CancerCompass message board discussion started by Bob W. on 5/25/2004 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,1144,0.htm Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I am interested in exchanging information with other cancer patients who are taking Iressa medication for non small cell lung cancer. I have been taking Iressa successfully for 19 months now, with my cancer in remission for the past 14 months. Bob W. Tue, 25 May 2004 00:00:00 GMT Bob: I was very interested to see your message. I asked my doctor about it and he said it wasn't as good as they had expected it to be and he didn't think it would help. What stage are you. Your results sounds great. I will pray that your good results holds out. I would like to know where you are from and if you are in a trial. Sheilah Sheilah Tue, 01 Jun 2004 00:00:00 GMT I went thru two sessions of chemo with no result. I am now in my second month of Iressa. The tumors are shrinking and I have just had another CATSCAN. Hopefully it will continue. Alan B. Alanalfred Fri, 18 Jun 2004 00:00:00 GMT Sheila, My Dr. said the same thing but after failing two lots of chemo he said that there was a 10% chance I might benefit. Guess what. The tumors in both lungs started shrinking and I am feeling a lot better. Alan B. Alanalfred Fri, 18 Jun 2004 00:00:00 GMT My dad is going through his third round of chemo. The last two tests have showed no growth of the tumors but my dad is very down because the chemo is not shrinking it. His doctor said that they may think about an alternative but he wasn't too encouraging about Iressa. Should we pursue Iressa or go with what the Doctor says. kristi s. Kristi Thu, 08 Jul 2004 00:00:00 GMT I was diagnosed with stage 4 nsclc in 03/04. I did taxol and carboplatin and my scans revealed more cancer in my bones and lymph nodes. I fought to get on iressa because of much research and many phones calls and now I am on taxotere and iressa. I did 3 weeks on and 1 off of tax while taking iressa each day. I just started 2nd round of 3 weeks and will get ct and bone scans on august 12th. There are many paths to take and I will find out in 3 weeks if I'm the right one this time. I am also changing my diet drastically to enhance the cancer kill effect of the chemo and iressa. No coffee, soda, sugar, white flour, dairy, red meat and so on. I have added things like brocco sprouts, brassica green and black teas, astragalas, juicing with lemons, oranges, and grapefruit. Also, maitake and shitake mushrooms. I keep a positive attitude and pray each night and keep depression at bay because it won't help the fight. God luck and don't hesitate to be proactive with your doctors and the net is a great source of info! Bill Thorman007 Wed, 21 Jul 2004 00:00:00 GMT Hi Bill I am on Iressa and I have read that grapefruit can interact negatively with the drug. Put in a search on "Iressa grapefruit" and you will be able to read what I have read on this topic. Keep the faith. Tammy D Tammy d Sun, 07 Nov 2004 00:00:00 GMT Hi Tammy! Thank you for the input. I did what you said and the info I found backs up what you said about Iressa and grapefruit. My last juicing - no grapefruit! Knowledge is power, and we all need lots of power to beat this disease that destroys the very fiber of our being. I am documenting everything I'm doing so that when I beat this I can first give others hope and second give them a possible path. One of the frustrating things for me since I found out I have stage IV NSCLC is finding info on survivers and the path they took to success. Info like diets,supplements, and therapies. People are surviving cancer with many different paths and it would be nice to see and consider them for personal use in this great battle. Keep the faith and a positive attitude! Thanks - Bill S. Thorman007 Mon, 08 Nov 2004 00:00:00 GMT Hi Bob I'm new on Iressa. (Since 9/04) Let me know if you're still on it and how it's going. I'm glad to hear you're doing so well. Tammy Tammy d Tue, 09 Nov 2004 00:00:00 GMT Hi Tammy, Yes, I'm still on Iressa and still in remission since April 2003. I'm getting along well on the medication, though I have some side effects like dry itchy skin for which I use an over the counter moisturerizer. I'm in a clinical trial program at Duke University Medical Center. Let me know if you have any questions. Bob W. Bob W. Tue, 09 Nov 2004 00:00:00 GMT Dear Bob: Thanks for your message. Have you ever been on celebrex with your Iressa? There's another list/serv at www.acor.org/types.html with people on Iressa that talk about celebrex too. After you click on lung cancer then hit the letter "I" and it takes you to it. I'm sure there are people on there that would love to hear of your success. Were you a smoker? I have never been a smoker so this diagnosis came as quite shock to me. My first scan after starting Iressa my doctor called "striking" and "remarkable" but I am Stage 4 and have numerous bone mets. What stage are you? Do you have bone mets or do you know anyone with them that has had success? How long is the clinical trial where you are? Do they have any data that they share as to the longevity projections of this drug? Thanks again for writing. Still hoping for a miracle, Tammy D. Tammy d Wed, 10 Nov 2004 00:00:00 GMT Bill, thanks so much for sharing this information on this drug. We have just started treatment with it after a few treatments of chemo quit working. I would like to know the type of cancer you are fighting, have you had any side effects, or down side to this drug. thanks so much for your help. Helen Helen Grace Fri, 19 Nov 2004 00:00:00 GMT Hello Helen, I have stage IV NSCLC with mets to the bones. Iressa has a potentially fatal side effect called ILD(interstitial lung disease).I was on it for about 3 weeks when i started getting symptoms of pneumonia. By the 4th week I had an extreme shortness of breath,1/4 of my normal lung capacity. My oncologist told me about ILD so i immediately stopped the iressa. A scan of my lungs showed some type of build up or infection.Lucky for me my lungs cleared up after two weeks and I got back on the iressa while taking prednisone to keep the lungs clear. Another side effect is a rash and sometimes pimples that appear on my head, face, neck, and chest. The rash on the face was a little painful, but my oncologist informed me that a rash is a sign the iressa is working. The iressa has a 10% effectiveness rate for people using it and i think im one of those 10%'ers,hopefully!Stay positive and keep fighting! Bill S. Thorman007 Mon, 29 Nov 2004 00:00:00 GMT I have been on Iressa for about eight months and it appears that my NSCLC is holding. It has not spread but there is slight enlargement of two nodules. I have the same symptons as you, shortness of breath and rashes on my body. I have had colon cancer, kidney cancer, and cancer in my left broncus which met'zd to both lungs. I recently had an op for bladder cancer. All of these cancers were primary except for the lungs. This all started in 1996. I recently read that the muanufacturer of Iressa stated that the medicine did not prolong life. Did you read that article. Comments? Alanalfred Thu, 30 Dec 2004 00:00:00 GMT