Anyone who couldn't take chemo

Agv
Agv Member Posts: 13
in Lung Cancer #1

can anyone give me any advise?  I have lung cancer and only have 8 radiation treatments left to do.  But the one chemo treatment I have had took my WBC down so low that in 3 weeks it still is only at a 2 and they've said my body just cannot take chemo.  I will be put on a drug called Tarceva when I finish my radiation.  

Has anyone else not been able to take chemo?  Any questions I should ask?  

Thank you.  

Comments

  • dennycee
    dennycee Member Posts: 857 Member
    #2
    My experience was different so...

    ....I am writing to lend a bit of support.  Did they do any mutation testing?   I forget.  I do want you to know that Tarceva has worked well in many patients who did not test EGFR+.  

  • Agv
    Agv Member Posts: 13
    #3
    dennycee said:

    My experience was different so...

    ....I am writing to lend a bit of support.  Did they do any mutation testing?   I forget.  I do want you to know that Tarceva has worked well in many patients who did not test EGFR+.  

    Tarceva

    Yes.  They did to mutaction testing on me.  The Tarceva works on my cancer.  The ALK mutation was negative.  

  • dennycee
    dennycee Member Posts: 857 Member
    #4
    Agv said:

    Tarceva

    Yes.  They did to mutaction testing on me.  The Tarceva works on my cancer.  The ALK mutation was negative.  

    Not too late to get a second opinion.

    It concerns me that they continue to use chemo if you are EGFR+.  Standard protocol, recommended by the National Cancer Institute of the NIH recommends that patients be put on Tarceva right away.   That way the chemo treatment can be used at a later time - after the patient experiences progression and the patient has been through the second and future generations of kinase inhibiting drugs.  

    If however, you do finish this line of chemo, it is not unheard of to allow the patient 2-3 extra weeks between infusions.  Please consider another oncologist.  

  • Agv
    Agv Member Posts: 13
    #5
    dennycee said:

    Not too late to get a second opinion.

    It concerns me that they continue to use chemo if you are EGFR+.  Standard protocol, recommended by the National Cancer Institute of the NIH recommends that patients be put on Tarceva right away.   That way the chemo treatment can be used at a later time - after the patient experiences progression and the patient has been through the second and future generations of kinase inhibiting drugs.  

    If however, you do finish this line of chemo, it is not unheard of to allow the patient 2-3 extra weeks between infusions.  Please consider another oncologist.  

    They are not giving me chemo

    They are not giving me chemo no more because it took my WBC down to 2 and it didn't come back up.  I will go on Tarceva this week.  I have 3 more radiation treatments.  

    Do you know if most people tolerate Tarceva well?  

    Thank you 

  • dennycee
    dennycee Member Posts: 857 Member
    #6
    Agv said:

    They are not giving me chemo

    They are not giving me chemo no more because it took my WBC down to 2 and it didn't come back up.  I will go on Tarceva this week.  I have 3 more radiation treatments.  

    Do you know if most people tolerate Tarceva well?  

    Thank you 

    Side effects can be a bit

    Side effects can be a bit tough at first.  This link will take you to a group of Tarceva users who are very active on the Internet.  You may want to register at their website as well.  There a some chatting on the thread and a lot if great info.  

    http://www.inspire.com/groups/lung-cancer-survivors/discussion/tarceva-side-effect-busters-5/

  • Agv
    Agv Member Posts: 13
    #7
    dennycee said:

    Side effects can be a bit

    Side effects can be a bit tough at first.  This link will take you to a group of Tarceva users who are very active on the Internet.  You may want to register at their website as well.  There a some chatting on the thread and a lot if great info.  

    http://www.inspire.com/groups/lung-cancer-survivors/discussion/tarceva-side-effect-busters-5/

    Thank you.  I will.  

    Thank you.  I will.  

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