how slowly does doxil work?

eward
eward Member Posts: 210
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
My mom is on Doxil for her 1st recurrance of PPC. Her CA125 was up to 3800 just 3 months after her original chemo. After 2 doxils her number was 3200 and after 3 doxils her CA was 2500. She completed her 4th doxil a week ago and has not had the CA rechecked since then. Her oncologist is sending her to a gyno-oncologist Weds. to help her decide whether to stop doxil and try something else or continue doxil. Mom's CAT scan is clear of tumors, her lymph nodes are enlarged and she has had problems with pleural effusions in the past two months.

I am wondering what other women's experiences have been with doxil? I have heard it is slow to work, but just how slow is slow?

Eileen

Comments

  • nancy591
    nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
    #2
    not sure
    Not sure. I had 5 infusions of Doxil and moved on when progression of disease was shown. As long as there is no progression I'd be happy!
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #3
    I was on doxil
    for 8 months and it did keep my number steady, until the dose was lowered because of side effects. Then, carboplatin was added, and the number came down even more. My impression of doxil, from my own experience and reading other people's experiences, is that doxil works slowly and doesn't kill the cancer as much as keep it at bay, for the most part. Although I have read of some women going into remission with it, too.

    For me, I am now done with doxil and am taking a short break. I need to heal up from all the the chemo I have had, so I can move on to something else. Meanwhile, the doxil/carbo did give me a low enough number to do that.

    Wishing your mom the best on doxil,
    kathleen
  • clamryn
    clamryn Member Posts: 508
    #4
    kayandok said:

    I was on doxil
    for 8 months and it did keep my number steady, until the dose was lowered because of side effects. Then, carboplatin was added, and the number came down even more. My impression of doxil, from my own experience and reading other people's experiences, is that doxil works slowly and doesn't kill the cancer as much as keep it at bay, for the most part. Although I have read of some women going into remission with it, too.

    For me, I am now done with doxil and am taking a short break. I need to heal up from all the the chemo I have had, so I can move on to something else. Meanwhile, the doxil/carbo did give me a low enough number to do that.

    Wishing your mom the best on doxil,
    kathleen

    I am new on this site.
    I had ovarian cancer over 20 years ago and now it is back. Strange that it is from the same cancer. In 2008 I had a 6 treatments of chemo and it got it all and I was cancer free again. Now in 2010 some spots appeared. I have had 5 treatments and recently took a pet scan. The scan showed all but one is gone. The one remaining has shrunk. But it is on my liver. I have one more chemo treatment and am hoping it will get it. I am currently doing the Doxil. I do have a question. I have this odor. Is this a side effect? I also have some discharge which I never had before?
  • eward
    eward Member Posts: 210
    #5
    clamryn said:

    I am new on this site.
    I had ovarian cancer over 20 years ago and now it is back. Strange that it is from the same cancer. In 2008 I had a 6 treatments of chemo and it got it all and I was cancer free again. Now in 2010 some spots appeared. I have had 5 treatments and recently took a pet scan. The scan showed all but one is gone. The one remaining has shrunk. But it is on my liver. I have one more chemo treatment and am hoping it will get it. I am currently doing the Doxil. I do have a question. I have this odor. Is this a side effect? I also have some discharge which I never had before?

    Sorry to hear your cancer is
    Sorry to hear your cancer is back. My mom has not mentioned an odor or discharge. If your resistance is down, could you have a yeast infection? How has your CA125 number responded to the doxil?
    Eileen
  • clamryn
    clamryn Member Posts: 508
    #6
    eward said:

    Sorry to hear your cancer is
    Sorry to hear your cancer is back. My mom has not mentioned an odor or discharge. If your resistance is down, could you have a yeast infection? How has your CA125 number responded to the doxil?
    Eileen

    My CA125 has responded well
    My CA125 has responded well with the doxil. It is down to 28. For years it was around 7 or 8 and then it started to rise. I knew something was wrong. My doctor said to wait for a couple of months to see and then he decided to put me on tamoxifen. That was the wrong thing for me. It made my spots double in size. I then read on the internet that tamoxifen was the worst medical mistake. As soon as my doctor saw that my spots had increased in size, he told me to quit taking the tamoxifen and wanted me to do the doxil. I go to the doctor tomorrow for my last chemo treatment. I am going to talk to him about the discharge and the odor. As far as the other side effects.... I have only experienced the fatigue.
    Linda

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