take for the IV drip to be completed?  Someone told me 6 hours...is that true?  Did any of you recieve radiation treatment on the same day that you took the Avastin/Cpt11 treatment.  Our doctor is proposing both treatments to be sought at the same time, yet I have read this is not traditional.  He is also only one week out from surgery...again not typical to begin Avastin so soon.  Please advise.

My hs receives Avastin,but not cpt11. It's about 3 hrs. this includes labs and delays if the infusion center is busy. The first dose took 60 minutes so he could be monitored for possible side effects to Avastin. Since the first dose the infusion itself takes about 30 minutes.

It's my understanding that surgery is not compatible while receiving Avastin. Avastin thins blood, interferes with clotting and wound healing. We were told that if my hs needs a 2nd surgery he will have to be taken off of Avastin (not sure how long) before surgery.

L

 

On 6/3/2008 Bbish wrote:

For those of you that are familiar with the Avastin/CPT11 chemo...how long does it take for the IV drip to be completed?  Someone told me 6 hours...is that true?  Did any of you recieve radiation treatment on the same day that you took the Avastin/Cpt11 treatment.  Our doctor is proposing both treatments to be sought at the same time, yet I have read this is not traditional.  He is also only one week out from surgery...again not typical to begin Avastin so soon.  Please advise.

My appointments seem like forever!  10:30 lab, waiting...Dr. appt.  wait...they actually "mix" the chemo depending on the medications you are taking. So the "waiting for lab results" is warranted.  The actual CPT11 is 1 11/2 hours and Avastin started out 1 1/2 hours 1st infusion, 2nd infusion was 1 hour and 3 and rest will be 1/2 hour.  My last appointment was 6 hours from start to leaving.  Typical I think?

 Keep the Faith!

 

My husband had the Avastin and cpt 11, the first dose was about 5 hours with the lab work, doctors appt and chemo. The next one was 4 hours and then one coming up is scheduled for 3 hour block. The first few times they infuse slow so they can watch for side effects. He has not had any side effects from the chemo and has finished his second dose last week.

Avastin does slow down wound healing and we were told at Yale that if he had the second surgery he would have to wait 4 weeks before starting on the Avastin. Second surgery was not done because of the speed his tumor was growing it would be back to the size it is now by time they could start the Avastin. (He had finished his Radiation and temodar April 2nd and tumor regrowth was noticed on MRI done after he had a seizure on April 29th.)

I go every 2 weeks for Avastin only. I never get out of there in less than 4 to 5 hours. I am there at least 45minutes before they get around to drawing blood, then I have been having trouble with my porta cath, so that add to the time. I am there at 8AM and never get out before 12:30PM.

 

Murphy shows up every time I go for an infusion. 

It generally takes us three hours - once my husband gets into the treatment room, that is.  The premeds (decadron and aloxi) take about 15 minutes to run in.  Then they start the CPT-11 and it is always 90 minutes.  Following the CPT-11, the Avastin is last.  It takes 20 minutes.  That is the schedule - once they see that you don't experience adverse side effects.  They run the Avastin in slower the first couple of times and then when the patient does ok with it, its 20 minutes thereafter.

Back last July before my husband's first CPT-11 / Avastin treatment, they inserted a Hickman catheter.  They said if they had put a port in, they would have had to wait 30 days to start the Avastin.  Since my husband experienced progression of his tumor while on radiation and Temodar, they did NOT want to wait thirty days.  

Several months ago, he had to have a tooth extracted.  On his regular treatment day, they did not give the Avastin treatment and he had the tooth pulled the next day.  Then he was ok for the Avastin two weeks later when his regular treatment time came.  So, yes, folks here are correct, you don't mess around with surgery - of any kind - while on Avastin.

Best of Luck,

Barb

Husband dx 4/07/07 with inoperable GBM IV.  On Avastin / CPT-11 since 7/25/07.

 

 

On 6/3/2008 bpanc wrote:

It generally takes us three hours - once my husband gets into the treatment room, that is.  The premeds (decadron and aloxi) take about 15 minutes to run in.  Then they start the CPT-11 and it is always 90 minutes.  Following the CPT-11, the Avastin is last.  It takes 20 minutes.  That is the schedule - once they see that you don't experience adverse side effects.  They run the Avastin in slower the first couple of times and then when the patient does ok with it, its 20 minutes thereafter.

Back last July before my husband's first CPT-11 / Avastin treatment, they inserted a Hickman catheter.  They said if they had put a port in, they would have had to wait 30 days to start the Avastin.  Since my husband experienced progression of his tumor while on radiation and Temodar, they did NOT want to wait thirty days.  

Several months ago, he had to have a tooth extracted.  On his regular treatment day, they did not give the Avastin treatment and he had the tooth pulled the next day.  Then he was ok for the Avastin two weeks later when his regular treatment time came.  So, yes, folks here are correct, you don't mess around with surgery - of any kind - while on Avastin.

Best of Luck,

Barb

Husband dx 4/07/07 with inoperable GBM IV.  On Avastin / CPT-11 since 7/25/07.

 

This sounds similar to my husband.  He had an ommya put in...it is like a catheter in the brain on May 23rd (may be the same as a hinkman cath?)   His oncologist is worried about starting Avastin...his Neouroncologist is saying start now.  There is growth so I understand the urgency.  I was unclear in your message if your husband had the port inserted (if this is another part of the catheter)?  Did they ever drain more fluid?  As far as the chemo...does it seem to be working?  Thanks for your help.

Barb

husband d/x GBM 2/07, frontal lobe butterfly glioma, rad and temodar, temodar additional 11 rounds, new growth 5/08. 

Barb, the Hickman catheter is in his chest.  It's a long tube that comes out of his chest and it has clamp part way up and then a cap at the end.   Its what they use to give him the chemo.  A port is different, in that it is completely under the skin, up at the top of the chest.  You don't have to worry about cleaning it, getting it wet, etc, like you do with the Hickman.  But it takes about 30 days to heal with a port before they can start using it for the Avastin.  Thus, they decided to insert the Hickman in my husband because there was no time to lose before starting the Avastin / CPT-11.

So far, it is keeping the tumor at bay.  Only one more infusion on June 11 and then maybe a break.  We hope so anyhow!

Best regards,

Barb

Glad to hear the tumor is not progressing!  So many people are having great success with Avastin!  Congrats and continue to have this luck!

 One last question though...is the Hickman and port typically done?  I just assumed the treatment would be through the arm vein.  Is the Hickman a better way to recieve the chemo?

Thanks for all your reponses...they have really helped!

Barb

I was wondering as well why some patients have ports? I have heard of ports for patients that have difficulties finding a vein or receive other meds and they do not want to repeat a stick for every med.

The nurses wrap my hs arm in warm towel for a few minutes and he receives Avastin through a vein in his arm (IV).

Best of Luck to you and your husband