gemzar/gemcitabine/GOLF

taraHK

Interested to hear from anyone who is on gemzar (gemcitabine). I remember our dear Lisa (Lisa42) was on this for a while -- but can't recall if others are. Would love to hear experiences in terms of side effects, etc.

I am currently on FOLFOXFIRI -- but learned today it is no longer working (boo hoo) so my oncologist wants to switch me to GOLF -- which is gemzar plus folfox (in my case with Avastin too). GOLFA?! (funny since I've never been a golfa in my life haha).

Tara

Sundanceh

THK:)
"never been a golfa?" - you got a smile out of me, Tara:)

I'm hoping the new switch will help you. Lisa was the Gemzar queen - you may be the only one on this forum now, but if there are any more, I hope you hear from them. Lisa seemed to tolerate it, I can't remember her gritching about it. I hope it works for you too.

I'll never be able to have your attitude with all you've been through, but that's why you're Tara:)

I don't know you do it - but keep doing it...you show us all how to take disappointment with dignity and humor.

-Craig

druidshadow

thanx
thanx for the giggle tara, i needed it but i have never heard of that setup of drugs sorry
john

coloCan

Sundanceh said:

THK:)
"never been a golfa?" - you got a smile out of me, Tara:)

I'm hoping the new switch will help you. Lisa was the Gemzar queen - you may be the only one on this forum now, but if there are any more, I hope you hear from them. Lisa seemed to tolerate it, I can't remember her gritching about it. I hope it works for you too.

I'll never be able to have your attitude with all you've been through, but that's why you're Tara:)

I don't know you do it - but keep doing it...you show us all how to take disappointment with dignity and humor.

-Craig

GOLFIG: FOLFOX plus drugs to ramp up the immune system
"The chemo/immune boost approach involves first giving patients gemcitabine plus standard FOLFOX chemotheraphy (oxaliplatin,levofolinic acid and 5-FU/GOLF)that targets and kills the cancer cells in a number of ways--all the while sending off signals alerting the immune system to the cancer.

"This is then followed up with the administration of signaling molecules called cytokines that spur key immune cells into action. Another immune-boosting cancer drug,called aldesleukine,is also given to help boost the population of immune cells targeted against tumer cells."

The above is from one of the earlier reports on this,back in May,2011,at healthday.com,titled:"Immune-Boost Treatment Might Help Some With Advanced Colon Cancer"

Apparently results this past year must have been promising.....Hope they are for you

coloCan

Sundanceh said:

THK:)
"never been a golfa?" - you got a smile out of me, Tara:)

I'm hoping the new switch will help you. Lisa was the Gemzar queen - you may be the only one on this forum now, but if there are any more, I hope you hear from them. Lisa seemed to tolerate it, I can't remember her gritching about it. I hope it works for you too.

I'll never be able to have your attitude with all you've been through, but that's why you're Tara:)

I don't know you do it - but keep doing it...you show us all how to take disappointment with dignity and humor.

-Craig

Sorry
for

coloCan

Sundanceh said:

THK:)
"never been a golfa?" - you got a smile out of me, Tara:)

I'm hoping the new switch will help you. Lisa was the Gemzar queen - you may be the only one on this forum now, but if there are any more, I hope you hear from them. Lisa seemed to tolerate it, I can't remember her gritching about it. I hope it works for you too.

I'll never be able to have your attitude with all you've been through, but that's why you're Tara:)

I don't know you do it - but keep doing it...you show us all how to take disappointment with dignity and humor.

-Craig

all
of

coloCan

Sundanceh said:

THK:)
"never been a golfa?" - you got a smile out of me, Tara:)

I'm hoping the new switch will help you. Lisa was the Gemzar queen - you may be the only one on this forum now, but if there are any more, I hope you hear from them. Lisa seemed to tolerate it, I can't remember her gritching about it. I hope it works for you too.

I'll never be able to have your attitude with all you've been through, but that's why you're Tara:)

I don't know you do it - but keep doing it...you show us all how to take disappointment with dignity and humor.

-Craig

the
regurgitation

Good thing it wasn't flatulence

lizzydavis

druidshadow said:

thanx
thanx for the giggle tara, i needed it but i have never heard of that setup of drugs sorry
john

Hi Tara,
Hi Tara,

I have been on Gemzar for the past 5 months for Pancreatic Cancer. I was a colorectal patient and became NED in Dec. 2010. In October 2011, I was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer Stage IV. The Gemzar is a milder chemo than Folfox and Xeolda as far as side effects go. The main side-effects with Gemzar are fatigue. I have pain from Pancreatic Cancer but that is being controlled with pain killers. Yes, I was glad to hear that the Gemzar was easier than Folfox and Xeloda.

Lizzy

westie66

lizzydavis said:

Hi Tara,
Hi Tara,

I have been on Gemzar for the past 5 months for Pancreatic Cancer. I was a colorectal patient and became NED in Dec. 2010. In October 2011, I was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer Stage IV. The Gemzar is a milder chemo than Folfox and Xeolda as far as side effects go. The main side-effects with Gemzar are fatigue. I have pain from Pancreatic Cancer but that is being controlled with pain killers. Yes, I was glad to hear that the Gemzar was easier than Folfox and Xeloda.

Lizzy

Gemcitibine
Hi Tara: I was on gemcitibine + cisplatin for 12 treatments (followed by 12 treatments of folfoxfiri - oxaliplatin + irenotecan + 5Fu). I had no problems at all with the gemcitibine combination - in fact, I drove myself to and from treatment and even travelled. The folfoxfiri treatment was much more brutal but I made it through that.
Good luck!
Cheryl

taraHK

thanks
Many thanks for replies -- especially to Lizzy and Cheryl for sharing your experiences -- glad to hear the side effects weren't too bad for you. And thanks 'Colocan' for the additional information.

I'll keep you posted on how it goes for me -- not starting for another 10 days.

Tara