Avastin/taxol regimen

nancy591
nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
in Ovarian Cancer #1
My avastin/taxol regimen is a 3 week cycle. Avastin/taxol week 1, taxol week 2, avastin/taxol week 3. 1 week off. I just had my 2nd dose of taxol yesteday and still have no hair loss. Doc says on the lower weekly dose it takes longer to fall out. I did buy a new wig just in case.

Comments

  • jloe
    jloe Member Posts: 174
    #2
    I had a similar schedule
    3 weeks Taxol and the 3rd week Avastin then 1 week off. It took a long time for my hair to fall out. I think it was not until the 4th cycle that it started.
  • nancy591
    nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
    #3
    jloe said:

    I had a similar schedule
    3 weeks Taxol and the 3rd week Avastin then 1 week off. It took a long time for my hair to fall out. I think it was not until the 4th cycle that it started.

    cycle
    1 three week period is a cycle, right? So your hair didn't fall out until 4 months or so into the treatment? How long were you on this combo? They are going to do Avastin every other week in the cycle instead of once in the cycle. I wonder why.
  • jloe
    jloe Member Posts: 174
    #4
    nancy591 said:

    cycle
    1 three week period is a cycle, right? So your hair didn't fall out until 4 months or so into the treatment? How long were you on this combo? They are going to do Avastin every other week in the cycle instead of once in the cycle. I wonder why.

    I count 3 as 1 cycle
    I had taxol only for 2 cycles because I had bowel surgery and Avastin can cause serious problems with the healing process. He added Avastin on the 3rd cycle and I had 2 of those. He then put me on Taxol every week and the 3rd one Avastin. My hair started falling out after the 4th cycle. I had a CT/PET after the 5th cycle and it was back (very small nodules). One lower left pelvis and 2 lymph noded in the upper part of my chest. He put me on Avastin every 3 weeks and daily oral Cytoxan 50mg. Had a CT/PET after 5 of those and there was no change. He considered me stable and then sent me to see Dr. S for a possible trial. They both decided that I would be better off with Topotecan (3 on 1 off)for now. My Doc will keep checking with Dr. S to see if there will be a trial that would be good for me in the future. I have had so many combos that I really would only qualify for a Phase I trial. I'll tell you, I have no clue how they determine the regimen for this stuff. It's above my pay grade:)
  • nancy591
    nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
    #5
    jloe said:

    I count 3 as 1 cycle
    I had taxol only for 2 cycles because I had bowel surgery and Avastin can cause serious problems with the healing process. He added Avastin on the 3rd cycle and I had 2 of those. He then put me on Taxol every week and the 3rd one Avastin. My hair started falling out after the 4th cycle. I had a CT/PET after the 5th cycle and it was back (very small nodules). One lower left pelvis and 2 lymph noded in the upper part of my chest. He put me on Avastin every 3 weeks and daily oral Cytoxan 50mg. Had a CT/PET after 5 of those and there was no change. He considered me stable and then sent me to see Dr. S for a possible trial. They both decided that I would be better off with Topotecan (3 on 1 off)for now. My Doc will keep checking with Dr. S to see if there will be a trial that would be good for me in the future. I have had so many combos that I really would only qualify for a Phase I trial. I'll tell you, I have no clue how they determine the regimen for this stuff. It's above my pay grade:)

    taxol
    So the Taxol didn't work for you then? How many times had you had Taxol prior to that and what was your longest interval without Taxol. I'm asking because I read on Johns Hopkins website that after your initial treatment with carbo/taxol there might be some microscopic cancer cells left. These cells would now be desensitized to carbo/taxol. But the good news is the desensitized cells will lose resistance over time SOOOOO the longer you go without receiving these meds again the more likely they are to work for you again. Since it has been 1 month shy of 2years since I last received Taxol I am hoping desperately this will work for me. Like you, I've been through just about everthing else except Topo. The Johns Hopkins info can be found at:
    http://www.ovariancancer.jhmi.edu/recurrentqa.cfm
  • jloe
    jloe Member Posts: 174
    #6
    nancy591 said:

    taxol
    So the Taxol didn't work for you then? How many times had you had Taxol prior to that and what was your longest interval without Taxol. I'm asking because I read on Johns Hopkins website that after your initial treatment with carbo/taxol there might be some microscopic cancer cells left. These cells would now be desensitized to carbo/taxol. But the good news is the desensitized cells will lose resistance over time SOOOOO the longer you go without receiving these meds again the more likely they are to work for you again. Since it has been 1 month shy of 2years since I last received Taxol I am hoping desperately this will work for me. Like you, I've been through just about everthing else except Topo. The Johns Hopkins info can be found at:
    http://www.ovariancancer.jhmi.edu/recurrentqa.cfm

    Oops!
    Sorry about my original post but I was actually was on Taxotere with Avastin but I think they are very closely related. I know I had Taxol at some point and I think it was within 2 years after my original diagnosis (8/2006). I would not go as far and say the past regimen did not work but may have held it stable. Not sure how to use it in medical terms but that's best way I can describe it. I would have loved for everything to have disappeared but that's not in the cards for me and like everyone else, who knows what's next.

Discussion Boards