Avastin/Cpt-11

We are struggling with the whole Avastin/CPT-11 thing. Our insurance wont pay and I am spending my house. We just had the first dose last Monday. Mild side effects so far. I just looked at the schedule for this treatment and the Doc has scheduled Both drugs on the first and third week and then CPT-11 by itself in the second and fourth weeks.

Everything I have seen has Both every other week. Has anyone heard of this? If you are being treated with this combination please let me know what your protocol is. By adding CPT-11 in the 2nd and 4th weeks my cost has gone up $10,000 every six weeks.

I have a call in to Duke. The only trial listed on the Duke web site is to assess MRI with Avastin/CPT-11. It lists the protocol as every other week.

Bob

Bob, my wife is on this combo right now - completed her third infusion last Thursday. She takes both drugs on the same day, CPT-11 first (125mg/M^2) and Avastin second (10mg/kg). Three infusions constitute one round and we are planning on two rounds. She is on Duke's protocol and just hit the one-year mark post GBM diagnosis with a clear MRI. We did have to apply to our insurance company to cover these drugs, and were initially rejected twice. Duke helped us put a package together and voila, two weeks later we were covered. Also, based on some of the initial trials there has been a 60% response rate to this combo. Good luck!

My info says only in a study will you not have to pay for this combo (study being done at Duke only) but suggest you try Cancer Treatment Center Of America, their # is 888-816-5122. They are not a research hospital and they have this protocol which also includes Tarceeva. Insurance will pay here. Hope this helps. God Bless.