New clinical trial

Hi,

 

I have Stage IV Non-small cell lung cancer - first diagnosed in 5/07 so I am one of the lucky ones.  So far I don't have any tumors outside of the lungs although both lungs have many nodules - the radiologist report always say "innumerable" and I do have positive lymph nodes.  Most of the nodules are small - the largest are about 2 cm.  I decided to go the clinical trial route - I'm on my fourth one now.  I've had Carboplatin and Taxol along with Tarceva - had a little shrinkage but mostly just stayed stable for about a yr;  I was on a new Pfizer oral drug - a EGFR like Tarceva which had horrible side effects but kept me stable for another 6 mo.  Then I was on a trial with Sutent and had my first good response - there was actual shrinkage in the larger nodules - but I had trouble tolerating the Sutent so I think because of the dose reduction, had progression again after a few months.

Now I'm on a new trial using Taxotere and an investigational drug, NPI 2358.  I have the Taxotere and the NPI on day 1, then just the NPI on day 8 and then I get a week off.  I'm just on my first cycle - this will be my week off.  I can't say I'm happy to have chemo again - I've had some of the nausea and vomiting and the fatigue, and the leg pains from the Taxotere.  I expect I will also lose my hair but I've been thru that before - I didn't really like the way my hair grew back last time - maybe it will be better this time!

I know this is a fairly new trial but I was wondering if anyone else out there is on this trial?  It would be nice to compare issues - and how you are managing the symptoms.

This is quite a ride we are on, isn't it?  I am fortunate that I have a good treatment team, and support from my family and friends.  Otherwise, I don't know how I would get through it.

Petunia55 

Thanks for sharing.   Yes, the quality of life issues are my problem.   You seem to be willing to take quite a bit of abuse.     I just began carboplatin plus alimpta because the Tarceva I had been so successful with and with few side effects stopped working, at least on my main tumor.  Have Stage IV.   The Tarceva had dropped all tumors to almost nothing  in a month.  But, after about 5 months, the main tumor started to not respond.    We're hoping for just 2 rounds of the Carbo/Alimta and then back to maybe a clinical trial with Tarceva plus something else.   My oncologist is very much into quality of life, as are my husband and I.  We don't life forever, and I'll certainly weigh heavily whether I'm sick all the time and how much good that drug is supposed to do.   Some say they'll give you another 3 weeks of longevity.  Not worth it to me.   This Carbo+ is supposed to be the easiest chemo, but I'm getting more side effects than with the Tarceva.   Just one day of throw up and a few days of "puny."   I can adjust to that.  My husband and I work hard to do things alongside the chemo to help like exercise, excellent diet, do fun things to produce endorphins.    We are going to visit a naturopath encologist who specializes in that help.    It's a new field in naturopathy.  We don't want the chemo to be what kills me.   The kids have been wonderful.    I do believe that God has a plan for me, one that is full of wisdom and love; hope you can turn it over to Him also. 

Myfather has been getiing 5 chemo treatment procedures in the past two months whioch seem to be working well. I believe the diet changesare very important, 80% RAW  fruits and veggies and juices.

he had stage 4 lung cancer thats comsidered terminal. can anyone please tell me how many chemical procedures are required to complete treatment? our doctore is very vague on this...is it 5 , 6 or many more?

 

wishing everyone faster recovery .

Marina

 

On 7/20/2009 purplevelvet wrote:

Myfather has been getiing 5 chemo treatment procedures in the past two months whioch seem to be working well. I believe the diet changesare very important, 80% RAW  fruits and veggies and juices.

he had stage 4 lung cancer thats comsidered terminal. can anyone please tell me how many chemical procedures are required to complete treatment? our doctore is very vague on this...is it 5 , 6 or many more?

 

wishing everyone faster recovery .

Marina

 

How many procedures is not knowable.    You try one and see if it works and for how long.   I understand Stage 4 can never be cured, just managed so you can live, and hopefully live well.    One quandary is quality of life and some of the treatments don't help much and are very unpleasant.   My encologist had a patient who considers all chemo "barbaric" and only wants to use Tarceva, which is targeted to the cancer, not killing many cells in the body.   Each person responds differently to any given treatment and it is a constant challenge to patient and doctor to balance the treatments and the side effects and the quality of life.   Many Stage IV lung cancer patients are have years of success with Tarceva.   The diet, exercise and de-stressing you are doing also help with the treatments.    Glad the treatments are working well.