Alternatives when Avastin stops working

DK2
DK2 Member Posts: 7
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
My wife has just finished chemotherapy and has started maintenance phase with Avastin only. Literature indicates that Avastin stops being helpful after a matter of months, as low as 2 months to an average of 8 months or so.

I would very much appreciate hearing from patients who have had Avastin therapy and are now on alterative treatments and how they are working out for them.
Thank you very much

Comments

  • stayingcalm
    stayingcalm Member Posts: 650
    #2
    Tarceva?
    Tarceva comes to mind - mostly because I take it and it put me into remission. I'm negative for the EGFR mutation and Tarceva works anyway.
    Crizotinib (PF0234-1066) is in trials right now and shows a lot of promise.
    XL184 is another up-and-coming drug, I believe it's still in trials.

    Tarceva has been around for quite a while, but check the clinical trials site for the other two: ClinicalTrials.gov
  • DK2
    DK2 Member Posts: 7
    #3
    stayingcalm said:

    Tarceva?
    Tarceva comes to mind - mostly because I take it and it put me into remission. I'm negative for the EGFR mutation and Tarceva works anyway.
    Crizotinib (PF0234-1066) is in trials right now and shows a lot of promise.
    XL184 is another up-and-coming drug, I believe it's still in trials.

    Tarceva has been around for quite a while, but check the clinical trials site for the other two: ClinicalTrials.gov

    Alternatives to Avastin
    Thank you very much for very useful feedback indeed. My wife is also negative for EGFR. Our Onco also said that he may try Tarceva if nothing else works at the end. Crizotinib, if I recall right, is suitable for those with ALK positive. She has tested negative for ALK. She is positive for KRAS and I thought Nexavar would be good, but our Onco feels that recent tests are not very encouraging. I do not know about XL184, but will follow up. Meanwhile, she is on Avastin until it stops working.

    Our very best wishes for you, "staying calm".
  • slr4nkh
    slr4nkh Member Posts: 7
    #4
    DK2 said:

    Alternatives to Avastin
    Thank you very much for very useful feedback indeed. My wife is also negative for EGFR. Our Onco also said that he may try Tarceva if nothing else works at the end. Crizotinib, if I recall right, is suitable for those with ALK positive. She has tested negative for ALK. She is positive for KRAS and I thought Nexavar would be good, but our Onco feels that recent tests are not very encouraging. I do not know about XL184, but will follow up. Meanwhile, she is on Avastin until it stops working.

    Our very best wishes for you, "staying calm".

    KRAS positive
    Just found this post as my mom is being tested for the KRAS mutation this week. She was negative for EGFR and ALK. She was on Carbo/Taxol/Avastin for 6 treatments and did shrink the only tumor. However, she has been on Alimta/Avastin for two treatments and CT scan shows growth in the outer shell/wall or tumor.

    I was hoping you could give your experience with ONC recommendations and what you and your wife being KRAS positive?

    Hope all is well with your wife.
  • dennycee
    dennycee Member Posts: 842
    #5
    slr4nkh said:

    KRAS positive
    Just found this post as my mom is being tested for the KRAS mutation this week. She was negative for EGFR and ALK. She was on Carbo/Taxol/Avastin for 6 treatments and did shrink the only tumor. However, she has been on Alimta/Avastin for two treatments and CT scan shows growth in the outer shell/wall or tumor.

    I was hoping you could give your experience with ONC recommendations and what you and your wife being KRAS positive?

    Hope all is well with your wife.

    Hi slr4nkh
    Sorry, DK5 has not been on the boards in a while. You may want to talk to one of the KRAS patients at inspire.com.
  • 3Mana
    3Mana Member Posts: 811
    #6
    Avastin didn't work
    My husband had 2 treatments of Avastin in 2010. About a week after the second one, he was fine all day and into the night. But all of a sudden he started hemmoraging and died. It was a very rare side effect and we never thought that would happen, but it did. I've been trying to find out if there have been any other people who have had this side effect, but so far no luck.
    Hope your wife does good. Lung cancer along with all the other kinds are horrible. One day I hope they find a cure for all. I'll say a prayer for your wife. "Carole"

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