Has anyone tried Carboplatin and Etoposide chemo?

frocy9d
frocy9d Member Posts: 3 Member
in Ovarian Cancer #1

My husband diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Given Etoposide and Carboplatin ( low dose because he's so sick ). Anyone heard of these??? How effective are they?

Comments

  • Arx001
    Arx001 Member Posts: 30 Member
    #2

    Sorry about your husband’s diagnosis.

    Platin based drugs are quite effective yet may have serious side effects especially on the ear. This is particularly the case for carboplatin. You may wish to contact an ENT specialist (and then an audiologist thru the ENT) for an auditory assessment.

    Newer platin based drugs (oxaliplatin) are far less harmful on the ear - but in my case I had to stop taking it also because of hearing problems. Ask if this is an option.

    Some of the hearing problems will be temporary, some may be permanent and some may pop up years from today. Also, an audiologist’s report will be of critical importance. In the most unlikely case of him experiencing sudden hearing loss you will need to go to a hospital asap because it can be cured if treated asap.

  • frocy9d
    frocy9d Member Posts: 3 Member
    #3

    Wow! I did read that. Thank you for responding. His is on a lower than normal dose because he is in hospital and has so many cancer related issues ( edema, fluid in belly, lungs, low sugar etc). We are currently in the hospital because he got pneumonia and sepsis. They decided that instead of trying to treat his cancer related issues, to offer him chemo ( insurance company gave us a run around for months- non authorizations ), so he started low dose of Carboplatin and Etoposide. Considering his weakness, he tolerated it well ..I just don't know how effective it will be for his advanced cancer. May I ask what cancer yr taking it for? My name is Fran by the way :). Happy New Year!!!

  • AnneN
    AnneN Member Posts: 17 Member
    #4

    Hi Fran:

    I am sorry about your husband's diagnosis, as well as the other issues he is dealing with. I am not familiar with Etoposide, but I just finished a 6 cycle treatment for ovarian endometriosis cancer the carboplatin and paclitaxol. I don't recall what side effects were due to carboplatin and which ones were due to paclitaxol, but I have peripheral neuropathy in my hands and feet, and I my hearing has been affected. I am hoping these are temporary. They did tweak my chemo after round 4 because of the neuropathy. I also did acupuncture for the neuropathy, which helped.

  • frocy9d
    frocy9d Member Posts: 3 Member
    #5
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1720022#Comment_1720022

    Thank you Anne for sharing. So happy your body is tolerating it besides the neuropathy....hang in there!

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