Avastin withheld due to blood thinners

Lovekitties said:

Avastin

Avastin's roll in the formation of blood clots is known.

Here is info I pulled from the FDA site which lists approved meds and also shows approved labeling:

 

 On  the label  insert 11/20/2012 section 5.5 (not sure when this exactly was put on label)

 

 

Arterial Thromboembolic Events 154 Serious, sometimes fatal, arterial thromboembolic events (ATE) including cerebral infarction, 155 transient ischemic attacks, myocardial infarction, angina, and a variety of other ATE occurred at a 156 higher incidence in patients receiving Avastin compared to those in the control arm. Across 157 indications, the incidence of Grade  3 ATE in the Avastin containing arms was 2.6% compared to 158 0.8% in the control arms. Among patients receiving Avastin in combination with chemotherapy, the 159 risk of developing ATE during therapy was increased in patients with a history of arterial 160 thromboembolism, or age greater than 65 years. [See Use in Specific Populations (8.5).] 161 The safety of resumption of Avastin therapy after resolution of an ATE has not been studied. 162 Discontinue Avastin in patients who experience a severe ATE. [See Dosage and Administration

See the following for full insert info: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2012/125085s265lbl.pdf

Is known to cause congestive heart failure over extended use...though the informational drug pamphlet I read did not specify a time frame for that possible occurence.

I know I took it about 8-months or so...and I walked away with a tic in my heart from it that was not there before.  It's like trying to catch your breath and put your heart back in its proper rhythm...early on, it was very scary as you would breathe out and your heart felt like it was not going to contract....a real attention getter.

It's permanent...and I feel myself catching an extra breath throughout the day...and I'm sure into the night when I'm unconscious.

It definitely carries risks the longer you take it...should be considered a treatment option and not a lifestyle drug.

Chelsea71 said:

Maybe it's good that he is
Maybe it's good that he is taking a break from it. Sounds like it really takes a toll on the body. Steve's onc said that the Avastin doesn't play that big a role in fighting the cancer. She says the 5fu is what is important. This confuses me because the 5fu has been used for forty years. There has been so much cc advancement attributed to these anti-angiogenic meds. People living for many more years etc. Didn't want Steve to miss out on such an important drug. Maybe it's for the best. He has had some protein in his urine lately, as well.

Chelsea

That's interesting what his doctor told you about the role of Avastin vs the role of 5fu. 

The whole premise behind it was the claim that Avastin "choked off" the blood supply to the tumor....but that's the key word...Tumor.

I was doing Folfox, Avastin and Xeloda at that time...after my liver surgery. Locally, we had eradicated the tumor with the open RFA and Cyberknife...then started chemo.

Looking back now, it seems that my onc was just giving that to me as a "preventative", since for that period of time, I had no visible tumor...

Avastin's role seems to be for tumors already present...and not just for systemic circulation in hopes of preventing rogue cells from forming by cutting off their blood supply.

I've often wondered if that drug helped me...I know it hurt me...forever...and in ways, I may not even realize what the true fallout could be, unless I get further down the road and experience it. I feel fortunate that my condition is not worse than what I have to live with now. 

Moot point for me, because I recurred again when it spread to the lungs...but I suspect that had much to do with my onc's (mis) managing of my case and the way he was adminstering my care.

I believe he was truly "practicing."  And I also don't think he looked to my future, because I suspect he figured I wasn't going to make it anyway.  They probably used some of their patients as 'experiments' to see how they might prescribe to another patient.

Only we were playing for keeps...

You know what really upsets me about the cancer fight, Chels?

"We have to trade THIS for THAT - While sacrificing TOMORROW for TODAY."

The decisions we make, or are made for us...have a lasting impression....because, they last the rest of our lives.

I wish it was not so...

P.S. Have his urine checked...Camptosar aka CPT-11 aka Irinotecan is notoriously hard on the renal system...and can be compromised...and in the worst case scenario...can fail.

Ron50 has reported urine protein issues....he did something early called Levamisole 48x...and it has haunted him.

My kidneys nearly failed 19 months ago when I was coming out of my last fight....I worried that a couple of more and I'd be cathetered for life. 

A break might be good...and perhaps, he could elect to continue it at a later time...wish I knew the answer there.

See ya':)

-c

Sundanceh said:

Hey Chels:)

That's interesting what his doctor told you about the role of Avastin vs the role of 5fu. 

The whole premise behind it was the claim that Avastin "choked off" the blood supply to the tumor....but that's the key word...Tumor.

I was doing Folfox, Avastin and Xeloda at that time...after my liver surgery. Locally, we had eradicated the tumor with the open RFA and Cyberknife...then started chemo.

Looking back now, it seems that my onc was just giving that to me as a "preventative", since for that period of time, I had no visible tumor...

Avastin's role seems to be for tumors already present...and not just for systemic circulation in hopes of preventing rogue cells from forming by cutting off their blood supply.

I've often wondered if that drug helped me...I know it hurt me...forever...and in ways, I may not even realize what the true fallout could be, unless I get further down the road and experience it. I feel fortunate that my condition is not worse than what I have to live with now. 

Moot point for me, because I recurred again when it spread to the lungs...but I suspect that had much to do with my onc's (mis) managing of my case and the way he was adminstering my care.

I believe he was truly "practicing."  And I also don't think he looked to my future, because I suspect he figured I wasn't going to make it anyway.  They probably used some of their patients as 'experiments' to see how they might prescribe to another patient.

Only we were playing for keeps...

You know what really upsets me about the cancer fight, Chels?

"We have to trade THIS for THAT - While sacrificing TOMORROW for TODAY."

The decisions we make, or are made for us...have a lasting impression....because, they last the rest of our lives.

I wish it was not so...

P.S. Have his urine checked...Camptosar aka CPT-11 aka Irinotecan is notoriously hard on the renal system...and can be compromised...and in the worst case scenario...can fail.

Ron50 has reported urine protein issues....he did something early called Levamisole 48x...and it has haunted him.

My kidneys nearly failed 19 months ago when I was coming out of my last fight....I worried that a couple of more and I'd be cathetered for life. 

A break might be good...and perhaps, he could elect to continue it at a later time...wish I knew the answer there.

See ya':)

-c

Avastin has played for so many here.....While technical, this was just published yesterday

www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0051780

The impact of Bevacizumab (Avastin) on survival in Mertastatic solid tumors- a meta-analysis and systematic review"

(Suggest reading "Abstract", then "Discussion" part)

make sure that he doesn't stop taking them all at once, no matter how unpleasant they make him feel.  Stopping them without tapering can be disastrous on the system.  I hated being on steroids....made my heart feel like it was going to beat its way out of my chest.