Any further treatments during remission period?

Kgirl

Hi all,

I wanted to ask everyone how their oncologist handles their period of remission. I am nearing (hopefully) the end of my first 6 cycles of chemo and I am wondering if I should ask my oncologist about a couple of medications I have researched on the net. I am wondering if I should take these medications to extend my period of remission. I have had a very difficult time with chemo and I don't know if the status of my bone marrow would even allow for more if the cancer should reoccur.

One article I found on the net and a blurb on about.com mentioned that statins may have an effect on the extension of the remission period. In a retrospective study, the women on statins when they started treatment (at surgery) had, on average, a year more of survival.

I have also seen some research on anti-estrogen therapy having some effect on women whose tumors were estrogen + and progesterone +. I have not had my tumor tested for these receptors so I dont know what effect this therapy would have. I have also had breast cancer previously and have one breast remaining. I am considering asking for tamoxifen or one of the newer drugs just because of the high risk I have for breast cancer and then hoping that it would also have an effect on the ovarian cancer as well.

I would appreciate your thoughts on this since you all are the experts at this!

Kathy

saundra

Anti-estrogen
Kathy, I started Femara, and anti-estrogen last month. I see my oncologist tomorrow and will know more about the effect if any on my rising CA-125. I had 11 of 12 small doses of Taxol after being declared NED last November. This was given to hopefully prolong my remission. My CA-125 started up in August of this year while on the Taxol and my last dose of that was 9/2. In Oct. my CA-125 was 50 and we started the Femara, similar to tamoxifen. I will post a new topic after my appointment tomorrow as to the first months results and next step. We don't know if I am estrogen receptor positive or not, but I had loads of estrogen supplements for the last 40 years..Saundra

BonnieR

saundra said:

Anti-estrogen
Kathy, I started Femara, and anti-estrogen last month. I see my oncologist tomorrow and will know more about the effect if any on my rising CA-125. I had 11 of 12 small doses of Taxol after being declared NED last November. This was given to hopefully prolong my remission. My CA-125 started up in August of this year while on the Taxol and my last dose of that was 9/2. In Oct. my CA-125 was 50 and we started the Femara, similar to tamoxifen. I will post a new topic after my appointment tomorrow as to the first months results and next step. We don't know if I am estrogen receptor positive or not, but I had loads of estrogen supplements for the last 40 years..Saundra

Good Topic
Kathy, great topic for discussion ~ thanks for posting your question.

Saundra, I will be watching for your post after your Dr appt. Continue to lift you in prayer that the femara is at least holding your numbers steady.

I wish I could be of more help here, but have never had a remission. I know women who have done a maintenance chemo after their original surgery and chemo and women who have not. Both have had varied results, so how is one suppose to know which is best. I guess we just do what we feel is best for us, or what our Dr thinks is best for us. And the Docs can all be different too.

Now did I totally confuse you? LOL! I really wasn't trying to, just making the point that there isn't any right or wrong answers to this questions. But it will be interesting to read everyone elses responses. Hugs ♥ Prayers Bonnie

LPack

meds
Kathy,

I too have finished my 7 treatments of chemo (body became toxic so I did not have 9 treatments). I am now on Hexalen for 6 cycles (but have not been able to start the 2nd cycle because of my bone marrow).

Like Bonnie said we are all different and we all have different onc. My doctor did say that the patients she has had on Hexalen have done well. I know this is not much help, as I am about as new to this as you.

In His Grip,
Libby

floridajo

Congrats on making it
Congrats on making it through your chemo!! As far as maintenence therapy is something that some Oncs do and others feel it doesn't help any...so it is a controversial subject. I wasn't put on any maintence therapy after my initial chemo but it also took 12 doses of chemo to get me into NED and since all my scans and ca-125 was normal I was given a break. If your blood has been hit really hard your onc may decide you need a break. Also my Onc explained to me that using all your chemo options up for treatment when your showing a "no disease present" status might hurt me down the line as it might be a chemo that I can't use over. So really it come will be a decision that you and your Onc will discuss...good luck~~~Joanne

saundra

Anti-estrogen
Kathy, my years worth of low dose Taxol was supposed to buy me more remission time. (one study showed an average of 10 months) That looks like what I got. Who is to say if I would have had it had I stopped all chemo and rested for awhile? Because I tolerated the 9 doses of Carbo/Taxol well and not too many side effects I decided to go for it. At Stage IV, I decided to be agressive. Taxol is not off my list as it obviously doesn't work on me any more. I am not having side effects with the anti estrogen...hot flashes but had them anyway and fatigue but maybe that is hangover from the chemo. Still gaining weight at this point.
Hope this helps...Saundra

Dreamdove

Live your life while in remission
Kathy, it is 18 months remission for me and I have received no treatments whatsoever except my 3-month checkups. I could have gone into a study and taken low doses of chemo but I didn't want that. I wanted to be finished and clear out my body. Also, I wanted my hair to grow back. You never get away from the fear, there is always going to be insecurity and vulnerability. I think it is an individual thing. But it helps to get different perspectives on here from others going thru the same thing. Remission can be scarey, too! But I took a trip with my daughter this summer so I could make sure I did something I always wanted to do in case it comes back. It wasn't a fancy trip but I'm glad I did it.

groundeffect

Anti-estrogen
Hi Kathy,

Talk to your oncologist about these drugs. I've been taking tamoxifen since April '08 because my CA-125 had started rising. It took a while, but it's having the desired effect; my level was 74 at the beginnin of November, down from a high of 284.

I haven't been tested for estrogen or progesterone receptors, either.

I do take a statin drug now (hopefully lowering my not-so-high choletesterol) along with the tamoxifen. The side effects of both seem to be minimal, other than the hot flashes...

My current oncologist prescribed the tamoxifen, and approved my family practice doctor's prescription of the statin.

Tamoxifen's been used for a while now to try to subvert recurrences of breast cancer, and I wouldn't be surprised if your oncologist embraces its use.

Kgirl

Thanks for all the thoughts
Thanks so much for all your comments. I don't think that low dose chemo will be an option because of my problem with low blood counts. But the feedback I got on the Femara or tamoxifen sounds encouraging although I do need to realize that using it now will cut down on my options if I do have a reoccurance. I think I will ask about the statins since there is no down side to this drug if it doesn't have the desired effect as it will also help to prevent heart disease. I see my oncologist on the 25th so I will post then to let you know what her thinking is. She has been very aggressive in my treatment and even let me have chemo last time when my absolute neutrophil count was less than one (I had a neulasta shot the next day). She might be very receptive to these thoughts and might have a few ideas of her own.

I am 48 and have 3 daughters and a strong history of premenopausal breast cancer in my family. My biggest consolation in all of this is that my daughters are now fully aware that they are at high risk for both breast and ovarian cancer and that they can be closely monitored by their doctors. I was not fully aware of my familys health history and both cancers caught me totally by suprise.

Thanks again for all the advice. I hope all of you realize what it means to be a part of this community. I don't post much but I read through it almost every day.

Kathy

Unknown

floridajo said:

Congrats on making it
Congrats on making it through your chemo!! As far as maintenence therapy is something that some Oncs do and others feel it doesn't help any...so it is a controversial subject. I wasn't put on any maintence therapy after my initial chemo but it also took 12 doses of chemo to get me into NED and since all my scans and ca-125 was normal I was given a break. If your blood has been hit really hard your onc may decide you need a break. Also my Onc explained to me that using all your chemo options up for treatment when your showing a "no disease present" status might hurt me down the line as it might be a chemo that I can't use over. So really it come will be a decision that you and your Onc will discuss...good luck~~~Joanne

This comment has been removed by the Moderator