Avastin + Iressa for NSCLC

nhs76
nhs76 Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
Does anyone have any experience with Avastin for lung cancer? My mom has advanced (IIIA) nsclc and has been through traditional chemo and radiation. Pet scan shows all cells in large tumor are dead...other areas still have active cells, and doctor is attempting to control those. Would appreciate hearing from anyone who has experiences with Avastin and Iressa as a combined treatment.

Comments

  • lrrabatt128180
    lrrabatt128180 Member Posts: 23
    #2
    I know this is not the answer to the question you asked, but I can't help myself. I'm on a life mission to spread the word about all things cancer that my family and I learned the hard way. Be aware that chemo, and the drugs Avastin/Iressa do NOT work on the brain. And as a lung cancer victtim, your mom is at great risk for metastasis of the brain. PET will not pick up in the brain either. Your mom should have CT/MRI scans of her brain--and any signs of neurological symptoms--any signs, insist on these scans immediately. This may be the difference between her living and dying. The brain mets have been worse than the lung cancer and because her incompetent dr's let the symptoms go for so long without scanning her, the mets have left her terminal. We learned this lesson the very hardest way.

    As for your question, I know recently the FDA has put a stop to new prescriptions of Iressa because it didn't accomplish it's goals in trials. That is NOT to say it doesn't work- it has worked for many people. Avastin is new and seems to show promise. (I read and read and read everything cancer and I TiVo everything cancer.) Another promising drug is Tarceva. My mom is on that now and it's too soon to say much about its effects. I'll be sure to let you and the world know how things work out with this drug. So far she has not had any of the side-effects the dr's warned of (diarhea and a bad rash)
    Best wishes and prayers to your mom.
  • Ineedamiracle
    Ineedamiracle Member Posts: 2
    #3
    lrrabatt128180 said:

    I know this is not the answer to the question you asked, but I can't help myself. I'm on a life mission to spread the word about all things cancer that my family and I learned the hard way. Be aware that chemo, and the drugs Avastin/Iressa do NOT work on the brain. And as a lung cancer victtim, your mom is at great risk for metastasis of the brain. PET will not pick up in the brain either. Your mom should have CT/MRI scans of her brain--and any signs of neurological symptoms--any signs, insist on these scans immediately. This may be the difference between her living and dying. The brain mets have been worse than the lung cancer and because her incompetent dr's let the symptoms go for so long without scanning her, the mets have left her terminal. We learned this lesson the very hardest way.

    As for your question, I know recently the FDA has put a stop to new prescriptions of Iressa because it didn't accomplish it's goals in trials. That is NOT to say it doesn't work- it has worked for many people. Avastin is new and seems to show promise. (I read and read and read everything cancer and I TiVo everything cancer.) Another promising drug is Tarceva. My mom is on that now and it's too soon to say much about its effects. I'll be sure to let you and the world know how things work out with this drug. So far she has not had any of the side-effects the dr's warned of (diarhea and a bad rash)
    Best wishes and prayers to your mom.

    Does your mom have brain mets because mine does and we were just told that Tarceva doen'st work on the brain so what else do they do for the brain mets she has already had chemo and whole brain radiation which was tough for her she has had off balance that she fell down the stairs but believe it or not we took her to the hospital after the fall and they found a blood clot 4 days later that could have killed her.And now she has some short term memory loss.Does it ever end.......I feel helpless!!!!!

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