Metronomic delivery of chemo

impactzone
impactzone Member Posts: 555 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I just got some information about metronomic delivery of chemo agents and found it interesting. I do not remember reading much of this in the last year so here it is. Essentially what I gleaned was that with drugs like avastin or even chemo drugs when given at large dosages it does or can destroy certain cells but in the time it takes to give a second dose those cells have been repaired. If you give a smaller dosages over a longer time or continuously, the cells are killed. Here is a link

http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin/NCI_Cancer_Bulletin_062706/page4


from the National Cancer Institute. I know there are some Phase 1 trials at UCSF for colon cancer. This research while not revolutionary might show an ability to go back to some drugs that might have stopped working. I always like hope out there...
Thank all
Chip

Comments

  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #2
    thanks!
    Hey Chip -- Thanks for posting this. Very interesting. I hadn't heard of this before so appreciate learning. You are right: it is good to have hope and to have some options developing out there. Interesting notion: maybe the (traditional) chemos are good but the 'schedule' could be improved - that could be the 'secret' for some of us. It's funny -- with all the research done comparing different drugs, there is relatively little comparing schedules (number of cycles, timing of cycles, start-stop chemo, etc).

    On another topic: I assume you haven't received news of your scan yet (unless I missed a post - forgive). Thinking of you as you ?play the waiting game.....

    Tara
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #3
    interesting!
    Hi Chip,

    Very interesting, indeed! I'm someone who has been on Avastin for a long time, so it's good to read your news. I had Avastin, of course, with my first chemo (Folfox + Avastin), then had it again with my recurrence for another 6 mos., along with irinotecan and Xeloda. When my PET was negative in April, I continued with the Xeloda and Avastin. I've taken Avastin for a total of 15 months, with 10 of those months being consecutive up until the present.
    Actually, I forgot what it was called, but my new oncologist is ordering a test to be done where they're taking a sample of my removed liver tumors from over a year ago to see if I'm even a good candidate for Avastin. I guess this is a relatively new test, but should tell me if it's a good thing or not for me to continue on the Avastin. Lately, I've been questioning if the Avastin could possibly be the source for my arthritis like symptoms (the rheumatologist ruled out rheumatoid arthritis recently even though my mom has it & so did my grandma, saying it's not heriditary. He was actually kind of a jerk- wouldn't even listen to me once he knew I had cancer- said it was from my chemo, although I don't think he really knows that. Told me I just need to "live with it" because I can't take arthritis meds while on chemo anyhow. A really lousy attitude- I was near tears).
    Anyhow, I just totally got off the subject, but thanks again Chip! I do hope you're doing alright & like someone else just said, I'm curious if you got your scan results.

    Take care-
    Lisa

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