Carboplatin and Taxol w or w/out Erbitux

keepfighting21
keepfighting21 Member Posts: 7
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hello everyone. It's great to have all of you to learn from and get inspired by. So I was diagnosed with NPC end of 2014 and finished treatment Dec 31 2014 with radiotherapy and cisplatin. Unfortunately I had a I biopsy done last Friday due to a liver lesion. I was told likely mets. I may have bone mets as well but not definitive. I got a second opinion and was told that the treatment regimen should be Carboplatin, Taxol, and Erbitux.  My current oncologist doesn't think that Erbitux adds any additional value and that if the Carboplatin/Taxol is ineffective then we will consider Erbitux. Sounds like the 3 chemo drug combination is a more aggressive approach.  However I've gathered from on-line and survivors' experiences here that Erbitux is notorious for major skin problems and possibly infection. At this point I don't know what to do. I'm leaning toward just taking the 2 drug combination because they seem similar to cisplatin and its side effects. I would greatly appreciate any input as I fight through this.  Thank you.

keepfighting21

Comments

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #2
    Trust your Doctor...........

    I only had surgery so others will have to answer the chemo and Radiation questions. All I can add at this time is Trust your team of doctors, and go to a major hospital don't go local.

    Bill

  • avisemi
    avisemi Member Posts: 172
    #3
    Hi, sorry you have to go

    Hi, sorry you have to go through this again! My husband finished treatment for NPC in February. He had 3 rounds of cisplatin, taxotere and 5fu before having radiation and weekly carboplatin.  We asked about erbitux several times. The onc said that it was not necessary since erbitux was for when there is recurrence.

    Good luck!

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
    NPC

    I took chemo with radiation on my second treatment for NPC back in 2004 I think it was Erbitux and I did find. Some of these things are very hard to do in making the correct choice, because my NPC came back again in 2006 but this time all the doctors could do was more Chemo. All I could do was to pray that my decision was the right one for me as sometimes what works for one will not work for someone else. The one thing for sure that you have going for you is a strong will to keep fighting; I hope you don’t mind me praying for you as too me pray is the one and most importance part of healing.

    PS: there are a lot of us NPC survivors here on CSN I am just one of many

    Tim  

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • keepfighting21
    keepfighting21 Member Posts: 7
    #5
    wmc said:

    Trust your Doctor...........

    I only had surgery so others will have to answer the chemo and Radiation questions. All I can add at this time is Trust your team of doctors, and go to a major hospital don't go local.

    Bill

    Thank you.

    Thanks Bill!

  • keepfighting21
    keepfighting21 Member Posts: 7
    #6
    avisemi said:

    Hi, sorry you have to go

    Hi, sorry you have to go through this again! My husband finished treatment for NPC in February. He had 3 rounds of cisplatin, taxotere and 5fu before having radiation and weekly carboplatin.  We asked about erbitux several times. The onc said that it was not necessary since erbitux was for when there is recurrence.

    Good luck!

    Thanks.

    Thank you!

  • keepfighting21
    keepfighting21 Member Posts: 7
    #7
    Hondo said:

    NPC

    I took chemo with radiation on my second treatment for NPC back in 2004 I think it was Erbitux and I did find. Some of these things are very hard to do in making the correct choice, because my NPC came back again in 2006 but this time all the doctors could do was more Chemo. All I could do was to pray that my decision was the right one for me as sometimes what works for one will not work for someone else. The one thing for sure that you have going for you is a strong will to keep fighting; I hope you don’t mind me praying for you as too me pray is the one and most importance part of healing.

    PS: there are a lot of us NPC survivors here on CSN I am just one of many

    Tim  

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    You are a true survivor!

    Thanks Hondo/Tim. Always inspired by your experience. I'm praying with you. God bless.

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,773 Member
    #8
    options

    Hi,

    You need to trust you doctors and follow their recommendations. We can not offer any specifics for you as we are not qualified and have no medical details to even discuss intelligently. If the doctor feels the two drug combo is the better choice now and you are not certain that sits well with you, seek a second opinion from a facility known for great cancer treatment.

    Good luck

     

     

  • rcaulder
    rcaulder Member Posts: 70
    #9
    Erbitux

    I would agree, go with your phycians advice. I can give you my experience though with erbitux. I am currently undergoing radiation and erbitux for HPV positive tonsillar CA with node mets. I have had so far 3 weeks of radiation. Two infusions with Erbitux. I can truthfully say, in my experience, Erbitux took me from hope to despair. My cutaneous reaction is, was severe. But, in the end if it works that is the goal. This is too big for me. I had to completely place it in Gods hands. 

  • Eversteve
    Eversteve Member Posts: 23
    #10
    Carboplatin and Taxol w or w/out Erbitux

    Hello Keepfighting21 - you have made a great start by giving yourself that user name.

    I did pull my file to check what I had, but to be honest I didnt open it - I wish I could burn it if I were truthful. Like many others have mentioned - listen to a good Doctor / Consultant that is a specialist. Whilst we all have NPC, the after effects, whatever, every case is slightly different and the treatent is is quite specifically tailored to an individual's problems.

    Your comment regards "major skin problems and possibly infection" .....should not affect your decission - in my mind anyway, the major thing is to get over this latest hurdle.

    Stay strong and I wish you all the best. Good luck mate.

  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #11
    It probably evens out

    This is a really interesting approach as I have never seen the threesome combo prescribed together. You can bet they did some trials prior to you and it had some positive effect.  The platnium based drugs work on killing everything and the Erbitux is considered "targeted therapy" I didn't think the different classes were combinable.  Regardless they have had success with it. What I mean by, "It probably evens out "  is that if you forego the Erbitux your doses of the other two would probably be higher and if you went with the three they would adjust to the lower side of dosing. There is a limit to the amount of toxic stuff we can handle. This is all supposition on a very limited knowledge base for me. What I like about the two drug approach is that it leaves me an option on the table. If the toxicity is going to even out then "I" would make a choice on the remaining variables such as Oncologist, Hospital, location and available support structure. All the Best to you.

  • MrsBD
    MrsBD Member Posts: 617 Member
    #12
    I Survived Erbitux

    "I Survived Erbitux". Might as well have a t-shirt made! While I did have the Erbitux rash, and it was pretty miserable, it was managed with an antibiotic (Clindamycin) and cleared up shortly after finishing treatment. I will take an ugly rash over hearing loss, for sure. You've been given good advice- trust your doctor, get a second opinion for reassurance, come here for support. You've been added to my prayers.

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #13
    MrsBD said:

    I Survived Erbitux

    "I Survived Erbitux". Might as well have a t-shirt made! While I did have the Erbitux rash, and it was pretty miserable, it was managed with an antibiotic (Clindamycin) and cleared up shortly after finishing treatment. I will take an ugly rash over hearing loss, for sure. You've been given good advice- trust your doctor, get a second opinion for reassurance, come here for support. You've been added to my prayers.

    Erbitux

    I had Cispalatin 2011 and Taxol/Erbitux 2014. Personally, i had a much easier time with with the Taxol/erbitux than I did with the Cisplatin. My cancer was SCC of jaw and two recurrances around carotids. NED for last year.

    God Bless,

    Candi

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