Sutent

Hello ,I am also new at this. My dad found out that he had renal cancer 11 years ago and had his kidney taken out. He was never treated with any kemo at that time. They got it all. This year around March-April He had started with the symptoms and found out that he infact had cancer again. He was bleeding. He had a CT scan that showed it is In his back, both shoulders, lungs, around his pancreatus,sturnum and side. He started the sutent and has been on it for 2 months . His side affect that bothers the most is his feet swelling and getting red almost like gout. He doesnt have much for color and vomits blood every once and a while. He has to go in for blood ,because he has a tumor that bleeds all the time. He has days were he doesnt want to eat because things taste bad and just hurts to eat . We havent had another CT scan yet but hopefully soon. He just turned 63 years young and were not ready to let him go yet. He has thyroid disease, He's diabtic and he now has cancer again. He is a pain in the butt. But we still love him.

Sue

 

I am 62 and stage IV Kidney cancer with mets to lungs, pancreas, stomach wall and lymph nodes who is currently on Sutent.  I have only 3 rounds of Sutent, and the side effects are seemingly getting better each round.  One of the best things I did was to get good (and Soft) shoes.  Actually they are made for people with diabetis.  Also "Udderly Smooth" cream has also helped.   Keep the faith.

Hi I am 57, stage 1V on sutent for 18 months now - side effects are definitely more manageable, I use gell pads for shoes and/or sheepskin pads and good old udderly cream as well. I often sit with my feet up to relax them. I find the leather trainers which are wide fitting help as well.

 

Railwayman 

Hi:
My brother is stage IV rcc in the liver. 47 yrs old. He is on 50mg of Sutent and on his second round..you sound like you are doing ok~ or as best as ok can be.

Are you walking around, getting out of the house? Or are you home bound?
He is experiencing weakness in his feet; now after what I am reading it could be the Sutent.   He got admitted to the hosptial today; the mouth sores are inhibiting his eating, I have a feeling he is dehydrated...I'm not with him now..I live 50 miles away and will visit tomorrow....I just am reading online, trying to help that way.....

What mg of Sutent are you on? He got hit pretty hard on the first round, pretty much bed ridden - now this second round is in its 2nd week, and he is feeling like it should be the last week.

I have read some people have dropped to 37.5 mg, so I thought I would ask what you are on.   I think my brother wants the higher dose so it will work better; my theory is lower does with managable side effects would be better overall on his body.

got any comments?

Brenda

 

On 9/13/2008 EagleGirl wrote:

Hi:
My brother is stage IV rcc in the liver. 47 yrs old. He is on 50mg of Sutent and on his second round..you sound like you are doing ok~ or as best as ok can be.

Are you walking around, getting out of the house? Or are you home bound?
He is experiencing weakness in his feet; now after what I am reading it could be the Sutent.   He got admitted to the hosptial today; the mouth sores are inhibiting his eating, I have a feeling he is dehydrated...I'm not with him now..I live 50 miles away and will visit tomorrow....I just am reading online, trying to help that way.....

What mg of Sutent are you on? He got hit pretty hard on the first round, pretty much bed ridden - now this second round is in its 2nd week, and he is feeling like it should be the last week.

I have read some people have dropped to 37.5 mg, so I thought I would ask what you are on.   I think my brother wants the higher dose so it will work better; my theory is lower does with managable side effects would be better overall on his body.

got any comments?

Brenda

 

Dear Brenda

I know the side effects can be distressing, but the oncs do seem to think that the higher dose will be more potent against the cancer, so if your brother can bear the sides and keep going, and wants to do so, with the higher dose, that is well worth giving a shot.

Hopefully, if the Sutent does its stuff, then, once the mets are shrinking, the doc can lower the dose, and get more quality of life back for your brother whilst still keeping the cancer in check (hopefully even checkmate!!!).

Also, I have read here that the sides can vary - they can diminish over time, and become more maneageable, so that might ease things for your brother.

As you will read here, there are lots of 'tricks' that people have come up with for ameliorating the worst of the side effects, so I hope some of them help. I'd definitely make sure he's drinking lots, preferably water, to keep his system nice and flushed, and not put a strain on the kidney/s.

All the best, and hang on in there with him! Julie

Thanks  Julie!

your comments are good ones. I appreciate it.

brenda

Just to say that my husband is now about half way through his second cycle of Sutent - the sides have appeared faster, at least the foot syndrome one has, and have been definintely worse, BUT, they also now seem to be easing off (we hope!) (one foot got it first, then the next started up, then the hand, and now the first affected foot is beginning to ease, though the second one hasn't, but we are hoping it will next, etc). Also, one of the symptoms he got first time hasn't appeared (yet!)  (it was facial spots - like a teenager, poor chap!).

I write this to say that it seems that the body can react differently each cycle, so that the sides may, hopefully, either ease off, or possibly not even appear (or perhaps just take it in turns, which at least may give a bit of a break for a while).

All the best, and I do hope that, most importantly of all, the Sutent is giving the cancer a really hard time!

Juie.