anyone have belomycin omitted

positive
positive Member Posts: 75
edited March 2014 in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1
My dad had his 6th chemo treatment and had quite a set back. He had a blood clot in his lungs, the clot was treated with blood thinners and he is doing great, he is a week overdue for his chemo and they are going to discontinue the Bleomycin and give him just AVD. They want to do 2 more treatments total of 8. My dad had 2A. and then 4 radiation treatments. Has anyone had the bleo taken away?

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  • bc99
    bc99 Member Posts: 15
    #2
    My mom had Bleomycin taked away for her last few treatments because she was having some problems with her lungs and with coughing and they weren't sure what was causing it. It's only been four months since she finished chemo, but so far she hasn't had any problems. Although it usually doesn't show up until after chemo is over, lung damage is a side effect of the Bleomycin, and from what I've read it's somewhat common for doctors to remove this drug from the chemo mix if the patient is having problems with his/her lungs. I wouldn't worry about it - your dad's doctors are just being cautious.
  • polly47
    polly47 Member Posts: 8
    #3
    Yes, my husband had bleomycin taken away after his 6th chemo treatment with ABVD. He was having some lung symptoms (pulmonary fibrosis). My husband was a stage IV Hodgkins lymphoma when he was diagnosed at age 53 (March of 2001). Instead of the bleomycin, the doctor substituted prednisone. After the 12 treatments of ABVD, my husband underwent the ICE regimen and after that he had an autologous stem cell transplant in January of 2002. It was a very challenging time, but he got through it. We both did. Your dad will, too. Today, my husband is back to work full-time. His only lingering effect is peripheral neuropathy in his feet from the Vinblastin in ABVD.
  • sarahu
    sarahu Member Posts: 8
    #4
    polly47 said:

    Yes, my husband had bleomycin taken away after his 6th chemo treatment with ABVD. He was having some lung symptoms (pulmonary fibrosis). My husband was a stage IV Hodgkins lymphoma when he was diagnosed at age 53 (March of 2001). Instead of the bleomycin, the doctor substituted prednisone. After the 12 treatments of ABVD, my husband underwent the ICE regimen and after that he had an autologous stem cell transplant in January of 2002. It was a very challenging time, but he got through it. We both did. Your dad will, too. Today, my husband is back to work full-time. His only lingering effect is peripheral neuropathy in his feet from the Vinblastin in ABVD.

    Was your husband treated for the pulmonary fibrosis specifically? How is it today? Does he have any lingering effects? I rarely hear of anyone having pulmonary fibrosis after hodgkins treatment. I started having severe difficulty breathing mid-radiation (after ABVD) and was diagnosed a couple of months later with pulmonary fibrosis. I was treated with prednisone for 2 years but my lung capacity today is nowhere near where it was prior to chemo/radiation. My docs suggest that the fibrosis was the bleo/radiation combo. I'm glad to hear your husband is doing well.
  • polly47
    polly47 Member Posts: 8
    #5
    sarahu said:

    Was your husband treated for the pulmonary fibrosis specifically? How is it today? Does he have any lingering effects? I rarely hear of anyone having pulmonary fibrosis after hodgkins treatment. I started having severe difficulty breathing mid-radiation (after ABVD) and was diagnosed a couple of months later with pulmonary fibrosis. I was treated with prednisone for 2 years but my lung capacity today is nowhere near where it was prior to chemo/radiation. My docs suggest that the fibrosis was the bleo/radiation combo. I'm glad to hear your husband is doing well.

    The question is---did my husband perhaps have some pulmonary fibrosis before he was diagnosed. We don't know that, but if he did, he was aymptomatic. The pulmonary fibrosis seems to be under control, but I just think that in general, my husband does not have the physical stamina that he had before being diagnosed. His oncologist seemed to feel that the fibrosis may have been either caused or worsened by the bleomycin. My husband puts in very, very long days. He is a physician. It is now 8PM and he is still not home, after having left this morning at 6 AM. Stamina is great, except for extreme physical work. He gets tired, but I also think that some of that is age-related.
  • kellyreav
    kellyreav Member Posts: 7
    #6
    I had bleomycin taken out of my ABVD treatments due to lung toxicity. It landed me in the hospital for 6 days also. This happened after my 6th treatment out of 12. I am now through with my chemo, just waiting on the SCANS!
  • Gatoreaves
    Gatoreaves Member Posts: 3
    #7
    kellyreav said:

    I had bleomycin taken out of my ABVD treatments due to lung toxicity. It landed me in the hospital for 6 days also. This happened after my 6th treatment out of 12. I am now through with my chemo, just waiting on the SCANS!

    Last Monday, my doctor got results back from my breathing tests and based on the numbers, diminished capacity particularly, he removed from my "chemo cocktail" and I've been coughing ever since. I have to admit that I was nervous about it being removed - especially since more chemo maybe ordered after the scans. My oncologist said that because of the lung toxicity, I may not be able to withstand the radiation - anyone have this happen?
  • Franquix
    Franquix Member Posts: 3
    #8
    My oncologist told me at the outset of ABVD treatment for HD IIIa that she would probably drop the Bleo after 2 months unless I was tolerating it very well. She was worried about a reduction in Lung function which she planned to monitor with pulmonary function tests. She didn't drop it until I complained about shortness of after 4.5 months but despite the change in my cocktail I was in full remission after 6 months...no radiation necessary.

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