Pet/Scan ...Not so good

clamryn
clamryn Member Posts: 508
Well I got the results from my PET/Scan that I had done on Friday. The one tumor has grown from 6cm to 9 cm (on my liver) and there other spots that appeared on my upper left chest area. I had been on Avastin alone and previous Pet/Scan had showed it was working. So now I had to choose a different cocktail. Choices were Gemzar, Topekan sp?). After talking for a while with the doctor, he thought it would be good to go with the Taxol/Carbo. I had taken this after my surgery in 2008 and it worked and I was NED for one year after that.

I know it sure zapped me back then but I think I am ready to go again. I am in a better place than in 2008 because I was coming off the surgery and I also had a lung collapse at the end of 2007. I wasn't in too good of shape. But now I am stronger.I thought about putting on my big girl pants....but you know they just keep falling down (I guess I better start eating more)

Linda

Comments

  • JoanC
    JoanC Member Posts: 231
    You can do it
    Put a belt on your Big Girl Panties and hang in there. Everyone is here for you We will beat this beast. Sending you tons of((teal hugs))
    Joan
  • EnglishGal
    EnglishGal Member Posts: 101
    Lots of love and hugs
    You will do it again! More teal hugs coming your way!
  • poopergirl14052
    poopergirl14052 Member Posts: 1,183 Member
    JoanC said:

    You can do it
    Put a belt on your Big Girl Panties and hang in there. Everyone is here for you We will beat this beast. Sending you tons of((teal hugs))
    Joan

    yes,,,yes,,yes
    you can do it you are a true fighter and have been through so much. If carbo/taxol worked before it will work again. Put on your big teal panties on and start kicking some cancer cells butt....val
  • Cindy Bear
    Cindy Bear Member Posts: 569
    Hi Linda
    I am sorry to hear this but I can tell from your posts that you are a strong, brave lady... ready to do battle again. If those big girl pants won't stay up on their own, we'll just buy you some big girl suspenders... HA HA
    Big Hugs coming your way,
    Cindy
  • mom2greatkids
    mom2greatkids Member Posts: 528
    Linda, you are so strong! I
    Linda, you are so strong! I always enjoy your posts! You can do this. You are an inspiration to all of us!!

    Carla
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    Linda,
    Bummer! I'm so sorry to hear this. Is it possible to ablate it?
    hugs,
    kathleen
  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    So sorry
    Linda,
    So sorry to hear about your scan results. I know what you mean about Taxol/Carbo being rough on you. It was rough on me too. I've learned since then that my detox pathway for Taxol is genetically compromised. I got a lot of support from accupuncture and vitamin C IVs during my initial treatment. I'm not sure how I would have made it through 8 rounds of the stuff without the outside help.
    Best of luck
  • Mwee
    Mwee Member Posts: 1,338
    carbo/taxol
    You ARE stronger this time and you already know what to expect with the chemo, so it will be easier for you to deal with. You wear those Big Girl panties well. Zap, Pow, Boom ...carbo/taxol work your magic!
    (((HUGS))) Maria
  • Lisa13Q
    Lisa13Q Member Posts: 677
    Dear Linda
    Bummer news... I don't know where you are being treated but they are doing amazing things with radio-ablation...on liver tumors...you might want to look it up..I wanted my mother to do it, but.....I have heard fantastic things about the effectiveness and the fact that it's non invasive.....if the taxol worked for you earlier and it's been at least a year off it, you will probably get good results from it...
  • wfisaac
    wfisaac Member Posts: 60
    I'm kind of new around here
    I'm kind of new around here so you probably don't know who I am but I just wanted to let you know I will keep you in prayer as you prepare for some more battle. I love your positive outlook!
  • clamryn
    clamryn Member Posts: 508
    Lisa13Q said:

    Dear Linda
    Bummer news... I don't know where you are being treated but they are doing amazing things with radio-ablation...on liver tumors...you might want to look it up..I wanted my mother to do it, but.....I have heard fantastic things about the effectiveness and the fact that it's non invasive.....if the taxol worked for you earlier and it's been at least a year off it, you will probably get good results from it...

    radio ablation
    Lisa I am going to have a talk with my doctor about that. I hope the taxol kicks in gear but I need to be ready to have something else in place.

    FYI..I live on the outskirts of St. Louis, MO and I go to St. John's Mercy Hospital

    Lisa, just wanted to let you know that I think about your mom and Nancy all the time. I am doing the teal toes and having Joan put on one foot and Nancy on the other foot in their honor.

    Linda
  • Cafewoman53
    Cafewoman53 Member Posts: 735 Member
    Hike them pants Up!
    THis is terrible news but you will fight it and the carbo/taxol combo should work it's magic for you . Good Luck !
    Colleen
  • antcat
    antcat Member Posts: 270
    You can do it Linda
    Hi Linda, I'm sorry that you have to go thru more chemo, I know what that's like. You seem like a very strong person and that's going to be half of the battle. After trying many chemo drugs since October last year, I'm now on Taxotere, which is what I had when I was originally diagnosesd 5 years ago. Only at that time I had it with Carboplatin, now I can't take Carboplatin because I had it 3 times and got an allergic reaction to it. Alot of people where I'm going to get chemo seem to be on Taxol and some other drug. The Taxotere is in the same family as Taxol except the side effects are supposed to be less. So far, the only side effects I've experienced have been fatigue (but I attribute that to being on constant chemo for a year) and nose bleeds, which usually start after the 2nd week (I'm on a 3 week course) and then stop a few days before the cycle starts all over again.
    But, anyway, please keep us posted on how you're doing and good luck with this new treatment.
  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    antcat said:

    You can do it Linda
    Hi Linda, I'm sorry that you have to go thru more chemo, I know what that's like. You seem like a very strong person and that's going to be half of the battle. After trying many chemo drugs since October last year, I'm now on Taxotere, which is what I had when I was originally diagnosesd 5 years ago. Only at that time I had it with Carboplatin, now I can't take Carboplatin because I had it 3 times and got an allergic reaction to it. Alot of people where I'm going to get chemo seem to be on Taxol and some other drug. The Taxotere is in the same family as Taxol except the side effects are supposed to be less. So far, the only side effects I've experienced have been fatigue (but I attribute that to being on constant chemo for a year) and nose bleeds, which usually start after the 2nd week (I'm on a 3 week course) and then stop a few days before the cycle starts all over again.
    But, anyway, please keep us posted on how you're doing and good luck with this new treatment.

    Options
    Dear Linda (clamryn)

    Sorry to hear you are going back on chemo. I just read that Doxil (adriamycin) is in limited availablity (only available to people who are currently taking it) due to a supply shortage. The drug is "off patent" so there isn't a big profit incentive for the drug company to produce it. Shouldn't the government step in here?

    See if your doctor will go with the "dose-dense taxol" regimen where you receive taxol weekly. Some research hinted that giving taxol that way had an additional anti-angiogenic benefit (what you were hoping to get from the Avastin). Taxol or taxotere would do. Anti-angiogenic means that the therapy stops the cancer from creating new blood vessels to feed itself.

    Cancer has an intelligence & an amazing ability to outsmart so many of our attempts to eradicate it. I believe it is necessary to use the most comprehensive program possible to heal yourself. That includes the lifestyle recommendations in David Servan-Schreiber's book (Anti-cancer: A New Way of Life). Even though Dr. Servan-Schreiber eventually succumbed to brain cancer, he far outlived his prognosis.

    Stay strong. You can do this!

    (((hugs)))

    Carolen
  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980
    carolenk said:

    Options
    Dear Linda (clamryn)

    Sorry to hear you are going back on chemo. I just read that Doxil (adriamycin) is in limited availablity (only available to people who are currently taking it) due to a supply shortage. The drug is "off patent" so there isn't a big profit incentive for the drug company to produce it. Shouldn't the government step in here?

    See if your doctor will go with the "dose-dense taxol" regimen where you receive taxol weekly. Some research hinted that giving taxol that way had an additional anti-angiogenic benefit (what you were hoping to get from the Avastin). Taxol or taxotere would do. Anti-angiogenic means that the therapy stops the cancer from creating new blood vessels to feed itself.

    Cancer has an intelligence & an amazing ability to outsmart so many of our attempts to eradicate it. I believe it is necessary to use the most comprehensive program possible to heal yourself. That includes the lifestyle recommendations in David Servan-Schreiber's book (Anti-cancer: A New Way of Life). Even though Dr. Servan-Schreiber eventually succumbed to brain cancer, he far outlived his prognosis.

    Stay strong. You can do this!

    (((hugs)))

    Carolen

    (((Linda))) Not the news you wanted, but you can deal with it.
    The good news is that taxol is still a viable option for you, as I think of taxol as 'the good stuff' since it is the drug that got me to both of the brief remissions I enjoyed. The second time around I did taxol in the weekly dense dose schedule, with chemo every Monday & a Nuepogen shot every Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday. I did that for 17 weeks and it was SO much easier on my blood counts and bone marrow. My only side affects were baldness and fatigue. Taxol stopped working for me, or I would go back on it in a heartbeat. It sucks to have disease progression when you are actively in treatment; I know too well. Deep breath. & we move on!

    I encourage anyone experiencing chemo resistance to explore radiation-related options. I'm have my second SIR-Spheres radioembolism tomorrow for my liver mets. & when I recover, I'm going back to my radiation oncologist and interventional radiologist and see what other tricks they may have up their sleeve to zap my malignanct lymph nodes. There's lots so ways to buy time. But taxol always sounds so promising to me! ((((Hugs)))).
  • cfont11
    cfont11 Member Posts: 115
    Scan
    Sorry you have to go through this. I hope the taxol works, it worked for me last year. You sound like such a strong, positive woman, I am sure you will get through this. My thoughts and prayers go out to you.

    Chris
  • clamryn
    clamryn Member Posts: 508
    Thank you everyone
    Thanks everyone for you input. This board helps me so much. It just makes me feel so much better to talk it out with all of you.

    Linda
  • jbeans888
    jbeans888 Member Posts: 313
    Linda I will pray for you.
    Linda I will pray for you. It's teal big girl panty time.
  • jbeans888
    jbeans888 Member Posts: 313
    Linda I will pray for you.
    Linda I will pray for you. It's teal big girl panty time.
  • Radioactive34
    Radioactive34 Member Posts: 391 Member
    clamryn said:

    Thank you everyone
    Thanks everyone for you input. This board helps me so much. It just makes me feel so much better to talk it out with all of you.

    Linda

    hugssss
    hugggssss and more huggssss I am never sure what I want to hear when I get bad news, but hugs help.