MMMT Background & Treatment update - Newly Published Article

jazzy1 · March 2012

This information was posted on another site by an active member, and found it to be very helpful. First time I've seen any current information on MMMT cancer.

This article is not for the faint of heart - it is pretty scientific and (in my opinion) includes more historical data than recent data and (more importantly) clinical experience in the overall conclusions made by the author. That said, it does provide a nice synopsis of data for some of the newer agents that are being explored (sorafenib, gleevac, etc.) as well as some updated data for some of the older agents (cisplatin, ifosfamide, carbo, etc.). NOTE -- If you read only one section, read section 8!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3189599/

Again, so many of the women on our site have done much better than what the author would suggest from her exploratory analysis. That said, all she has to go on are studies and words on paper and not the real life experiences of people like the woman on this site.

Happy reading...let me know what you think!!
Jan

CindyGSD · March 2012

Thanks Jan
Interestingly enough, I read this article a couple of weeks ago when I was googling MMMT. Like everything else out there on this type of cancer, I just figured it was another older article and didn't bother checking the date.

The trials weren't all that promising. It sounds like they are doing the same thing they were doing thirty years ago. I was interested in the Cisplatin/Ifosfamide treatment (without taxol). Haven't heard of anyone on that regime.

At least there are some options, albeit, not very good ones. The key is not to reoccur...easier said. On the plus side, I know that my doctor is on top of the the lastest treatment options and recommended everything she possible could to make sure this cancer doesn't come back. Only time will tell.

I agree that it seems there are many more survivors out there then the studies would suggest, but even given this was published recently, the data they were drawing conclusions from, had to be older.

Cindy

jazzy1 · March 2012

CindyGSD said:
Thanks Jan
Interestingly enough, I read this article a couple of weeks ago when I was googling MMMT. Like everything else out there on this type of cancer, I just figured it was another older article and didn't bother checking the date.

The trials weren't all that promising. It sounds like they are doing the same thing they were doing thirty years ago. I was interested in the Cisplatin/Ifosfamide treatment (without taxol). Haven't heard of anyone on that regime.

At least there are some options, albeit, not very good ones. The key is not to reoccur...easier said. On the plus side, I know that my doctor is on top of the the lastest treatment options and recommended everything she possible could to make sure this cancer doesn't come back. Only time will tell.

I agree that it seems there are many more survivors out there then the studies would suggest, but even given this was published recently, the data they were drawing conclusions from, had to be older.

Cindy

Cindy
Yes it's interesting and as you mentioned, not any more promising. So much of these research areas, are somewhat confusing to the normal laymen like myself. I really, don't get in depth on reading and trying to understand as know most people aren't in overboard mode like you or I on proper eating, exercising and doing lots of good nutritional things for our bodies.

Did you read part about better percentages when have chemo and radiation vs. one or the other treatment only??? I had both and you???

So much of what I've learned relates to our age, health issues pre-cancer, etc. Not an easy thing to follow so we have issues looking at this article in "black & white" mode. I try to read and just keep doing what I'm doing with my healthy life-style hoping to be on the path of ------- A STATISTIC OF ONE!!!

Great quote --

CANCER IS NOT A SENTENCE, IT'S A WORD!!

Best to you~
Jan

CindyGSD · March 2012

jazzy1 said:
Cindy
Yes it's interesting and as you mentioned, not any more promising. So much of these research areas, are somewhat confusing to the normal laymen like myself. I really, don't get in depth on reading and trying to understand as know most people aren't in overboard mode like you or I on proper eating, exercising and doing lots of good nutritional things for our bodies.

Did you read part about better percentages when have chemo and radiation vs. one or the other treatment only??? I had both and you???

So much of what I've learned relates to our age, health issues pre-cancer, etc. Not an easy thing to follow so we have issues looking at this article in "black & white" mode. I try to read and just keep doing what I'm doing with my healthy life-style hoping to be on the path of ------- A STATISTIC OF ONE!!!

Great quote --

CANCER IS NOT A SENTENCE, IT'S A WORD!!

Best to you~
Jan

Jan...
I'm just wrapping up my treatment (last round of chemo this coming week) and I had everything, surgery, chemo, radiation, brachytherapy and more chemo. So I've had everything that is recommended. I can only hope that does the trick.

I found out at my last doctor's appointment that a CT scan I had prior to radiation that I thought was just used for mapping purposes, actually was reviewed by my oncologist when she casually mentioned it and said everything looked good. At least I didn't have to stress over that one. It sounds like they will do another at the end of March and use that to compare all other CT scans going forward. I will be stressing over that one.

Take care,
Cindy

bizzyfingers · March 2012

MMMT - my experience
Hi Jan,

Thanks for providing info regarding the newly published article on MMMT. Like you, I believe that a lot of women are doing much better than the article portrays.

In 2008, I was diagnosed with stage IVb and was given 3 weeks to live w/o treatment and 1 year to live with treatment. My memory is not that great as to how many treatments I have had....but I can tell you what they consisted of. Carboplatin and Taxol were used first which shrunk the tumors in my peritoneum and liver to the extent that I was eligible for a trial at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in NC. In February 2009, I had IPHC surgery at Wake Forest; the surgeon removed my spleen, tail of the pancreas, part of my stomach, my omentum and removed all visible signs of the tumor. He then instilled heated chemotherapy directly into the peritoneum. After this very invasive surgery, I was in remission for 6 months. I was started back on carbo/Taxol, but had grown resistant to it, so was started on Doxil for approximately 2 cycles, as I could not tolerate the side effects. From August 2009 to May 2010 I underwent chemo every month until I asked my oncologist if I could take a break from chemo, which he agreed with, but thought my cancer would return in 3-6 months. I was cancer free until October 2011 with mets to my liver again. I was started on Taxol/Ifex/Mesna in October and had this treatment every 3 weeks and just completed it about a month ago. After my last treatment I had blood clots in my lungs and was admitted for about 5 days, so now I am on Coumadin for the rest of my life. My oncologist says this happened because of the cancer and the treatments. Now, I am feeling very well and hope this continues! Good luck to all of you. Trish

RoseyR · March 2012

bizzyfingers said:
MMMT - my experience
Hi Jan,

Thanks for providing info regarding the newly published article on MMMT. Like you, I believe that a lot of women are doing much better than the article portrays.

In 2008, I was diagnosed with stage IVb and was given 3 weeks to live w/o treatment and 1 year to live with treatment. My memory is not that great as to how many treatments I have had....but I can tell you what they consisted of. Carboplatin and Taxol were used first which shrunk the tumors in my peritoneum and liver to the extent that I was eligible for a trial at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in NC. In February 2009, I had IPHC surgery at Wake Forest; the surgeon removed my spleen, tail of the pancreas, part of my stomach, my omentum and removed all visible signs of the tumor. He then instilled heated chemotherapy directly into the peritoneum. After this very invasive surgery, I was in remission for 6 months. I was started back on carbo/Taxol, but had grown resistant to it, so was started on Doxil for approximately 2 cycles, as I could not tolerate the side effects. From August 2009 to May 2010 I underwent chemo every month until I asked my oncologist if I could take a break from chemo, which he agreed with, but thought my cancer would return in 3-6 months. I was cancer free until October 2011 with mets to my liver again. I was started on Taxol/Ifex/Mesna in October and had this treatment every 3 weeks and just completed it about a month ago. After my last treatment I had blood clots in my lungs and was admitted for about 5 days, so now I am on Coumadin for the rest of my life. My oncologist says this happened because of the cancer and the treatments. Now, I am feeling very well and hope this continues! Good luck to all of you. Trish

Thanks so Much for Your Story!

Trish,

What a warrior you are; you have been through a lot but are alive after four years, not expired in one as your oncs originally predicted. And I so hope that the quality of your life--despite all the chemo--has been decent at least part of the time.
(How difficult, I wonder, was your last chemo regimen--the taxol/Ifex/Mesna combination?

Finally: are you still in treatment at Wake Forest and if not do you have great confidence in your current oncologist? I think this can be so important. Mine is supposed to be excellent but is not very communicative, alas.

Best,
Rosey

MMMT Background & Treatment update - Newly Published Article

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