Carboplatin with Avastin for recurrent GBM

Wow... this is hard to come on here and post... here it goes.

Tim has a new tumor on the left side... in the general interpretive area and the speech center. (Wernicke and Brocca areas). It has grown significantly since the Aug 09 scan. So... no surgery due to the risk outweighs the benefit. Tim's first tumor was on the right frontal... so it has also crossed sides but it NOT connected.

He was previously on Avastin and CPT-11 (Irreotecan) since Dec. 2007. He tolerated these well.

That said, he will begin CARBOPLATIN with Avastin this Thursday. I'd like to receive input on the experiences, good and bad, regarding this chemo... whether Carbo alone or in conjunction with Avastin.

I'm interested in the side effects and results.

As of today, we don't see any deficits other than some short term memory loss that has been going on since diagnosis. Tim had begun training again in hopes to return to his love of running. He had run 2.5 miles 30 minutes prior to getting the devastating call that the tumor was on the left and growing.

And did I mention that CANCER SUCKS?

Cindy, wife of Tim, dx June 11, 2007

Hi Cindy

My husband took avastin with carboplatin with etoposide (oral) for about 6 months earlier this year and it worked well for him.  He had about 70% shrinkage of tumours (spots showed on each side of his brain). 

He did have recurrence/progression after about 7 months of this treatment and at that time, we stopped avastin and have continued with carbo and etoposide.  He has been stable since.

 The carbo is very tolerable for him - no nausea or other side effects, except fatigue - but who knows what that's related to.

Great to hear your man is feeling well despite recurrence - this will put him in good stead for dealing with the new chemo routine.

best wishes

zoe

Hi Zoe... thanks for the reply. Curious, where are you treated? I think the inclusion of the Etiposide is something I want to mention to Tim's oncologist as a possiblity. Ready to throw everything at the beast!

 

On 10/12/2009 HeadsUp wrote:

Hi Zoe... thanks for the reply. Curious, where are you treated? I think the inclusion of the Etiposide is something I want to mention to Tim's oncologist as a possiblity. Ready to throw everything at the beast!

We are in australia.  FYI - some research (in vitro) shows there is a relationship between etopoide and sodium valproate - one drug seems to makes the other more effective. not sure what, if any antiseizure drugs Tim is taking, but our doc recently suggested taking valproate for this reason.  The chemo combo has had to be altered in dose a few times (lowered) due to slightly low platelet counts, but never missed a round yet.

Best wishes

zoe